Yoga, träning och hälsoinspiration för dig

Hur ofta är du i kontakt med din yoni – din vagina och ditt center för kraft och kreativitet? Yogalärare Cinna Brahme berättar om yoniyoga och att använda yoniägg – en väg till att stärka lust, intuition och glädje samt väcka den feminina energin i dig som kvinna. Känn den läkande kraften när du äger din sexualitet i sitt fulla uttryck!

Vad är yoni?

Yoni är sanskrit och betyder Sacred Portal – vilket är ett ord för vaginan. Vår yoni är den mest receptiva delen hos oss kvinnor, och ihop med livmodern vårt center för kreativitet, skapande, vår livsenergi och personliga kraft. Ta en stund och känn din Yoni, hur ofta är du i kontakt med henne? Vilken är din relation till henne? Vad kallar du henne? Hur “pratar” du om henne?

Vår feminina sexualitet har förminskats, förtryckts och skambelagts så mycket genom tiderna och just därför är det otroligt läkande när vi återskapar en kärleksfull kontakt och börjar äga och välkomna vår sexualitet i sitt fulla uttryck! Yoniyoga och yoniägg-praktik är en väg till att väcka/stärka lusten, kraften, intuitionen och glädjen som bor i dig och som är ditt naturliga tillstånd, men som ibland kan vara slumrande. För mig har det varit revolutionerande och jag brinner för att dela denna praktik vidare till alla kvinnor. En kvinna i som är i kontakt med sin yoni och sin sexualitet skiner på ett helt unikt sätt!

Yoniyoga och vår sexuella energi

Den sexuella energin är kanske den mest naturliga och kraftfulla energin vi har. Roten till all existens. Samtidigt är det en energi som de flesta av oss inte har en helt naturlig och avslappnad relation till. Jag skulle till och med vilja säga att vi alla behöver sexuell healing.

Jag trodde själv verkligen inte att det var något jag behövde. Men när jag kom i kontakt med yoniäggpraktiken och tantra så förstod jag att jag levt som en guldfisk i en skål – och inte haft en aning om min fulla potential till njutning eller de lager av omedveten skam som stått mellan mig och min sexuella kraft.

Vår feminina sexualitet och sensualitet är roten till vår existens. Shakti, kundalini, qi eller prana – vad du än vill kalla den (kärt barn..!) är det samma som livskraften som flödar genom oss, och densamma som din sexuella energi. Men andra ord, håller du lager av omedveten skam eller rädsla kring din sexualitet och/eller din yoni, så håller du tillbaka din sexuella energi. Och då håller du också tillbaka din livskraft och livslust! Genom yoniyoga kan du hitta en djupare och friare kontakt med din egen sexualitet, en större inre trygghet, din feminina urkraft, samt markant (jag skulle säga utan gränser) kunna öka din njutningspotential.

Yoniägg, vaginaägg – en urgammal taoistisk praktik

Att använda yoniägg, även kallat vaginaägg, ihop med yoniyogan gör utövandet ännu kraftfullare. Yoniäggspraktiken är en urgammal taoistisk praktik med många hälsofrämjande fördelar. Den över 1000 år gamla praktiken kommer ursprungligen från den kinesiska kejsarens konkubiner som använde sig av äggen för att öka sin vitalitet, fertilitet och sexuella energi. Yoniägget förs upp i yogin med stor respekt ock kärlek. När vi sedan rör oss, andas och kniper så masserar ägget insidan av vår yoni. Det ökar blodcirkulationen i yonin, hjälper till att släppa spänningar samt stärker muskulaturen i hela bäckenbotten.

Praktiken har hormonbalanserande effekter och gör att vi långsamt får tillbaka vår fulla sensibilitet – alltså känsel – på en helt ny nivå i underlivet. Med ökad känsel är steget till ökad njutning inte långt. Att börja vörda och älska sin yoni fullt ut är också otroligt läkande och stärkande för varje kvinna. När vi yoniyogar i grupp läker vi all eventuell skam och rädsla kring vår sexualitet, och skapar en ny, vacker och respektfull kärleksrelation med vår yoni.

