Here's the video of my recent Authors@Google talk on Yoga for Pain Relief. I describe 3 key ideas that have changed the way medicine thinks about about pain, summarize some exciting studies on how yoga and meditation can help people with pain, take some fun and interesting questions from the audience, and then lead a 10 min breathing/gentle stretching/meditation practice (in chairs).
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Showing posts with label yoga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yoga. Show all posts
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Book Trailer for Yoga for Pain Relief
I was inspired by blogger Nathan Bransford to create a simple trailer for my new book. The music (a composition called "Ritual") is by Kevin MacCleod, the photographer is Kim Shetter, and the voice is myself reading an excerpt from the book's introduction.
Link to youtube video.
Link to youtube video.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
New Guided Meditation Practice
I just added a guided meditation practice to the Yoga for Pain Relief resources page.
This 15-minute audio meditation is a concentration and mindfulness practice to help stabilize and focus your mind. I created it as a basic introductory meditation for a course I'm teaching at Stanford this quarter, The Science of a Calmed Mind. It's a great track for people who need a little extra encouragement to practice.
After I review the instructions, you will hear silence. Every five minutes, you will hear the sound of a meditation bowl being struck. You can finish your practice at 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or 15 minutes.
In the first 5-minute segment, I check in twice to remind you to notice where your mind is, in case it has wandered. At the first 5-minute mark, I invite you to drop the counting practice and focus on the sensations of breathing. At the 10-minute mark, I remind you to stay resting with the sensations of the breath and body.
When you finish, acknowledge the success of sitting, no matter how focused or distracted you were. Your focus will be different on different days, even as you cultivate more and more skill at concentration. The success of this practice is your sitting down and staying put, and honoring the intention of the practice.
For more guided practices, check out the Yoga for Pain Relief resources page.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Yoga for Pain Relief Released!
My new book Yoga for Pain Relief was released this month by New Harbinger. It's now available at Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble, and other book retailers.
I'm especially excited that the book made Disaboom's 2009 Top 10 Books for People w/Disabilities! Disaboom is a wonderful community and resource for people living with disabilities, and their caregivers. See their entire holiday gift guide here.
Happy Holidays, everyone!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Ethical Dilemmas for Yoga Teachers
Below are the ethical dilemmas we will discuss in Avalon's Yoga Teacher Training today. We first review the yamas and niyams, then identify our own core yoga and teaching values, and use them to guide self-reflection and discussion.
1. You have the opportunity to sub a class in a style that is very different from yours. Further, you don’t personally enjoy this style. Should you take this opportunity? If you do, how do you approach the class and students? What thoughts, emotions, and behaviors do you need to bring special awareness to?
2. A student in your class invites you out to lunch “to talk more about yoga.” You suspect he or she is interested in friendship or a romantic relationship. What do you do? Does it matter whether you find this person interesting or attractive? What does your decision say about how you perceive your role as a yoga teacher? Does having an outside relationship with a student change or limit how you interact with them in a class setting?
3. You have gotten very busy teaching yoga, and are excited to have so many classes to teach! Unfortunately, this is getting in the way of your personal practice. You haven’t attended a class in a few months, and you aren’t practicing formally at home. You tell yourself that your life is your yoga practice, and you don’t really need to practice asana, pranayama, meditation, etc. Is there an ethical component to this decision? What are the risks in this situation? How will you respond if you find yourself feeling like a “fraud”?
4. You witness one of your favorite, most inspiring yoga teachers outside the classroom doing something that really strikes you as “unyogic” but not necessarily illegal (pick behavior that conflicts with your personal yoga values/ethics). How does this make you feel? Will you tell others about this? Will this person continue to be an important teacher for you? What standards do you hold yourself to as a yoga teacher? How will you feel when you fail to live up to your own or another person’s standards?
5. You are so excited! You just received a request for private yoga instruction. The potential student is new to yoga, and his doctor recommended he learn yoga to help recover from hip replacement surgery (or knee surgery, or back surgery, or heart surgery…something you don’t know much about). Do you agree to help the student? Why or why not? If you do, what are you going to do to prepare? Where might you start? Who can you consult in this situation? How can the potential student be involved in making this decision or making any yoga lesson safe and helpful?
6. You have been teaching at a few different places that pay you very different amounts. One studio pays you by the student, and your classes have been very small but building a base of regulars. Another gym pays you a very low per-class fee, but the class is full and you love teaching it. Your corporate class pays a very high per-class fee, but attendance is poor and there are few regulars. Because of time constraints, you feel like you need to drop at least one class from your schedule. What are the ethical dimensions of this decision? How would you make this decision? What factors—besides class size and pay rate—would you consider?
1. You have the opportunity to sub a class in a style that is very different from yours. Further, you don’t personally enjoy this style. Should you take this opportunity? If you do, how do you approach the class and students? What thoughts, emotions, and behaviors do you need to bring special awareness to?
2. A student in your class invites you out to lunch “to talk more about yoga.” You suspect he or she is interested in friendship or a romantic relationship. What do you do? Does it matter whether you find this person interesting or attractive? What does your decision say about how you perceive your role as a yoga teacher? Does having an outside relationship with a student change or limit how you interact with them in a class setting?
3. You have gotten very busy teaching yoga, and are excited to have so many classes to teach! Unfortunately, this is getting in the way of your personal practice. You haven’t attended a class in a few months, and you aren’t practicing formally at home. You tell yourself that your life is your yoga practice, and you don’t really need to practice asana, pranayama, meditation, etc. Is there an ethical component to this decision? What are the risks in this situation? How will you respond if you find yourself feeling like a “fraud”?
