| tion_start --> | | | | fantastic form. Should they be teaching Hatha Yoga to |
| Competent Yoga teachers should have enough | | | | the rest of us? By now, I hope you understand my |
| knowledge to work with special populations; this | | | | point. |
| includes handicapped students, seniors, and many | | | | Many Yoga teachers work with special populations |
| more specialized groups with physical limitations. The | | | | because it challenges the mind. You have to research |
| reason is that Hatha Yoga is a health maintenance | | | | ailments, consult with other Yoga teachers, and find |
| system, but some people only look at the superficial | | | | solutions to problems. This might be frustrating to a |
| aspects. | | | | Yoga teacher, who wants to show what he or she |
| If a Yoga teacher is only capable of instructing elite | | | | can do physically. |
| athletes, who are 16 to 25 years of age, that's | | | | Therefore, a Yoga teacher who has not matured |
| wonderful. However, such a Yoga teacher should | | | | much past "showing off," should not be teaching Yoga |
| accept the title of "Yoga coach," as this is a limited | | | | to special populations. As long as he or she doesn't |
| method for teaching Yoga students. | | | | hurt any elite athletes, everything should be fine. Some |
| As Yoga teachers, we always remember the | | | | Yoga teachers are capable of working with the young |
| students who can turn their bodies into pretzels, but | | | | and the old Yoga students, within the course of a |
| that is not all there is to Hatha Yoga. If Yoga were a | | | | week, but this is not usually the case. |
| physical competition, we could invite some top | | | | The key ingredients for teaching Yoga to special |
| gymnasts to teach classes and retire from teaching | | | | populations are compassion, patience, understanding, |
| Yoga, as we were too old to perform feats that | | | | and maturity. When Yoga teachers work with these |
| impress a crowd. | | | | groups, we always remember the fantastic |
| This is not meant to imply disrespect to gymnasts, | | | | comebacks Yoga students made from a stroke, heart |
| martial artists, dancers, or any other highly trained | | | | attack, ailment, disease, trauma, or a special condition. |
| athlete. There is a tremendous amount of knowledge, | | | | To be in the presence of a positively charged human |
| effort, work, and time that is involved in their specific | | | | spirit is an amazing feeling. This is what usually |
| training. Therefore, the same can be said for Yoga, | | | | happens when Yoga students, who the world might |
| since teaching Yoga requires in-depth knowledge and | | | | have given up on, make a comeback from a near |
| training. | | | | death experience. These very special Yoga students |
| Some of the children I have trained, around 10 years of | | | | will never be forgotten due to their indomitable spirit. |
| age, are capable of performing amazing asanas with | | | | |