Våga prova denna magiska och härliga praktik. Våga öka din njutning, både sexuellt och till livet i stort!

Lär dig mer om femininin energi samt yoni- & shaktiyoga

• Feminine Vibes – ett koncept med onlineklasser för att väcka din inre feminina energi och sexualitet.
• Den kvinnliga kraften, av Veronica Jäderlund.
• Livmoderns blodiga tårar, av Emma Öberg.

Testa yoga kopplat till yoni online 

Nedan hittar du videor, playlist och program kopplat till yoniägg samt yogaklasser för din feminina energi.

• Program: Viva vagina – ett program med Emma Öberg – känn din kraft, din magi, din njutning och din vitalitet.
• Playlist: Welcome your inner goddess med bland annat shaktiyoga.

Yogobe Video: k2f4 Yogobe Video: h46s Yogobe Video: 7d3k Yogobe Video: e2b7

För att se en hel video behöver du vara inloggad som betalande medlem hos Yogobe. Ny till tjänsten? Prova gratis i 14 dagar, utan bindningstid – klicka här och kom igång direkt!

Om Cinna Brahme

Cinna Brahme undervisar i vinyasa, feminine flow, yoniyoga och yinyoga. Cinna har en stor passion för vår kropps intelligens – när vi lär oss att bli mer lyhörda för kroppens signaler så finns nästan alla våra svar här. Vad händer när du börjar lyssna inåt alltmer? Vilken rörelse längtar kroppen efter? I Cinnas klasser finns en stor dos av inkännande och mjukhet men också plats för ett kraftfullare dynamiskt flöde. För mer info om Cinna, yoniyoga och kommande klasser/workshops, kika in på hennes hemsida. Du hittar även Cinna på Instagram och på Facebook.

Foto: Jodie Louise @iamjodielouise

Auberginesill är ett enkelt och supergott vegoalternativ till klassisk sill. Receptet kommer från Gigafood. Klart du ska ha senap och skärgård på veganskt vis på midsommarbordet!

Glad midsommar!

Gigafood har tagit fram två veganska alternativ till sill – en skärdgårdssill och en senapssill – som passar perfekt till midsommarbordet. Till cashewsåsen behövs en bra mixer för att få såsen helt slät. Har du ingen mixer eller vill du göra det ännu enklare kan du ersätta cashewsåsen med en burk Oatly iMAT FRAÎCHE.

Det här behöver du

4 portioner

Vegansk skärgårdssill

• 1 normalstor aubergine
• 1 sats cashew crème fraiche eller 2 dl Oatly iMAT FRAÎCHE
• 1 burk svart eller röd tångcaviar (100 g)
• 1/2 dl hackad dill (färskt eller fryst)
• 1 liten citron, pressad
• 1/2 tsk salt

Cashew crème fraiche

• 1 1/2 dl cashewnötter
• 1 msk äppelcidervinäger
• ½ citron, pressad juice.
• 1 dl vatten
• 1/4 tsk salt

Vegansk senapssill

• 1 normalstor aubergine
• 1/2 dl skånsk senap, grovkorning
• 1/2 dl dijonsenap
• 1 1/2 msk agavesirap eller kokossocker
• 1 1/2 msk äppelcidervinäger
• 1 dl rapsolja
• 1/2 tsk salt
• 1 msk hackad dill (färsk eller fryst)

Så här gör du

Cashew creme fraiche

• Pressa citronjuicen och mixa alla ingredienser i en mixer till en slät crème fraiche.