4. You witness one of your favorite, most inspiring yoga teachers outside the classroom doing something that really strikes you as “unyogic” but not necessarily illegal (pick behavior that conflicts with your personal yoga values/ethics). How does this make you feel? Will you tell others about this? Will this person continue to be an important teacher for you? What standards do you hold yourself to as a yoga teacher? How will you feel when you fail to live up to your own or another person’s standards?
5. You are so excited! You just received a request for private yoga instruction. The potential student is new to yoga, and his doctor recommended he learn yoga to help recover from hip replacement surgery (or knee surgery, or back surgery, or heart surgery…something you don’t know much about). Do you agree to help the student? Why or why not? If you do, what are you going to do to prepare? Where might you start? Who can you consult in this situation? How can the potential student be involved in making this decision or making any yoga lesson safe and helpful?
6. You have been teaching at a few different places that pay you very different amounts. One studio pays you by the student, and your classes have been very small but building a base of regulars. Another gym pays you a very low per-class fee, but the class is full and you love teaching it. Your corporate class pays a very high per-class fee, but attendance is poor and there are few regulars. Because of time constraints, you feel like you need to drop at least one class from your schedule. What are the ethical dimensions of this decision? How would you make this decision? What factors—besides class size and pay rate—would you consider?
Monday, October 19, 2009
Pain Solutions Article on Yoga for Pain Relief
Pain Solutions put online their recent article about yoga for pain relief by Yoga Journal editor Kelle Walsh. Walsh interviewed me and Timothy McCall, MD, about how yoga can help people with pain:
Perhaps most important, yoga makes it easier to tune in to what’s happening in your body. “People learn to reject the body when they are in pain,” McGonigal says. “They feel betrayed by their body and the fact that the body is getting in the way of their life.” When you slow down and tune in, though, McCall says, you’ll begin to notice that the pain “changes all the time. It goes up and down with the breath, the time of day. You start to notice that variation. And when you go in and actually feel the pain — instead of your emotional response to it — you may begin to notice that you can alter it.”
Read the whole thing, then check out the book....Google books has the first 3 chapters!
Perhaps most important, yoga makes it easier to tune in to what’s happening in your body. “People learn to reject the body when they are in pain,” McGonigal says. “They feel betrayed by their body and the fact that the body is getting in the way of their life.” When you slow down and tune in, though, McCall says, you’ll begin to notice that the pain “changes all the time. It goes up and down with the breath, the time of day. You start to notice that variation. And when you go in and actually feel the pain — instead of your emotional response to it — you may begin to notice that you can alter it.”
Read the whole thing, then check out the book....Google books has the first 3 chapters!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Change Your Posture, Change Your Mind and Mood
Check out my latest column on Psychology Today-- Change Your Posture, Change Your Mind and Mood.
"Quick, notice your posture as you read this. Are you slumped at your desk, shoulders curved forward, spine rounded? Or sitting up straight, with a tall spine but relaxed shoulders?
How you're sitting may be influencing how you're feeling - not just in this moment, but throughout the day. A recent study in the European Journal of Social Psychology (Brion, Petty, & Wagner 2009) looked at how posture influences self-confidence....."
Monday, September 28, 2009
Summary of Research on Meditation and Brain Changes
I prepared this summary of research on meditation and neuroplasticity for the Yoga Service Council. We're putting together research reviews and "best practices" recommendations across a wide range of topics to support individuals in the yoga and healthcare communities. We hope that these resources will help individuals apply for funding, bring yoga/meditation into a new clinical or educational setting, and develop evidence-based interventions.
****
The brain, once thought to be relatively fixed in structure and hard-wired in function, has been shown in the last decade to be remarkably responsive to experience. Mindfulness meditation and yoga appear to have positive neuroplastic effects, supporting both structure and function related to improved attention, memory, self-regulation, and mood.
For example, multiple studies have shown that long-term meditators have increased neuron density and preserved structure in areas of the brain (such as the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, temporal gyrus, and insula) associated with attention, memory, self-awareness, self-control, and emotion regulation. (1-4) Long-term meditators have also shown increased gray matter density in the brain stem, which may be related to improved self-control and emotion regulation. (5)
Research also demonstrates positive differences in brain function. For example, experienced meditators, compared to those with less or no meditation experience, show increased activation in areas of the brain associated with attention during tasks that require focus. (6-7) Experienced meditators also perform better on tasks that require focused attention and cognitive flexibility. (8-10)
The neuroplastic effects of meditation and yoga also include positive mood changes. A single session of yoga has been shown to increase brain levels of GABA, which is associated with reduced anxiety and improved mood. (10) An eight-week training program in mindful meditation and yoga led to changes in frontal brain activation--increased left prefrontal activity--associated with positive emotions and well-being. (11) A similar training helped preserve increased left prefrontal activity in previously suicidal individuals, preventing further deterioration of mood. (12) Meditation experience is also associated with increased activation of brain regions (such as the cingulate cortex and insula) associated with empathy for others. (13) A meditation intervention has been shown to increase experience of positive emotions, and these changes in mood further predicted increased sense of purpose in life and social support, and decreased illness and depression. (14)
In summary, mindfulness and yoga are potentially valuable tools for improving cognitive function, self-regulation, and mood, in part because of how they influence the structure and function of the brain.
