Yoga Assists

The founders of Jivamukti Yoga outline the fundamental principles of the assist, and how to apply them in practice and service to others. The benefits of both giving and receiving an assist—the extraordinary mind/body/spirit connection between yoga teacher and student—depend on knowing what an assist is, and fully understanding the method of Jivamukti itself. Though “corrections”—with teachers who fixed students’ mistakes—had evolved to “adjustments,” the world-renowned founders of the Jivamukti Yoga method recognized this still suggested that changes to one’s technique were necessary. In this book, they use “assist” to communicate the idea of two beings interacting on various levels of consciousness to bring into focus the five central tenets of Jivamukti: Shastra (or scripture), devotion, nonviolence, music, and meditation. From cultivating trust and patience to final relaxation and massage, this step-by-step, fully illustrated guide—featuring dozens of asanas—explores the giving of yoga as an art, a flowing dance of body, breath, and energy between two connected beings. Whether we receive or give, an assist is an active process in the resolution of a relationship between teacher and student, a microcosm of the flowing interrelation among all people, and all species.

The quintessential guide to yoga assisting and hands-on teaching, Yoga Adjustments introduces the art and practice of providing yoga assists to yoga students. Addressing one of the most important topics in the yoga field, expert yoga instructor and best-selling author Mark Stephens covers the philosophy of yoga practice, the sensibilities of touch in teaching yoga and improving alignment, the seven principles of hands-on yoga teaching, and the twenty-five most effective methods of tactile cueing. An invaluable resource for all yoga teachers, teacher trainers, and serious yoga students, this book includes a foreword by yoga star Shiva Rea as well as over 850 unique instructional photos and explanatory captions demonstrating precise ways of guiding a variety of flowing sequences. Opening with an in-depth discussion of the philosophy of yoga assisting, Part I--Foundations describes the methods and techniques of giving yoga assistance, with detailed discussions of all of the elements of yoga assisting including communicating with students, qualities of touch, the five basic steps of providing hands-on cues, hands-on positioning and stance. Part II--Applications demonstrates how to assist students in each of over 100 postures in the seven families of asanas (poses). Each chapter begins with background on an asana family and close consideration of its foundation asana. Each asana is presented in a two-page spread with photos that show how to give students effective guidance and support. Part III--Evolution offers thoughts on the further development of yoga in the twenty-first century.

Yoga teachers and students will cherish this unique book on the art of performing hands-on yoga posture adjustments! The book contains over 200 photos, precise instructions, and insightful suggestions.

How do we co-create safer yoga and spiritual communities? Through dogged investigative work, careful listening to survivor stories of assault and abuse, and close analysis of the cultic mechanisms at play in the sphere of Pattabhi Jois’s Ashtanga community, Matthew Remski’s Practice and All Is Coming offers a sober view into a collective and intergenerational trauma. It also offers a clear pathway forward into enhanced critical thinking, student empowerment, self-and-other care, and community resilience. Concluding with practical tools for a world rocked by abuse revelations, Practice and All Is Coming opens a window on the possibility of healing— and even re-enchantment. While Mathew Remski is the courageous, insightful, and compassionate author of this informative, challenging, and thought-provoking book, this book is clearly a group effort. Equal parts theory, training manual, expose, and memoir, Practice and All is Coming ... is a foray into the difficult topics of personal agency, spirituality authority, and cult dynamics. In addition to his clearly articulated understanding of the problems inherent in many spiritual schools, Mathew provides hope for healing the confusion and anguish that arise in the heart of sincere practitioners when they are betrayed by the revered powers in which they have placed their trust. If you practice or teach yoga, please consider this book an essential companion on your path. Christina Sell, author of Yoga From the Inside Out, My Body is a Temple, and A Deeper Yoga.