Vegansk skärgårdssill

• Skär aubergine i halvmånar, lika stora som klassiska sillbitar.
• Koka upp vatten i en kastrull på spisen.
• När vattnet  kokar, tillsätt auberginen och förväll i ca 5 minuter. Pass på så att du inte kokar för länge, auberginen ska var al dente och ha lite tuggmotstånd.
• Häll av vattnet från auberginen och låt den svalna i ett durkslag.
• Mixa cashew crème fraichen enligt recept, alternativt använd Oatly iMAT FRAÎCHE.
• Hacka dill och pressa citron.
• Rör ner tångcaviar, citron, dill och salt tillsammans med crème fraichen i en skål. Smaka ev av med mer salt och citron.
• Vänd ner auberginen i såsen och blanda väl. Förvara sillen i en glasbruk i kylen.

Vegansk senapssill

• Skär aubergine i halvmånar, lika stora som klassiska sillbitar.
• Koka upp vatten i en kastrull på spisen. När vatten kokar, tillsätt auberginen och förväll i ca 5 minuter. Pass på så att du inte kokar för länge, auberginen ska var al dente och ha lite tuggmotstånd.
• Häll av vattnet från auberginen och låt den svalna i ett durkslag.
• Rör ihop senap, olja, agavesirap/kokossocker, vinäger, salt och dill i en skål. Smaka ev av med mer sötma, salt eller vinäger.
• Vänd ner auberginen i såsen och blanda väl. Förvara sillen i en glasbruk i kylen.

Om Gigafood och matkasse

Recepten kommer från Gigafood – ett klimatmärkt och ekologiskt matkoncept i Stockholm. De driver café & cateringverksamhet med målet att få fler att äta god & hållbar mat så att jordens knappa resurser räcker till. (För att klara corona-krisen) erbjuder de nu hemkörning av sina ekologiska, växtbaserade rätter som matkassar för två eller fyra personer inom hela Storstockholm. Förbered dig på smakexplosion! Se hela menyn HÄR och beställ deras vardagskasse idag.

Tips för yoga & lek online i midsommar

Yogobe Video: b89r Yogobe Video: 2dr3 Yogobe Video: z63g Yogobe Video: f4b6

För att se en hel video behöver du vara inloggad som betalande medlem hos Yogobe. Ny till tjänsten? Prova gratis i 14 dagar, utan bindningstid. Klicka här och kom igång direkt!

Gör det på gräsmattan, på en klippa, eller var som helst egentligen – yoga utomhus! Att vara lekfull med sin yoga kan vara att kliva ut ur boxen och utforska möjligheterna utanför det som är vant och tryggt. Läs mer om yogalärare Milla Floryds yoga, inspiration och livsinställning i intervjun här!

Om yoga, inspiration och rättesnören

Milla Floryd har gått från dans och kampsport, till luftakrobatik och över ett decennium av fysisk yoga.  Hon är en dynamisk och mångfasetterad yogalärare som inspireras av alla möjliga sorters rörelser. Havets vågor, vindens dans med trädens grenar, stadstrafiken, den blixtsnabba tanken, hjärtats rytmiska slag. Vi ställde några frågor till Milla här:

1. Hur kom du i kontakt med yogan?
– Min ursprungliga kontakt med yogan är hemifrån, min pappa övade yoga (främst meditation men lite asana) under min uppväxt. I tonåren så kom jag i kontakt med yoga via min huvudtränare i ju-jutsu som pratade lite om yogafilosofi och använde vissa asanas i uppvärmning och nedvarvning. I vuxen ålder mötte jag Anja Bergh på det lokala gymmet och då kom idén att det här kanske var något jag kunde jobba med när jag pensionerade mig från akrobatiken – och så blev det.

2. Vad inspirerar dig, i ditt liv och på mattan?
– Människor och relationer inspirerar mig. Just nu i alla fall, det brukar skifta på en två-tre årsperiod.

