Gentle Yoga with Naomi

 

 

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Excerpt from Gentle Yoga with Naomi®; Teacher Training Manual - for Yoga Instructors

The Wall Stand

This pose is one of the most powerful and effective poses to restore the body. It is a variation of the shoulder stand.

Each student chooses a space along a blank wall. There should be enough room between each student to allow the student to sit sideways to the wall with legs straight out. Also, the student must have room while in the Wall Stand to allow the legs to drop as far as comfortable to either side. It is a good idea for you to demonstrate the total pose, getting into it, what happens while in the pose, and getting out of the pose. This makes it easier to instruct your students while they get into The Wall Stand position because they have seen you do it first.

"Sit sideways with leg and hip up against the wall.

  • Slowly lower your body down, twisting the torso to line up in a perpendicular line to the wall as you gently move your legs up the wall. It helps to lift your top leg first and lower yourself down so your elbows are on the floor. Remember to keep your buttocks against the wall especially while raising your legs and lowering your torso.
  • With your legs resting up on the wall, gently lower the torso to the floor and let the head follow. Use your pillow to cushion the head and make this more comfortable.
  • For the first few moments, just relax with your legs straight up against the wall If this is uncomfortable, bend your knees. Keep your arms by your sides with palms facing up or down."

This pose is excellent for varicose veins, for resting the heart and for getting a fresh supply of oxygenated blood to and through the legs. This is a very calming position. Once you are in the position, you may take a long time to get comfortable and feel safe in it. You must remember that many, if not most people are not used to putting themselves in what they feel is an upside down position, so allow time for the students to relax into this position.

When you feel the majority of the class is comfortable:

"Begin one leg at a time to allow your legs to lower to either side, keeping them straight out and still connected with the wall. Arms are by your sides, palms facing down now. Focus on breathing. Let yourself breathe as deeply into this position as you can."

Spend lots of time asking your students to inhale, then exhale.

  • Next, bend one knee at a time and bring the soles of the feet together; lower the legs so that the feet come together as one unit down toward the hips.
  • While in this position, focus on your breathing.

Take your time here and keep reminding everyone to take deep breaths.

If you have had a lot of people with low back requests, this is a good position in which to spend 10 to 15 minutes. It will mean you won't get to a lot of other poses, but it is quite beneficial and worth doing. If your voice needs a rest, this is a good pose to insert. In a Gentle Yoga class, this pose will come toward the end of the session and is used as a wind-down position. While everyone is relaxed in this pose, you should mention to the class that this is the pose to do if they only have five minutes in their day to devote to yoga. Encourage your class to develop a home practice.

 

 

After several minutes of relaxing and breathing:

" Bring your knees together and drop the knees to one side or the other, pause for a moment or two and use your hands to push yourself back up to a seated position."

Here you may close with the Yoga Mudra.

More sample scripts and photographs

Naomi Judith, Originator of Gentle Yoga with Naomi®

E-RYT 500 Registered Yoga Teacher Certified by the Yoga Alliance to Train Yoga Teachers

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