-Written and References Compiled by Kelly McGonigal, PhD
References
1. Luders E, Toga AW, Lepore N, Gaser C. The underlying anatomical correlates of long-term meditation: Larger hippocampal and frontal volumes of gray matter. NeuroImage. 2009;45:672–78.
2. Hölzel BK, Ott U, Gard T, Hempel H, Weygandt M, Morgen K, Vaitl D. Investigation of mindfulness meditation practitioners with voxel-based morphometry. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2008;3(1):55-61.
3. Lazar SW, Kerr CE, Wasserman RH, Gray JR, Greve DN, Treadway MT, McGarvey M, Quinn BT, Dusek JA, Benson H, Rauch SL, Moore CI, Fischl B. Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness. Neuroreport. 2005;16(17):1893-7.
4. Pagnoni G, Cekic M. Age effects on gray matter volume and attentional performance in Zen meditation. Neurobiol Aging. 2007;28(10):1623-7.
5. Vestergaard-Poulsen P, van Beek M, Skewes J, Bjarkam CR, Stubberup M, Bertelsen J, Roepstorff A. Long-term meditation is associated with increased gray matter density in the brain stem. Neuroreport. 2009;20(2):170-4.
6. Brefczynski-Lewis JA, Lutz A, Schaefer HS, Levinson DB, Davidson RJ. Neural correlates of attentional expertise in long-term meditation practitioners. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2007;104(27):11483-8.
7. Baron Short E, Kose S, Mu Q, Borckardt J, Newberg A, George MS, Kozel FA. Regional brain activation during meditation shows time and practice effects: An exploratory FMRI study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2007 Oct 27[Epub].
8. Slagter HA, Lutz A, Greischar LL, Francis AD, Nieuwenhuis S, Davis JM, Davidson RJ. Mental training affects distribution of limited brain resources. PLoS Biol. 2007;5(6):e138.
9. Moore A, Malinowski P. Meditation, mindfulness and cognitive flexibility.
Conscious Cogn. 2009;18(1):176-86.
10. Garland E, Gaylord S, Park J. The role of mindfulness in positive reappraisal. Explore (NY). 2009;5(1):37-44.
10. Streeter CC, Jensen JE, Perlmutter RM, Cabral HJ, Tian H, Terhune DB, Ciraulo DA, Renshaw PF. Yoga asana sessions increase brain GABA levels: A pilot study. J Altern Complement Med. 2007;13(4):419-26.
11. Davidson RJ, Kabat-Zinn J, Schumacher J, Rosenkranz M, Muller D, Santorelli SF, Urbanowski F, Harrington A, Bonus K, Sheridan JF. Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness meditation. Psychosom Med. 2003;65(4):564-70.
12. Barnhofer T, Duggan D, Crane C, Hepburn S, Fennell MJ, Williams JM. Effects of meditation on frontal alpha-asymmetry in previously suicidal individuals. Neuroreport. 2007;18(7):709-12.
13. Lutz A, Brefczynski-Lewis J, Johnstone T, Davidson RJ. Regulation of the neural circuitry of emotion by compassion meditation: effects of meditative expertise. PLoS One. 2008;3(3):e1897.
14. Fredrickson BL, Cohn MA, Coffey KA, Pek J, Finkel SM. Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2008;95(5):1045-62.
****
The brain, once thought to be relatively fixed in structure and hard-wired in function, has been shown in the last decade to be remarkably responsive to experience. Mindfulness meditation and yoga appear to have positive neuroplastic effects, supporting both structure and function related to improved attention, memory, self-regulation, and mood.
For example, multiple studies have shown that long-term meditators have increased neuron density and preserved structure in areas of the brain (such as the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, temporal gyrus, and insula) associated with attention, memory, self-awareness, self-control, and emotion regulation. (1-4) Long-term meditators have also shown increased gray matter density in the brain stem, which may be related to improved self-control and emotion regulation. (5)
Research also demonstrates positive differences in brain function. For example, experienced meditators, compared to those with less or no meditation experience, show increased activation in areas of the brain associated with attention during tasks that require focus. (6-7) Experienced meditators also perform better on tasks that require focused attention and cognitive flexibility. (8-10)
The neuroplastic effects of meditation and yoga also include positive mood changes. A single session of yoga has been shown to increase brain levels of GABA, which is associated with reduced anxiety and improved mood. (10) An eight-week training program in mindful meditation and yoga led to changes in frontal brain activation--increased left prefrontal activity--associated with positive emotions and well-being. (11) A similar training helped preserve increased left prefrontal activity in previously suicidal individuals, preventing further deterioration of mood. (12) Meditation experience is also associated with increased activation of brain regions (such as the cingulate cortex and insula) associated with empathy for others. (13) A meditation intervention has been shown to increase experience of positive emotions, and these changes in mood further predicted increased sense of purpose in life and social support, and decreased illness and depression. (14)
In summary, mindfulness and yoga are potentially valuable tools for improving cognitive function, self-regulation, and mood, in part because of how they influence the structure and function of the brain.
-Written and References Compiled by Kelly McGonigal, PhD
References
1. Luders E, Toga AW, Lepore N, Gaser C. The underlying anatomical correlates of long-term meditation: Larger hippocampal and frontal volumes of gray matter. NeuroImage. 2009;45:672–78.
2. Hölzel BK, Ott U, Gard T, Hempel H, Weygandt M, Morgen K, Vaitl D. Investigation of mindfulness meditation practitioners with voxel-based morphometry. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2008;3(1):55-61.