3. Vilken stämning vill du skapa i yogasalen? Och har du några tips till yogalärare?
– Jag vill erbjuda en inkluderande miljö där deltagaren känner sig välkommen och kapabel. Mitt tips till yogalärare är att bli medveten om hur snabbt vi kategoriserar våra elever helt utanför kontext. Vi vet egentligen extremt lite om dem vi träffar i gruppsammanhang, det pågår alltid saker under huden som vi omöjligen kan ha en aning om. Var ödmjuk.

4. Vilka etiska rättesnören/filosofi försöker du lever efter?
– Min etiska livsinställning är nedärvd från en lång stark linje av kvinnor på mammas sida. Hederliga mormorsråd som säkert många känner igen:

• Tugga med munnen stängd.
• Gör mot andra vad du skulle vilja att de gjorde mot dig.
• Avbryt inte när någon pratar och lyssna till vad de säger istället för att försöka fundera ut ett finurligt svar.

Läs mer om Milla här och testa gärna hennes sköna klasser i videobiblioteket!

Lästips

• Träning för livet – aldrig för sent att börja, av Milla Floryd.
• Passa på – gör något kreativt, av Cecilia Gustafsson.
• Från otrygg till utforskande, av Magnus Hagström.

Tips på playlists

• Ta med yogan ut i naturen
• BEYOGA PLAYFUL
• Utomhusträning i det fria

För att ta del av en hel video behöver du vara inloggad som betalande medlem. Har du inget konto på Yogobe än? Testa tjänsten gratis i 14 dagar (utan bindningstid eller kreditinformation). Klicka här för att komma igång!

Forskning visar att meningsfulla samtal bidrar till att bygga goda och tillitsfulla relationer – på de flesta håll skapas det idag trots detta väldigt lite utrymme för oss att mötas och prata. Här ger Eva Hamboldt, coach, utbildare och föreläsare inom neuroledarskap, tre förslag på hur du kan ge plats åt bra samtal på arbetsplatsen.

Hur skapar jag bättre samtal med feedback på jobbet?

Här ger Eva Hamboldt tips på hur du kan bereda plats för bra samtal på arbetet.

• Incheckning
  Generellt sett är vi bra på att prata om våra åsikter och om sakfrågor, men sämre på att prata om våra mänskliga behov. Och tvärtemot vad man tidigare trott försvinner inte känslor bara för att man stänger ytterdörren och åker till jobbet.
  
  En incheckning är ett sätt att förbereda och sätta scenen för ett möte så att alla ”landar in” i rummet och med varandra. Man delar ofta med sig av det känslomässiga tillstånd man befinner sig i eftersom de känslor vi har med oss in i ett möte påverkar andra och därmed mötets genomförande. Incheckningen skapar ett gemensamt nuläge och goda förutsättningar för att alla deltagare ska kunna engagera sig i de frågor som ska avhandlas.

• Etablera en berättande kultur
  Om en organisation ska bli mer mänsklig behöver vi uppmuntra till samtal som inte bara handlar om kalkyler, resultat och om de utmaningar vi har framför oss. Siffror och mål säger väldigt lite om vad som har hänt och hur det påverkar oss. Det är berättelsen om hur vi har det som får oss att relatera personligt, känna engagemang och att bygga ett kollektivt självförtroende.
  
  Det är också berättelser som bygger trygga relationer i gruppen och eftersom relationer är färskvaror behöver de hela tiden underhållas. Avsätt tid och skapa strukturer för att prata om vad som ligger under ytan. Prata om hur ni blir påverkade av såväl utmaningar som framgång, av varandra och hur ni fortsatt vill skapa framtiden i det arbetsklimat som ni etablerar.

