This article was inspired by an Instagram post published by Nina Soutsou with whom I shared Stewart Gilchrist's teacher training in 2016.
In this period students are lazy and not motivated in yoga practicing.
Online classes was good opportunities in the first lockdown period, now people are less and less.
This is really sad, because yoga is a big resource to react to depression and lazyness.
I tried to wrote a decalogue for students of our studio, it will help? I don't know, but we had, as teachers, to work for the wellbeing of our students, trying to do our best in every moment, expecially in this strange times.
This is what I wrote.
Why practicing yoga?
- Yoga reduces stress, because by consciously moving the body through asanas and breathing deeply, cortisol levels (= stress hormone) are lowered.
- Yoga helps us to develop detachment, allowing us to better appreciate who we are, rather than what we own.
- Yoga improves strength, flexibility and balance, promoting general wellbeing.
- Yoga strengthens our immune system.
- Yoga offers a moment to detach ourselves from the noise of everyday life, letting dive ourselves in a bubble of inner silence.
- Yoga calms and relaxes - even if the practice is intense - and helps to sleep better.
- Yoga practiced in a conscious way, through correct guidance and with correct body alignments, helps relieve back pain, arthritis and musculoskeletal issues.
- Yoga makes you happier by energizing the body and mind, and by stimulating the production of endorphins.
- Yoga is synonymous with change: by developing inner listening and awareness, it lays us bare in front of ourselves, giving the opportunity to become a better person.
- Yoga is a way of life and it can help us to change the world around us: if we are well, we will also make those around us feel good ... and if someone must be envious of our wellbeing and did everything to make us sink in its darkness? Well, that would be just his problem ;-)!
... and even if at this moment you cannot attend yoga centers, you have to give up many things and you feel in chains, don't stop practicing! The only thing you need is your will, your mat and the space to place it!
Think about what you have ... not what you lack!
And you? What are you doing to motivate your students?
Namaste
PS: sorry for my poor english :-)