3. Lazar SW, Kerr CE, Wasserman RH, Gray JR, Greve DN, Treadway MT, McGarvey M, Quinn BT, Dusek JA, Benson H, Rauch SL, Moore CI, Fischl B. Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness. Neuroreport. 2005;16(17):1893-7.
4. Pagnoni G, Cekic M. Age effects on gray matter volume and attentional performance in Zen meditation. Neurobiol Aging. 2007;28(10):1623-7.
5. Vestergaard-Poulsen P, van Beek M, Skewes J, Bjarkam CR, Stubberup M, Bertelsen J, Roepstorff A. Long-term meditation is associated with increased gray matter density in the brain stem. Neuroreport. 2009;20(2):170-4.
6. Brefczynski-Lewis JA, Lutz A, Schaefer HS, Levinson DB, Davidson RJ. Neural correlates of attentional expertise in long-term meditation practitioners. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2007;104(27):11483-8.
7. Baron Short E, Kose S, Mu Q, Borckardt J, Newberg A, George MS, Kozel FA. Regional brain activation during meditation shows time and practice effects: An exploratory FMRI study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2007 Oct 27[Epub].
8. Slagter HA, Lutz A, Greischar LL, Francis AD, Nieuwenhuis S, Davis JM, Davidson RJ. Mental training affects distribution of limited brain resources. PLoS Biol. 2007;5(6):e138.
9. Moore A, Malinowski P. Meditation, mindfulness and cognitive flexibility.
Conscious Cogn. 2009;18(1):176-86.
10. Garland E, Gaylord S, Park J. The role of mindfulness in positive reappraisal. Explore (NY). 2009;5(1):37-44.
10. Streeter CC, Jensen JE, Perlmutter RM, Cabral HJ, Tian H, Terhune DB, Ciraulo DA, Renshaw PF. Yoga asana sessions increase brain GABA levels: A pilot study. J Altern Complement Med. 2007;13(4):419-26.
11. Davidson RJ, Kabat-Zinn J, Schumacher J, Rosenkranz M, Muller D, Santorelli SF, Urbanowski F, Harrington A, Bonus K, Sheridan JF. Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness meditation. Psychosom Med. 2003;65(4):564-70.
12. Barnhofer T, Duggan D, Crane C, Hepburn S, Fennell MJ, Williams JM. Effects of meditation on frontal alpha-asymmetry in previously suicidal individuals. Neuroreport. 2007;18(7):709-12.
13. Lutz A, Brefczynski-Lewis J, Johnstone T, Davidson RJ. Regulation of the neural circuitry of emotion by compassion meditation: effects of meditative expertise. PLoS One. 2008;3(3):e1897.
14. Fredrickson BL, Cohn MA, Coffey KA, Pek J, Finkel SM. Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2008;95(5):1045-62.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
New study: depression increases risk of dying in cancer patients
A new report in the November 15 issue of Cancer analyzed 26 studies that looked at how depression influences cancer progression and survival rates.
Cancer patients who experienced depression were at higher risk for dying. The increased risk was as high as 25% for mild symptoms and 39% for those diagnosed with clinical depression.
This study points to the importance of social support and complementary care, whether psychological, spiritual/religious, or mind-body interventions like yoga, meditation, and exercise. All of these have been shown to improve a sense of control, hope, or meaning during an experience that can feel dehumanizing, uncontrollable, and frightening.
The authors of the report are quick to point out that cancer patients should not be pressured into some forced kind of "positive thinking" or discouraged from feeling and expressing negative emotions.
Study citation: Jillian R. Satin, Wolfgang Linden, and Melanie J. Phillips. Depression as a predictor of disease progression and mortality in cancer patients: a meta-analysis. Cancer, 2009; DOI: 10.1002/cncr.24561
Cancer patients who experienced depression were at higher risk for dying. The increased risk was as high as 25% for mild symptoms and 39% for those diagnosed with clinical depression.
This study points to the importance of social support and complementary care, whether psychological, spiritual/religious, or mind-body interventions like yoga, meditation, and exercise. All of these have been shown to improve a sense of control, hope, or meaning during an experience that can feel dehumanizing, uncontrollable, and frightening.
The authors of the report are quick to point out that cancer patients should not be pressured into some forced kind of "positive thinking" or discouraged from feeling and expressing negative emotions.
Study citation: Jillian R. Satin, Wolfgang Linden, and Melanie J. Phillips. Depression as a predictor of disease progression and mortality in cancer patients: a meta-analysis. Cancer, 2009; DOI: 10.1002/cncr.24561
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Guidelines for Teachers of Mixed-Levels Yoga Classes
I created the following guidelines for teachers at studios who participate in Yoga Bear's Share a Mat Program (offering free classes/studio passes to cancer survivors). These guidelines as particularly important for participating studios, but are helpful reminders for all yoga teachers. Enjoy!
Guidelines for Teachers of Mixed-Levels Classes
Mixed-levels classes typically contain students with a variety of abilities, experience, injuries, and illnesses. The following guidelines help ensure that all students, including Yoga Bear participants, feel safe and welcomed in your class.
1. When a new student walks into your classroom. Welcome every student, and be ready to offer assistance setting up or answer questions about the class. Don’t make assumptions based on age or appearance about what they can physically do and what they are looking for in a yoga class. A young student who looks physically fit may have a serious injury or illness and need encouragement to rest or modify as needed; an older or overweight student may be an experienced yoga practitioner ready for a challenge.
