Yoga has become so popular over the last years which is a good thing but then the focus led too much on the physical aspect of it. Luckily there are many instructors, studio's and schools offering holistic Yoga classes but since there are so many people interested in practicing Yoga, it has also become a marketing tool for a new sort of fitness.
Yoga instructors, lets encourage each other to bring back the wholeness of Yoga. Explain that Namaste is not just saying hello, it is recognizing the light, the wholeness, the divinity in the other. When chanting Aum, explain the meaning and let students meditate on the vibration of this ancient sound.
Introduce more meditation classes, teach 1 hour asana classes and half an hour meditation (or the other way round), introduce Ancient Indian Scripture classes where you read parts of the Upanishads, Veda’s or Bhagavad Gita and then meditate on them or introduce Awareness workshops: 1 part asana, 1 part meditation, 1 part healthy food options, 1 part discussions about awareness.
Acknowledge that you are just as much a student as the people you are instructing. Encourage yourself and students to practice Yoga off the mat and to nourish their inner light so they will light up their own life and those of others.
Lets not only do Yoga, lets be Yoga.
About the author
Sharda ten Hove
Founder, Ethical Vegan, Yogi, Social Activist
Sharda was born and raised in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Descended from an Indian mother and Dutch father, she received a multi-cultural upbringing during which she gained a broad perspective on life.… Read full bio
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