Mental Health Aware Yoga:

A Guide for Yoga Teachers

CO-ORDINATING MOVEMENT WITH THE BREATH

In the Yogic Practices chapter of the book you will read about co-ordinating movement with the breath as a way to cultivate a more sattvic state, and in the Therapeutic Skills chapter you will read about interpersonal and intrapersonal rhythms. In this short video, taken from one of the yoga classes in the online Mental Health Aware Yoga training, you can watch me teach a short and simple sequence demonstrating all of these three concepts.

NOURISHING HEAD SUPPORT

In the Yogic Practices chapter of the book, in the section on meditation for reducing rajas, you will read about one of my favourite ways to nourish ourselves when we're feeling rajasic, or hyper-aroused. In this video, taken from the practice library in the Mental Health Aware Yoga training, you can watch me share this nourishing blanket fold with a student.

For some students or classes it won't be appropriate to be so close to your student, so instead I suggest practicing this blanket fold on yourself lying down (it takes a bit of practice, but it is possible!), then demonstrate it on yourself during class, and your students can try to set it up for themselves if they choose to during class, rather than you doing it for them.

5,4,3,2,1 GROUNDING PRACTICE

In the Mental Health Crisis section of the book you will have read about this 5,4,3,2,1 grounding practice. This can be helpful to practice yourself if you are feeling ungrounded or anxious, or if you would like to support a student to feel more grounded.

If someone is feeling really anxious or panicked, the full practice might be overly complicated and confusing, and instead you could invite them to simply notice 5 things around them they can see.

Remember that this practice won't be helpful for everyone, that it's important to stay within your scope of practice and consider referring a student experiencing significant anxiety or stress to a mental health professional.