Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor
I recently received my teaching certification from the Iyengar National Association of the U.S. The assessment is a two part process taking over five years to complete. A successful candidate must have taught yoga in the Iyengar tradition for a minimum of two years before assessment. I had taught for seven years when I began.
For the first set of tests, one must read and study a variety of ancient and modern texts for an understanding of philosophy, theory, and anatomy. Then teach, practice, and thoroughly understand over thirty asanas (poses) and a variety of pranayama practices (breath control techniques). The assessment itself is before a panel of certified instructors who watch as you perform the asanas and pranayamas and then watch you teach a given sequence of six poses in 40 minutes to a group of students you don't know. There is also a written exam. I passed this portion in 2008.
The second set of exams is similar but with new material, greater detail, and more difficult poses and pranayamas. It also covers how to deal with issues like pregnancy, high blood pressure, pain, etc. I successfully completed this portion in Houston in August. I am now a certified Iyengar yoga instructor.
In many styles of yoga, one can be "certified" by merely attending a weekend workshop and since there are no State or Federal regulations for certification of yoga instructors, it is up to the student to ask questions and seek out a trained instructor with good qualifications.
Rest assured that when you attend a class taught by a certified Iyengar yoga instructor, your teacher will have a firm foundation in asana, pranayama, philosophy, sutra study, and anatomy, as well as, an ability to deal with various real life issues like injuries and common illnesses.
To find a certified Iyengar yoga instructor in your area visit www.iynaus.com
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Diane
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Friday, February 19, 2010
Make My Day
The power of our actions should never be underestimated. Yesterday my daughter gave me a persuasive essay she wrote for her high school honors English class. It was titled My Mother, and presented a heart-felt description of why she admired me! A delight for any parent. A simple acknowledgment of appreciation and love. Later that day, I received a beautiful scarf in the mail from an old friend. The friend had been a yoga student of mine years ago and the scarf had a lovely OM pattern. There was no reason for the gift other than an act of kindness and love. These simple acts reminded me that I am loved and appreciated. It sounds simple, and it is.
In each moment we possess the power to connect with others. These connections can be as simple as a smile or as complex as a beautifully written essay. I often recall a reading by Thich Nhat Hahn on impermanence. In it he reminds us of some brutal facts. That everything and everyone you love and cherish will one day disappear. That you will one day grow old and die. That everything you value will one day be gone. There is no way to change these facts. The only thing that you can control are your actions. Your actions are the foundation of everything you do. Make them count.
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Diane
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6:33 AM
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Yoga and Art
Over the weekend I took a wonderful yoga class with Senior Iyengar teacher Elise Miller at the Iyengar Yoga Center of Denver. It was beauty in opposites- soft, hard, moving, still, tense, relaxed, exhausting, refreshing. She gave a splendid example of good teaching skills by systematically weaving us through a variety of poses, while maintaining a consistent thread of knowledge. I began to see teaching yoga as an art form. In this case a very functional one. And speaking of art forms, I have yoga student who is creating uniquely expressive pieces from everyday experiences. Check out her website http://www.jessierodriguez.wordpress.com.
Be well!
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Diane
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7:06 AM
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Saturday, January 30, 2010
Snowshoeing in the moonlight
at Echo Lake last night was delightful. Our group met at the warming hut to gear up and set out around 10pm toward Chicago Lakes. At one vantage point, we paused to witness the beauty of the snow-sprinkled granite mountain off in the distance. The night was clear and calm under the "wolf" moon which is a native American name for the closest full moon to the earth in the year. The ascent was steep at times and we worked up moisture even in the 15 degree night. At the summit we stood in the cold quiet air and took in the beauty of a rugged world softened and glowing in the moonlight. Then we dropped to the ground and slid back down to the lake!
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Diane
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11:25 AM
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Sunday, October 4, 2009
Bra Art
If you grew up in the last century like me, you probably thought a bra was a private thing. Well, not anymore. Last Friday night I went to an art exhibit called Bra Art at a local art gallery on Santa Fe in Denver. The idea was the brain child of Joni Goheen who has several young nieces with breast cancer. Joni was looking for a way to raise money for breast cancer research and to support her nieces when she had the idea to have people design "theme" bras and sell them at a silent auction. I saw a number of cleaver and cute bras. The first bra I saw was festooned with transistor parts including precisely placed little red lights (nipples) that was called the "Boob Tube". My favorite was actually designed by Ms. Goheen and was titled "Twin Peaks". It was a white bra lying flat with textured cups to look like snow. On the cups were tiny little skiers complete with poles!! Some of them were falling down and some were skiing down. It was very cute. Outside the street was hopping as people walked from gallery to gallery in what was called First Friday Open Galleries. There were street musicians and african dancers and lots of reveling. If you would like to make a contribution to support breast cancer research go to the local Susan G. Koman foundation website. Namaste, Diane
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Diane
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Monday, September 28, 2009
Voluntary Simplicity
This coming Saturday, October 3, Peaceful Hills Yoga will host our first Voluntary Simplicity discussion group led by a facilitator from the Northwest Earth Institute. Voluntary Simplicity is a five-session course that addresses the distractions of modern society that keep us from caring for ourselves, our relationships, and our environment. The topics covered include: living more with less, taking the busyness out of your lifestyle, making conscious choices about food, work, and purchases, and living a sustainable lifestyle. The workshop is from 9-11:30 a.m. The discussion group will be followed by a free yoga class. There is no cost for this workshop. If you would like to attend call Diane at 303.669.8106 or go to the contacts page and email. For more information on Voluntary Simplicity go to http://www.nwei.org/discussion_courses/course-offerings/voluntary-simplicity Be well. Namaste.
Diane Goldstein
Peaceful Hills Yoga
303.669.8106
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Diane Goldstein
Peaceful Hills Yoga
303.669.8106
Microsoft brings you a new way to search the web. Try Bing™ now
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Diane
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11:53 AM
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Sunday, September 13, 2009
Iyengar Yoga for Back Pain
One of the most common reasons people come to yoga is to address chronic back pain. Those of us who practice yoga regularly know from our own experience that yoga is effective in easing back pain. A recent study in the journal Spine now backs those observations with facts. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Iyengar Yoga therapy on chronic low back pain. Iyengar yoga focuses on correct musculoskeletal alignment in poses and uses props when necessary to achieve alignment. The subjects in the study participated in 24 weeks of bi-weekly yoga classes and were evaluated for pain intensity, depression, and use of pain medication. The yoga group "had statistically significant reductions in functional disability, pain intensity, and depression...and tended to reduce pain medication usage." It's always nice when science adds objective proof to your subjective experience.
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7:41 PM
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