2. When a student appears to have special needs or require extra instruction. Not all new students, students with injuries/illness, or students who don’t fit the typical profile of your class (e.g. obese students or seniors) will want continuous extra attention. They may be self-conscious enough and already feel like they stand out. Offer one-on-one attention and support as you would with all students, but try to offer a variety of options to the entire class, rather than constantly singling out one student for special instruction.
3. When a student isn’t following your instruction. There are many reasons a student might choose to modify a pose or refrain from a practice. Don’t make assumptions (e.g. laziness, fear, confusion about instructions) about why the student is not participating fully. Check in with the student and offer information or alternatives, but don’t pry. Student with injuries, symptoms of illness, or side effects from treatment may not want to explain why they need to modify, especially if they are in class to experience some freedom from being a “patient” or a person with cancer (or other illness/injury).
4. Use informed and intentional touch. Students with injuries and illnesses may enjoy supportive touch in a yoga class, but—like any student—may also be wary of getting hurt by an adjustment, or be sensitive to being touched. When you offer touch to students, make sure they have an opportunity to give you permission and feedback. Remember that adjustments can be confusing to students. When possible, explain what you are doing, why, and what you want the student to do in response (e.g. relax your shoulders, bring the knee over the heel, let your torso turn).
5. If you use partner work in your class, give students an easy way to choose whether they want to participate. Just as with touch from an instructor, many students have concerns about being supported or adjusted by an untrained student. Have an alternative for students who consciously choose not to participate in partner work.
6. When emotions come up in practice. In yoga practice, students may experience strong emotions, especially if they are going through a difficult time or dealing with a health challenge. This does not necessarily mean that anything is wrong, or that the student needs special comfort. If you notice a student is upset, privately and discretely ask if there is anything they need, or offer a tissue and give them permission to take care of themselves.
Compiled by Kelly McGonigal, PhD, (www.kellymcgonigal.com) for Yoga Bear (www.yogabear.org).
Guidelines for Teachers of Mixed-Levels Classes
Mixed-levels classes typically contain students with a variety of abilities, experience, injuries, and illnesses. The following guidelines help ensure that all students, including Yoga Bear participants, feel safe and welcomed in your class.
1. When a new student walks into your classroom. Welcome every student, and be ready to offer assistance setting up or answer questions about the class. Don’t make assumptions based on age or appearance about what they can physically do and what they are looking for in a yoga class. A young student who looks physically fit may have a serious injury or illness and need encouragement to rest or modify as needed; an older or overweight student may be an experienced yoga practitioner ready for a challenge.
2. When a student appears to have special needs or require extra instruction. Not all new students, students with injuries/illness, or students who don’t fit the typical profile of your class (e.g. obese students or seniors) will want continuous extra attention. They may be self-conscious enough and already feel like they stand out. Offer one-on-one attention and support as you would with all students, but try to offer a variety of options to the entire class, rather than constantly singling out one student for special instruction.
3. When a student isn’t following your instruction. There are many reasons a student might choose to modify a pose or refrain from a practice. Don’t make assumptions (e.g. laziness, fear, confusion about instructions) about why the student is not participating fully. Check in with the student and offer information or alternatives, but don’t pry. Student with injuries, symptoms of illness, or side effects from treatment may not want to explain why they need to modify, especially if they are in class to experience some freedom from being a “patient” or a person with cancer (or other illness/injury).
4. Use informed and intentional touch. Students with injuries and illnesses may enjoy supportive touch in a yoga class, but—like any student—may also be wary of getting hurt by an adjustment, or be sensitive to being touched. When you offer touch to students, make sure they have an opportunity to give you permission and feedback. Remember that adjustments can be confusing to students. When possible, explain what you are doing, why, and what you want the student to do in response (e.g. relax your shoulders, bring the knee over the heel, let your torso turn).
5. If you use partner work in your class, give students an easy way to choose whether they want to participate. Just as with touch from an instructor, many students have concerns about being supported or adjusted by an untrained student. Have an alternative for students who consciously choose not to participate in partner work.
6. When emotions come up in practice. In yoga practice, students may experience strong emotions, especially if they are going through a difficult time or dealing with a health challenge. This does not necessarily mean that anything is wrong, or that the student needs special comfort. If you notice a student is upset, privately and discretely ask if there is anything they need, or offer a tissue and give them permission to take care of themselves.
Compiled by Kelly McGonigal, PhD, (www.kellymcgonigal.com) for Yoga Bear (www.yogabear.org).
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Join me & Yoga Bear in Austin!
Yoga for Healing: Information Session
Sunday, July 26, 2009 from 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM (CT)
Austin, TX Free/By Donation (for Yoga Bear)
http://yogabear.eventbrite.com/
Learn more about yoga for healing and the work of YOGABEAR, a national non-profit organization that provides free yoga to hundreds of cancer patients and survivors.
Join us for a private event at Sundara Yoga Therapy for a talk, Q&A, and short meditation/breathing practice with Kelly McGonigal and Halle Tecco. Yoga Bear Chapter Directors from Austin, LA, and NYC will also be in attendance.
Space is limited, so you must RSVP to guarantee your spot.
Kelly McGonigal, PhD. Dr. Kelly McGonigal is a leading expert on the mind-body relationship and the psychology of yoga. She received her doctorate in psychology and humanistic medicine from Stanford University, where she currently teaches yoga, meditation, and psychology. McGonigal is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal for yoga professionals and healthcare providers, and the author of Yoga for Pain Relief: Simple Practices to Calm Your Mind and Heal Your Pain (New Harbinger 2009). She serves as an advisor to Yoga Bear, supporting Yoga Bear’s research, outreach, and trainings for yoga teachers and healthcare professionals.
