Slow Flow Yoga: A Meditative Experience

In the world of yoga instruction, teaching a “slow flow” class is an art form in itself. It is an opportunity to provide students with a safe and flowing experience, allowing them to access the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) and attain a state of calm and meditative alpha brain waves.

It’s considered best practices to ask if there are any injuries or conditions your students are working with - and to do so in a semi-private moment such as down dog. One should also ask if there are any pregnancies (as a separate question - but also in a private moment). Lastly, it’s considered trauma-informed to always ask if students wish to be assisted, and to let them know that they can change their mind at any time. This is a trauma-informed way of teaching that normalizes the conditions humans go through - and that also gives them agency to determine if they’d like to be touched.

In a slow flow class, the sequencing and structure play a pivotal role in delivering a transformative experience. Here’s a suggested structure for a slow flow yoga class:

A well-structured slow flow class begins with an opening phase, where students are introduced, and an intention is set. It includes yoga warm-up exercises that gradually prepare the body for more intense asanas. 

Here’s a breakdown of the class structure:

• Introduction

The yoga class begins with a warm welcome, where students are encouraged to leave behind the outside world and enter the present moment. An intention for the practice is set, guiding students towards a specific focus or purpose for their session.

• Warm-up

The warm-up phase consists of gentle movements and stretches designed to prepare the body for the more dynamic yoga postures to come. This phase helps students connect with their breath and begin to cultivate awareness within.

For more detail about the reasons behind a warm-up, see our biog, “The Physiological Necessities for Warm-Ups in Yoga”.

• Standing Sequences

Incorporate standing sequences into your slow flow class, focusing on proper alignment and controlled movements. Standing poses like Vṛksāsana (tree pose) and Vīrabhadrāsana I-II (Warrior 1-2) help build strength and balance.

• Lunar | Seated Series

The latter part of the class should emphasize calming and introspective poses. Gentle back extensions and seated twists are excellent choices for this phase, helping students transition from active to restorative yoga.

• Śavāsana | Dhārāna | Dyhāna

The final phase of the class focuses on relaxation and meditation. Śavāsana (corpse pose) provides the perfect opportunity for students to meditate and find inner peace.

The Immune System and Slow Flow Yoga

Moving beyond the physical and mental benefits of slow flow yoga, let’s explore its impact on the immune system. Unlike other bodily systems, the immune system lacks its own pump and relies on exercise and movement to circulate lymph, removing impurities from the body.

Lymph nodes are concentrated in various areas, including the hips, armpits, neck, upper chest, and joints’ creases. Slow, repetitive movements through these areas aid in lymph system circulation, promoting waste removal both physically and emotionally.

San Salutations (Sūrya Namaskāra) and Moon Salutations (Candra Namaskāra) are ideal for daily lymph movement. However, alternative sequences from Desikachar’s “The Heart of Yoga”, particularly in Chapters 3, 4, and 5, can offer similar benefits. These sequences involve dynamic movements that apply pressure at joint creases, promoting lymph flow.

Heart-opening postures, like bridge pose (setu bandāsana), may stimulate the thymus gland, a key component of the immune system (This is a long-standing belief in yoga - future research is needed). Deep breathing and meditation further enhance the immune response by reducing stress and inflammation.

Special Considerations

Every individual is unique, and their yoga capabilities vary. As a yoga teacher, it’s crucial to take into account factors like the duration of poses, depth, and weight-bearing requirements when planning sequences. Mindful transitions can help prevent overloading the hip joint.

The Bottom Line

Incorporating warm-ups, understanding physiological principles, and sequencing yoga poses mindfully are essential for a safe and effective yoga practice. By prioritizing the physiological necessities for warm-ups in yoga, both students and teachers can enjoy the full benefits of this ancient practice while minimizing the risk of injury.

By following these guidelines and emphasizing the importance of gradual warm-ups and mindful sequencing, you can create a yoga practice that promotes physical health, mental well-being, and overall harmony.

Are you a yoga teacher ready to take your teaching to the next level? Discover slow flow yoga and more in our annual training Prema Therapeutics Essentials. This 100-hour online course counts towards a 500RYT with Yoga Alliance AND your Yoga Therapy Certification with IAYT simultaneously. Can out Prema Yoga Institute and advance your yoga teaching career today!

