Visualization with Yoga Postures
Adding creative visualizations to yoga postures leads to greater pose benefit and a deepened experience in class. We can use visualization to impower our students and help them to change or enhance behaviors with their own powerful minds.
Tree or other Balance Poses with Visualization
Pick one of your balance poses to add suggestions to (preferably an easier one for starter classes). Start in mountain with hands in prayer by your heart and explain. Tell your class to think of one goal that they want to accomplish (ie. weight loss, public speaking). Tell them to imagine themselves accomplishing that goal then lead them into a balance pose.
Once they have reached the level they feel most challenged yet comfortable at, have them bring that image of them accomplishing their goal back to their mind and have them focus on what they are feeling. Change sides and have them focus again on all sensations they have with accomplishing their goal. Tell them that by visualizing this now, they are making it easier for their mind to actually accomplish this goal.
Balancing Choices:
- Tree
- Eagle
- Balancing Stick (Warrior III)
- Half Moon
- Etc.
Sun Salutations with Affirmations
Adding affirmations to sun salutations allows students to connect their bodies with their meditative minds.
Before you start your sun salutation bring your class to mountain pose with their hands in prayer by their hearts. Have them stay there while you inform them of what they will be doing next. Below is an example of what you can say.
“Our breathing will be the focus of our sun salutations. Every time you breathe in or inhale during our sun salutations we will say in our minds “My body is healthy.” Every time you breath out or exhale we will say in our minds “My mind is strong.” Let’s practice. Breathe in “My body is healthy. Exhale. “My mind is strong.” Practice again without saying anything.
Now let’s concentrate on those powerful phrases as I lead you through the sun salutations. Knowing that your body and mind are accepting these suggestions and making you a healthier, stronger person.”
You can add what ever affirmations or mantras will benefit your students practice.
Further Tools and Resources
Visualizations and affirmations add depth to a yoga practice. Other tools for adding depth to yoga include hypnosis or guided meditation. To experience a hyp-yoga class with both yoga and hypnosis, you can find two inside of our signature weight loss program here.
For more tools, classes and articles for teaching yoga, please visit our Instructors’ Page.
And, of course, please join our newsletter (form on the sidebar of this page) if you have not already. We constantly add resources, and would love to keep you in the loop.
Thank you for being here. Namaste.