Halle Tecco, Founder, Executive Director of YOGABEAR. Tecco founded Yoga Bear in 2006, after she was inspired by a paper she read on yoga and cancer while interning at Columbia Hospital. A lifelong cancer-advocate and 8-year yogi, she has grown Yoga Bear from 4 partner studios in San Francisco to a national organization with 11 regional branches and over 150 partner studios. She is an advocate for survivorship, healthy living, social justice, and grassroots organizing. Tecco serves on the board of Great Non-Profits, and is an MBA student at Harvard Busienss School.
Kelly Hollis, Nicole Reed, and Michelle Robbins are the Chapter Directors for the Austin, SoCal/Arizona, and NYC Chapters (respectively).
More about YOGABEAR.
Thank You to Sundara for graciously hosting the event!
Website: http://www.sundarayogatherapy.com/
Phone number: 512 249 9201
Sunday, July 26, 2009 from 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM (CT)
Austin, TX Free/By Donation (for Yoga Bear)
http://yogabear.eventbrite.com/
Learn more about yoga for healing and the work of YOGABEAR, a national non-profit organization that provides free yoga to hundreds of cancer patients and survivors.
Join us for a private event at Sundara Yoga Therapy for a talk, Q&A, and short meditation/breathing practice with Kelly McGonigal and Halle Tecco. Yoga Bear Chapter Directors from Austin, LA, and NYC will also be in attendance.
Space is limited, so you must RSVP to guarantee your spot.
Kelly McGonigal, PhD. Dr. Kelly McGonigal is a leading expert on the mind-body relationship and the psychology of yoga. She received her doctorate in psychology and humanistic medicine from Stanford University, where she currently teaches yoga, meditation, and psychology. McGonigal is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal for yoga professionals and healthcare providers, and the author of Yoga for Pain Relief: Simple Practices to Calm Your Mind and Heal Your Pain (New Harbinger 2009). She serves as an advisor to Yoga Bear, supporting Yoga Bear’s research, outreach, and trainings for yoga teachers and healthcare professionals.
Halle Tecco, Founder, Executive Director of YOGABEAR. Tecco founded Yoga Bear in 2006, after she was inspired by a paper she read on yoga and cancer while interning at Columbia Hospital. A lifelong cancer-advocate and 8-year yogi, she has grown Yoga Bear from 4 partner studios in San Francisco to a national organization with 11 regional branches and over 150 partner studios. She is an advocate for survivorship, healthy living, social justice, and grassroots organizing. Tecco serves on the board of Great Non-Profits, and is an MBA student at Harvard Busienss School.
Kelly Hollis, Nicole Reed, and Michelle Robbins are the Chapter Directors for the Austin, SoCal/Arizona, and NYC Chapters (respectively).
More about YOGABEAR.
Thank You to Sundara for graciously hosting the event!
Website: http://www.sundarayogatherapy.com/
Phone number: 512 249 9201
Saturday, July 4, 2009
4th of July Yoga Sun Celebration Playlist!
Setting the Mood, Pre-class:
Peace, Love & Harmony by Rejoice
Time To Be Free (Acapella) by Basil
Free by Ultra Naté
State of Independence by Moodswings
You Make Me Feel Like (Peace & Love & Happiness) by A:XUS Feat. Naomi N'Sembi
The Practice Soundtrack:
Sunrise by Norah Jones
Sun Comes Up by John Legend
Love, Peace and Freedom/Sita Ram by David Newman
Asha by Asha Puthli
I've Got a Passion by DXT and Damita Miles
Bajoran Sunrize by King Midas
Maha Deva Soulshine by Wah!
Closer to the Sky by Michael Franti And Spearhead
Curtain Call: Let The Sun Shine In [Reprise] by the Hair Broadway Cast
The Longtime Sun Shine Song by Amrit Kirtan
California Sunshine by Abakus
In The Sun by Donna De Lory
Surya by Jai Uttal & Ben Leinbach
Sun-Set by Jalan-Jalan
Shabda - The Purity II by Rainer Tillman
Celebrate, now go home music:
Freedom 90 by George Michael
Peace, Love & Harmony by Rejoice
Time To Be Free (Acapella) by Basil
Free by Ultra Naté
State of Independence by Moodswings
You Make Me Feel Like (Peace & Love & Happiness) by A:XUS Feat. Naomi N'Sembi
The Practice Soundtrack:
Sunrise by Norah Jones
Sun Comes Up by John Legend
Love, Peace and Freedom/Sita Ram by David Newman
Asha by Asha Puthli
I've Got a Passion by DXT and Damita Miles
Bajoran Sunrize by King Midas
Maha Deva Soulshine by Wah!
Closer to the Sky by Michael Franti And Spearhead
Curtain Call: Let The Sun Shine In [Reprise] by the Hair Broadway Cast
The Longtime Sun Shine Song by Amrit Kirtan
California Sunshine by Abakus
In The Sun by Donna De Lory
Surya by Jai Uttal & Ben Leinbach
Sun-Set by Jalan-Jalan
Shabda - The Purity II by Rainer Tillman
Celebrate, now go home music:
Freedom 90 by George Michael
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Worldwide Vegan Bakesale! Yum!
Love cookies, cupcakes, chocolate, donuts....and ahimsa?
Check out the worldwide vegan bakesale, going on in a city near you through June 28th. (From Australia to Canada, there's a lot going on -- and if you don't see one near you, there's still time to organize one yourself!)
