Immersed in the tranquil surroundings of the Sehuli Wellness Retreat, the first week of our 200hr YTT in Canggu has been wildly transformative! Each day has been packed with challenging practices, riveting lectures, delicious food, and moments of profound breakthroughs. As we reflect on this initial week, we are blown away by the collective efforts and communal energy our students have shown us – we are blessed to have such incredible additions to our Koh-mmunity. Here is the full rundown of everything our brilliant students have been up to during their first week in Canggu!
Understanding anatomy in Vinyasa yoga is crucial to enhancing practice safety, effectiveness, and mindfulness. It aids in proper alignment, accurate cueing, and injury prevention, allowing teachers to challenge their students to reach their fullest potential.
Our in-depth anatomy lecture broke down the different components of the internal body, covering bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and more. Students took a closer look at the anatomical planes of the body and the movements that can be made in each direction. For example, the sagittal plane runs vertically, splitting the body in right and left sections, and on this plane, body parts can undergo flexion or extension.
Although exploring the depths of anatomy can sometimes feel as exciting as watching paint dry, infusing a sprinkle of playfulness through games, and adopting a childlike curiosity can magically turn the journey of learning into a delightful and fun filled adventure! Check out our Instagram to watch our students play ‘funny bones’, an activity that involved matching one anatomical term to another!
Now that our students have nailed the correct terminology for the body, they quickly moved on to sequencing. In this lecture, our students mastered the key components to making an enjoyable, yet challenging class: imitate, integrate, and innovate! We learned the importance of actions, movements that counter each other to root and rebound, complementary movements, and simple movements, like an isometric hold. Modifications to make the class easier and variations to make the class more difficult were not forgotten.
We examined the sections of a class, starting with a warmup and standing postures, leading into the peak pose, closing with a seated posture, and finally, savasana, corpse pose, to relax the body and mind. From the preparatory pose to the climax of the class, we are confident in our students’ abilities to create a sequence for any level!
After breaking down the ‘how’ in creating a class, our students advanced to the ‘how’ in teaching a class – the teaching method can be just as essential as the flow. Students discussed the significance of fostering a non-competitive environment, and to always be humble, open, and compassionate when teaching. Ultimately, teaching is a service to others!
When commanding the room, the art of language is crucial. So, we analyzed the formula to correctly guide a student into a pose: action verb, body part, and direction. Using clear and concise cueing, radiating the appropriate energy during each section of the class, and vocal projection were just some of the key points we hit during this lecture.
Postures like virabhadrasana I (warrior I), parsvottanasana (pyramid, intense side stretch), and anjaneyasana (crescent, low lunge) were decomposed, allowing students to understand the Sanskrit words and the movements they are describing. For instance, urdhava mukha svanasana posture translates to urdhava (upward) mukha (facing) svana (dog) sana.
With daily readings, examinations of the sutras, journaling, and preparations, our students have demonstrated the vast knowledge they have absorbed.
From here, our students were able to begin their practice teaching!
When you choose to train with YogaKoh, your experience is much richer than the classic YTT practice and lecture layout. Throughout our first week, students experienced a special breathing workshop, a surfing lesson, and free time each night to explore Canggu!
Our phenomenal guest teacher, Harry French, led students through a transformative and emotional breathwork session. Focusing on the practice of circular breathing, where one fluidly transitions between their inhale and exhale from the belly, Harry guided our students into their subconscious and highlighted the power of our breath, in yoga and in life. Repeating the mantra, “I am safe, I am evolving, and I am unwritten”, our group was moved towards communal vulnerability, acceptance, and personal clarity. We cannot wait for our next session with Harry!
Sunday, our day of rest, was filled with relaxation, sunshine, and surfing. A well-deserved break from our students’ hard work, it was incredible to watch everyone pop up and ride the waves to shore! They even utilized their yoga practice, performing cobra and warrior II poses, to help them get their footing and balance!
A week full of daily practices, informative lectures, nourishing food, sunsets by the ocean, reading by the pool, massages, and more, we could not have asked for a better start to our Bali Sea-to-Sky training. This week has left our students eager to continue down their path of self-discovery and holistic wellness; and as we continue into our final week in Canggu, we are filled with gratitude and enthusiasm for the weeks to come!
As always, connect with us on our social media and join our Koh-mmunity!
Keep practicing!
- YogaKoh
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