From the Kay Erdwinn’s Post Teaching Yoga for Round Bodies Most likely the fat person will prefer Ardha Siddhasana, in which one foot is placed in front of the other rather than on top of it. As with any cross-legged position, the fat person may not be able to fold the legs as snugly (i.e., get as much knee flexion) as … Read More
I teach an ongoing Intermediate/Advanced class each week to a small group of regulars. They’re very much into Ananda Yoga®, and they love the affirmations. (I can’t get away with skipping any of them!) Recently I went to an Iyengar/Power Yoga workshop and learned what seemed like a nice (if strenuous) bunch of flows. I thought, “I’ll take this back … Read More
Ask anyone — even a doctor — to put their hands on their hips, and chances are that all hands will go to their waists. Ask new yoga students to stand with their feet hip-joint distance apart, and you’ll see the legs widen beyond the typical, anatomically correct distance of 3 – 4 inches. Sadly, you’ll see some (yes, mostly … Read More
From the Kay Erdwinn’s Post Teaching Yoga for Round Bodies Half-Spinal Twist is a nightmare for fat people! It’s usually the knee that’s pulled up to the chest that’s the problem. The fat student usually can’t even find out how supple they are in this asana, because the belly gets in the way. Difficulty breathing, and a tendency to lean … Read More
Generations ago, when Naresh’s father passed away, all the relatives gathered at his house for the funeral rites. As Naresh was performing the ceremony, a dog strayed into the house. Someone quickly caught the dog and put it outside. After a short time, the dog wandered in again, and was again put outside. When the dog came in a third … Read More
A Tutorial for Yoga Teachers Have you ever had a student come to your class, having recently had a total hip replacement, and tell you her doctor gave her no restrictions in movement whatsoever, encouraging her to do whatever she likes? It can and does happen — and you’re right if you’re suspicious as to whether the doctor is giving … Read More
What I love about the practice of yoga postures is not just how rejuvenated my body feels, but how clear and uplifted by mind is, and how happy I feel. Even today, after practicing for over 25 years, each time I practice I can immediately feel the difference on every level: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. For me the yoga … Read More
From the Kay Erdwinn’s Post Teaching Yoga for Round Bodies Keeping the arms close to the body and the legs together are the challenges here for the fat person. I generally let my students put their arms in an abducted position like airplane wings. The legs can be strapped together — not too close; allow a few inches — or the … Read More
Ever since I began to teach Ananda Yoga®, I’d managed to stay away from fitness clubs. It seemed to me that Ananda Yoga would not be well received in these mainstream clubs. However, all that changed last year when the Northwest Fitness Complex here in Portland contacted Ananda Portland in autumn 2003, asking for a yoga instructor. I actually wasn’t too keen on … Read More
In “When Does Flexible Start to Mean Harmful?“, Lorraine Kreahling asks, “Does too much stretching cause injuries?” Ten to twenty years ago, when I was teaching yoga in San Francisco, one rarely heard of people being injured from practicing yoga. During this time I worked both as a chiropractic assistant and in sports medicine research. To the extent that we … Read More