Each city's bakesale is independently organized and benefits a non-profit chosen by that city's group. My local bakesale in San Francisco will benefit two animal welfare groups.
Anything that makes eating donuts an act of compassion gets a lot of love and gratitude (and $, see you Saturday!) from me.
Check out the worldwide vegan bakesale, going on in a city near you through June 28th. (From Australia to Canada, there's a lot going on -- and if you don't see one near you, there's still time to organize one yourself!)
Each city's bakesale is independently organized and benefits a non-profit chosen by that city's group. My local bakesale in San Francisco will benefit two animal welfare groups.
Anything that makes eating donuts an act of compassion gets a lot of love and gratitude (and $, see you Saturday!) from me.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Yoga for Cancer Survivors
To get everyone excited for Yogapalooza this weekend, here's a recent radio interview I did with Yoga Bear founder Halle Tecco. The show is The Stupid Cancer Show, a radio podcast for young adult cancer survivors.
We talked about how yoga can benefit survivors, some of the myths about yoga and meditation, and how Yoga Bear connects survivors with free classes at yoga studios around the U.S. Our interview is in the second half of the episode.
We talked about how yoga can benefit survivors, some of the myths about yoga and meditation, and how Yoga Bear connects survivors with free classes at yoga studios around the U.S. Our interview is in the second half of the episode.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Yogapalooza 2009!
June is national cancer survivor’s awareness month! Come show your support by attending the second annual Yogapalooza, a multi-city fundraiser for Yoga Bear.
Treat yourself to a day of yoga and help provide cancer survivors with free, alternative rehabilitation services at this annual event, where 100% of the proceeds will benefit the Yoga Bear and its programming.
I'll be teaching at the San Francisco event.
WHEN: June 27th, 2009 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM
WHERE: James Howell Studio, 66 Sanchez St. San Francisco, CA 94114
(One block from Church and Market. Easy Access by MUNI)
There will also be Yogapaloozas in Atlanta, Austin, Cleveland, New York City, and Washington D.C.
Treat yourself to a day of yoga and help provide cancer survivors with free, alternative rehabilitation services at this annual event, where 100% of the proceeds will benefit the Yoga Bear and its programming.
I'll be teaching at the San Francisco event.
WHEN: June 27th, 2009 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM
WHERE: James Howell Studio, 66 Sanchez St. San Francisco, CA 94114
(One block from Church and Market. Easy Access by MUNI)
There will also be Yogapaloozas in Atlanta, Austin, Cleveland, New York City, and Washington D.C.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
The Ethics of Teaching Yoga: What would you do?
In the last session of the Avalon Yoga 200-hour teacher training program, I lead the teachers-in-training through self-reflection and discussion on common ethical dilemmas that yoga teachers face.
Below are the dilemmas I used this session. I'd love to hear from yoga teachers about other situations that have challenged them, or what you'd do in any of these situations. Drop me an email or add a comment!
1. You have the opportunity to sub a class in a style that is very different from yours. Further, you don’t think much of this style. Should you take this opportunity? If you do, how do you approach the class and students? What thoughts, emotions, and behaviors do you need to bring special awareness to?
2. You teach yoga in a studio or gym setting that offers many different types of yoga classes. A number of students coming to your class have complaining of getting injured in another instructor’s class. What, if anything, do you do with this information? What is your obligation to your students, the studio/gym, and the teacher in question?
3. A student in your class invites you out to lunch “to talk more about yoga.” You suspect he or she is interested in friendship or possibly a romantic relationship. What do you do? Should it matter whether you find this person interesting or attractive? What does your decision say about how you perceive your role as a yoga teacher? Does having an outside relationship with a student change or limit how you interact with them in a class setting?
4. You teach a class that is advertised as mixed-levels or “open,” but nevertheless attracts a mostly athletic and experienced crowd. One day an obese student you do not know arrives for class. How do you react to this student? What are your assumptions? What are your obligations in a class listed as “mixed-levels” or “open”? How confident are you that you know how to teach bodies that don’t fit the stereotypical yoga-studio mold?
5. You have gotten very busy teaching yoga, and are excited to have so many classes to teach! Unfortunately, this is getting in the way of your personal practice. You haven’t attended a class in a few months, and you aren’t practicing formally at home. You tell yourself that your life is your yoga practice, and you don’t really need to practice asana, pranayama, meditation, etc. Is there an ethical component to this decision? What are the risks in this situation?
6. You witness one of your favorite, most inspiring yoga teachers outside the classroom doing something that really strikes you as “unyogic” but not necessarily illegal [e.g., smoking, eating meat, trash-talking other teachers, talking about how they lie on their taxes, apparently cheating on his/her spouse, or some other behavior that conflicts with your yoga values/ethics—pick something that would really surprise you]. How does this make you feel? Will you tell others about this? Will this person continue to be an important teacher for you? What standards do you hold yourself to as a yoga teacher? How will you feel when you fail to live up to your own or another person’s standards?
7. You get together with friends from this teacher training program, several months after you have been teaching regularly. The other teachers begin to complain about some of their least favorite students, sharing stories about annoying and inappropriate behavior in the classroom. It seems to strengthen the bond between the group and make everyone feel better about their experiences. How might you contribute or react to this conversation? How might you use this conversation for later private reflection on your teaching?
Below are the dilemmas I used this session. I'd love to hear from yoga teachers about other situations that have challenged them, or what you'd do in any of these situations. Drop me an email or add a comment!