What does Pride mean to me?

As a little boy growing up, my family would always encourage me to be my most authentic self as long as I wasn’t being hurtful to others. Looking back on my upbringing, I see it meant that I was able to be friendly, curious, unafraid, loving, expressive, creative, open and adventurous.  It meant that I was able to self define, it meant that I was able to show the world who I was.

Later on, outside of my home and my family, other people and forces tried to define me. To this moment outside forces are still trying to define me. However, because my foundation was so strong, I know fundamentally that the most important defining voice in my life will always be my own.  

Pride means being able to show who you are, without fear, to be able to stand in the light of your truth (Satya), and to know that being your most authentic self, without hurting others, is one of the greatest gifts you can share with the world. Working in the world of therapeutic yoga, I would like to inspire pride in my clients and colleagues because this kind of pride, this freedom, honesty, and self-love practice, can only make you stronger, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  Practice Pride! Happy Pride!

Dorian Shorts
E-RYT 500
YACEP
Yoga Therapist Candidate 
DorianShorts.com

Why Your Yoga Teacher Training Should Include “Sound Yoga”

Why Your Yoga Teacher Training Should Include “Sound Yoga”

Our senses help us navigate the world, collecting information and reacting to it. The central nervous system relays messages to our brains about sights, touch, smells, and sounds. Modern lifestyles are often overwhelming to the senses, and we seek yoga to restore the body's natural peace. We think about yoga addressing movement, breath, and mindfulness, but what would it be like to weave sounds into your teachings?

Sound Yoga

Sound yoga is sometimes called mantra yoga and developed before hatha yoga. The ancient yogic scripture, the Vedas, passed from teacher to student via oral tradition. Verses were chanted, linking sound to pranayama. Spoken mantras are manifests of the Sanskrit letters and words symbolizing creation.  

Traditionally, yogic teachings reference the noises and silence within as the "inner sound," reached by meditation. It's believed that this experience is the sound of the nadis - the body's energy pathways.  

In the present day, sound yoga has healing properties. Our worlds, bodies, and minds all operate at particular vibrations. Sound yoga creates changes in those vibrations to realign ourselves by using sound waves. We then become realigned to our true selves.  

Instruments for sound yoga

Incorporating balancing sounds is more complex than simply creating a playlist when teaching yoga. Expertly using sound takes knowledge, practice, and a few tools.  

Your voice is the most accessible and powerful tool for creating healing sounds within the body. Humming AUM, reciting mantras, and chanting are all options to engage your students.  

Singing bowls are another option. Audible vibrations are created when the singing bowls are rubbed or tapped. The sounds continue as the bowl's rim is rubbed, which resonates through the space and all those in it. 

Gongs are metal drums, struck with a short-handled mallet to create sounds that vary from piercing to deep. The manner of the strike determines the sound, allowing for complicated vibrations.  

Drums are another option to use sound for healing and are particularly adept at creating a meditative state. The coordination and timing of the drum beat lulls the listener into a state of relaxed mindfulness. 

Incorporating sound into your yoga teachings

There is ample opportunity to play with sound as you teach. You may also find that many types of sound instruments easily weave into a yoga session.  

Mantras, chants, and opening practice with AUM help your students ground themselves and solidify the intention of the practice. These reinforcing sounds also serve to conclude a yoga session. 

You may also choose to weave a physical instrument into your teachings, or create an entire yoga class devoted to sound. Part of your students' sound experience is building a bridge between the sound and its meaning, history, and associated mantras and stories. 

A sound yoga experience has the distinct advantage of providing your students with an auditory focus, relieving them of any distractions that often accompany pranayama and meditations. There are many reasons to encourage your students to listen to their bodies, and sounds help to guide the way.  

Searching for a Registered Yoga School that Provides “Sound Yoga” Teacher Training? Check out Prema Yoga Institute’s Sound Yoga Therapy Training

While you’re here, we’d love to invite you to consider our Online (Accredited) courses at Prema Yoga Institute.  Prema Yoga Institute is based in New York City, but is now available online with interactive trainings through 2022. (And this link goes directly to sign up for Sound Yoga Therapy.)

PYI is an accredited program based in New York city, teaching students around the globe through online classes. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you advance your yoga practice and teaching!

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