The definitive guide to effective and appropriate communication through words and touch between yoga teachers and their students. Clear, effective verbal communication and judicious touch are two skills that Judith Hanson Lasater feels are essential for every yoga teacher. In Teaching Yoga with Intention, she gives pointed advice on how to interact verbally with students in class and how to appropriately use touch to make corrections. Drawing from her fifty years of yoga experience and her training in Nonviolent Communication, Lasater trains yoga teachers to effectively communicate not only technique, but also the more subtle lessons of respect, empathy, and compassion. She also shines an unflinching light on the use of touch in yoga. Teachers often use touch to create understanding and awareness in the poses. But this is a subtle art, and Lasater gives clear guidance on how, where, and when the use of touch can be used appropriately to further a student's development. In this book, Lasater also empowers students by encouraging them to take ownership of and responsibility for their practice. She covers myriad topics that can be difficult for students at any level to navigate, such as how and when to say "no" to an adjustment; keeping boundaries; when to leave a class; helping your teacher understand your needs; how to communicate your appreciation to your yoga teacher; and if and when to report a teacher's behavior. The skills that Lasater offers help create a safe environment for students to "own" their learning process, and to progress technically at their own speed.

The long-awaited, complete guide to the popular, vigorous American method of yoga that is deeply rooted in ancient wisdom and scriptures “In this day and age of health and fitness trends, it is assuring to know that Sharon and David encourage their students to draw inspiration from the classical texts of Yoga and timeless scriptural sources. ”—Sri Swami Satchidananda Creators of the extremely popular Jivamukti Yoga method and cofounders of the New York City studios where it is taught, Sharon Gannon and David Life present their unique style of yoga for the first time in book form. As they explain their intensely physical and spiritual system of flowing postures, they provide inspiring expert instruction to guide you in your practice. Unlike many books about yoga, Jivamukti Yoga focuses not only on the physical postures but also on how they evolved—the origins of the practices in yoga’s ancient sacred texts and five-thousand-year-old traditions—the psychotherapeutic benefits that accrue with a steady practice, and the spiritual power that is set free when energy flows throughout the mind and body. Jivamukti Yoga, which means “soul liberation,” guides your body and soul into spiritual freedom, physical strength, peace of mind, better health, and Self-realization–the ultimate goal of any practice. Gannon and Life help you understand each of the practices that comprise the yoga path to enlightenment: AHIMSA–The Way of Compassion: choosing nonviolence, respecting all life, practicing vegetarianism, living free of prejudice ASANA–The Way of Connection to the Earth: postures and sequences, breathing, transforming energy, understanding the bandhas KARMA–The Way of Action: creating good karma, giving thanks NADAM–The Way of Sacred Music: appreciating the sacred sounds of yoga MEDITATION–The Way of the Witness: how to sit still and move inward BHAKTI–The Way of Devotion to God: living with love, grace, and peace Whatever yoga you practice, Jivamukti Yoga will help you to strengthen and deepen that practice and lead you onto a path of spiritual clarity and self-discovery. “If there is only one book you read about the practice of Yoga, this should be the one. . . . This book is for anyone who wishes to find transformation through Yoga. I’m grateful for their work and teaching.”—Stephan Rechtschaffen, MD, Co-founder & CEO, Omega Institute

From a cofounder of Jivamukti Yoga, a guide to how the spiritual practice of yoga enriches both planetary and personal health—includes vegan recipes. In this book, the co-creator of the Jivamukti Yoga method explores the intersection between the spiritual practice of yoga, physical health, care for the planet, and a peaceful coexistence with other animals and nature. Through clear and accessible language, Sharon Gannon unpacks the wisdom of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, one of the oldest and most revered texts focused on the philosophy of yoga, and draws a fascinating course to greater enlightenment for the contemporary practitioner. With yama, or restraint, the Yoga Sutras outline the first step on the path to spiritual liberation through five ethical principles that help guide our relationships with the world around us: Ahimsa teaches us how to avoid personal suffering through not harming others, while satya reveals how telling the truth allows us to be better listened to. Through asteya, or nonstealing, we learn the secret of wealth. Brahmacharya reveals how refraining from sexual misconduct leads to health and vitality, and finally, aparigraha opens our eyes to the ways in which greed holds us back from true happiness and is destroying the planet. Yoga and Veganism shines a light on these five guiding principles, demonstrating how the practice of yoga is tied to an ethical vegan lifestyle, which opens the path to both physical wellness and spiritual enlightenment. Featuring a selection of delicious recipes from the author along with personal essays from individuals whose lives have been transformed by veganism—including filmmaker Kip Andersen (Cowspiracy) and Ingrid Newkirk, president of PETA—Yoga and Veganism provides a framework for yoga students and teachers looking to bring their asana practice into alignment with the philosophy at the heart of the discipline, as well as with the Earth around them and all of the beings within it.