1. You have the opportunity to sub a class in a style that is very different from yours. Further, you don’t think much of this style. Should you take this opportunity? If you do, how do you approach the class and students? What thoughts, emotions, and behaviors do you need to bring special awareness to?
2. You teach yoga in a studio or gym setting that offers many different types of yoga classes. A number of students coming to your class have complaining of getting injured in another instructor’s class. What, if anything, do you do with this information? What is your obligation to your students, the studio/gym, and the teacher in question?
3. A student in your class invites you out to lunch “to talk more about yoga.” You suspect he or she is interested in friendship or possibly a romantic relationship. What do you do? Should it matter whether you find this person interesting or attractive? What does your decision say about how you perceive your role as a yoga teacher? Does having an outside relationship with a student change or limit how you interact with them in a class setting?
4. You teach a class that is advertised as mixed-levels or “open,” but nevertheless attracts a mostly athletic and experienced crowd. One day an obese student you do not know arrives for class. How do you react to this student? What are your assumptions? What are your obligations in a class listed as “mixed-levels” or “open”? How confident are you that you know how to teach bodies that don’t fit the stereotypical yoga-studio mold?
5. You have gotten very busy teaching yoga, and are excited to have so many classes to teach! Unfortunately, this is getting in the way of your personal practice. You haven’t attended a class in a few months, and you aren’t practicing formally at home. You tell yourself that your life is your yoga practice, and you don’t really need to practice asana, pranayama, meditation, etc. Is there an ethical component to this decision? What are the risks in this situation?
6. You witness one of your favorite, most inspiring yoga teachers outside the classroom doing something that really strikes you as “unyogic” but not necessarily illegal [e.g., smoking, eating meat, trash-talking other teachers, talking about how they lie on their taxes, apparently cheating on his/her spouse, or some other behavior that conflicts with your yoga values/ethics—pick something that would really surprise you]. How does this make you feel? Will you tell others about this? Will this person continue to be an important teacher for you? What standards do you hold yourself to as a yoga teacher? How will you feel when you fail to live up to your own or another person’s standards?
7. You get together with friends from this teacher training program, several months after you have been teaching regularly. The other teachers begin to complain about some of their least favorite students, sharing stories about annoying and inappropriate behavior in the classroom. It seems to strengthen the bond between the group and make everyone feel better about their experiences. How might you contribute or react to this conversation? How might you use this conversation for later private reflection on your teaching?
Friday, June 5, 2009
STUDY: Gang Members Feel Safer
A new study in the journal Criminology reports that children who join gangs feel significantly safer after they join the gang--even though gang members are actually more likely to be victims of violence and crime.
The study followed 1,450 public school students in the sixth through ninth grades, from 15 schools in four states, for two years, tracking both gang activity, personal victimization, and the student's sense of safety.
This finding highlights the psychological importance of finding a "tribe" and feeling connected to--and protected by--that tribe. Even though joining a gang makes you statistically less safe, the psychological effects of belonging override reality. The more we have to give up (or give) to belong to a group, the more we value membership. Gangs aren't the only groups that operate on this principle--it keeps people committed to fraternities, companies, and even professions.
People trying to keep youth out of gangs, or help them recover from violence they experienced as gang members, know this and must address it. The Art of Yoga project, a Bay-Area organization I advise has recently begun a mentoring program for girls in juvenile detention, to try to build social ties in detention that can protect students after they return to their communities. Mentoring is one way to build a psychological sense of safety and support that might keep girls from rejoining the social groups that would lead them back to juvenile detention or prison.
You can read more about the study here.
The study followed 1,450 public school students in the sixth through ninth grades, from 15 schools in four states, for two years, tracking both gang activity, personal victimization, and the student's sense of safety.
This finding highlights the psychological importance of finding a "tribe" and feeling connected to--and protected by--that tribe. Even though joining a gang makes you statistically less safe, the psychological effects of belonging override reality. The more we have to give up (or give) to belong to a group, the more we value membership. Gangs aren't the only groups that operate on this principle--it keeps people committed to fraternities, companies, and even professions.
People trying to keep youth out of gangs, or help them recover from violence they experienced as gang members, know this and must address it. The Art of Yoga project, a Bay-Area organization I advise has recently begun a mentoring program for girls in juvenile detention, to try to build social ties in detention that can protect students after they return to their communities. Mentoring is one way to build a psychological sense of safety and support that might keep girls from rejoining the social groups that would lead them back to juvenile detention or prison.
You can read more about the study here.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Congratulations Part 2: IDEA Fitness Journal
This year, IDEA Fitness Journal took first-place honors in the Best Health & Fitness/Trade Publication category at the annual Maggie Awards, which are known as the “Oscars” of the publishing world.
Congratulations to IDEA! I am a regular contributor to the magazine, and the editorial staff (including Joy Keller, Kate Watson, and Sandy Todd Webster) is one of the most professional, friendly, and supportive and I have ever worked with.
The magazine is only available to IDEA Health and Fitness Association members, which can you learn more about here. The magazine stands out for its focus on cutting-edge research-- no other magazine communicates the latest "science of fitness" as brilliantly and practically as IDEA.
Below are some of my favorite articles I've written for the magazine.
The Science of Willpower. IDEA Fitness Journal June 2008.
Mind-Body Continuing Education: Facilitating Fellowship. IDEA Fitness Journal, 4(6).
Teaching Restorative Yoga. IDEA Fitness Journal, 4(5).
Mind-Body Continuing Education: Yoga for Chronic Pain. IDEA Fitness Journal, 3(6).
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