• Från feedback till meningsfulla samtal
  Om ni upplever att ni behöver samtala mer på arbetsplatsen så innebär det inte att ni behöver ge varandra mer feedback av traditionellt snitt. Till skillnad från vad många tror är det inte ”konstruktiv” eller ”negativ” feedback som leder till mest effektiv utveckling hos människor och organisationer. Det kan tvärtom, vilket forskning har bekräftat, få flera negativa konsekvenser. Feedback väcker oftast obehag och skapar stresspåslag i kroppen, vilket i sin tur påverkar hjärnans kognitiva kapacitet negativt. Vi blir lite dumma helt enkelt. På sikt kan feedback också leda till att vi upplever tomhet och tappar känslan av meningsfullhet. Vi blir främlingar med varandra och kan till och med hamna i en situation där vi upplever våra kollegor som fiender.
  
  Forskning visar dessutom att det är när vi visar varandra omtanke och uppskattning som det uppstår positiva effekter. När vi känner oss bekräftade, uppskattade och inkluderade skapas ett elektrokemiskt klimat i hjärnan som främjar fokus, vilket ökar vår förmåga till problemlösning, kreativitet och samarbete.

Något som också är värt att nämna gällande traditionell feedback är att den som ger feedback aldrig är neutral. Vi kan inte berätta sanningen om någon annan utan bara hur vi reagerar i relation till dem. När vi blir medvetna om det kliver vi in i det nya paradigmet.

Lästips

• Skapa utrymme för andning på jobbet.
• Socialisera mera på jobbet, av Eva Hamboldt.
• Forskning: Yoga mot utmattning – för bättre livskvalitet.

Yoga & mindfulness på jobbet

Ta hjälp av yoga, meditation och mindfulness på jobbet för att få medarbetarna att må bättre. Vi på Yogobe hjälper er gärna med skräddarsydda lösningar, både online och på plats på företaget. Läs mer här! 

Om Eva Hamboldt

Eva Hamboldt arbetar som coach, utbildare och föreläsare inom neuroledarskap. Hon har en fil kand. i kommunikationsvetenskap och beteendevetenskap och en Master i Neuroledarskap från Neuroleadership Institute i New York. Eva är även certifierad UGL-handledare via Försvarshögskolan och certifierad Klart Ledarskap-instruktör av Provins fem. Läs mer om Eva och hur hon arbetar på neuroledarskapipraktiken.se.

Each of us have our own way of coping with the stressors that we are faced with. This last part of a mini blog series on self-care strategies is about action. On how to move from reflection towards action. Take my suggestions and develop your own self-care toolkit! Remember that you are not alone nor helpless in this.

This blog article is the third and last part in a blog series about self-care for yoga teachers in light of Covid-19. Read the first part about Recognition here!

Take action as a yoga teacher

As we have reflected on one’s professional role and responsibilities towards oneself and one’s profession, part three of this article series sheds a light on how to move from reflection towards action. Reflection and action are not seen as two completely separate concepts, instead they interrelate and co-exist with each other in a continuous and evolving process. When combined together they generate a momentum which can drive us forwards from a place of substance and wisdom.

Without a grounded foundation upon which to stand, one in which the yoga teacher is aware of their professional role; responsibilities; and, duty of care within that role, what comes next would be nothing but superficial “how to’s”. However, if the yoga teacher remains integrated in themselves and their purpose, then they can approach these suggested coping strategies as well as developing their own, in a way that carries more weight.

This article takes into account that not all individuals respond to stress in the same way. Therefore, each person will also have their own unique way of coping with the stressors that they are faced with. As a yoga teacher, you can draw from your vast experience to develop your own self-care toolkit. The suggestions in this article are just that, suggestions. They are not dogma nor are they complete instead they aim to serve as a spring-board form which you can develop your own creative solutions.

Remember that you are not alone nor helpless in this. Even by asking for help you are taking initiative into your own hands and off-loading some of the professional pressure that you may be experiencing right now.

Lean on a trusted network

Your social environment will impact how you feel therefore it is important to surround yourself with meaningful influences. Lean on a network of a select group of colleagues that you know and trust. This is your platform of support where you can vent in a constructive way and follow up with problem-solving where solutions are co-created through the brainstorming between colleagues. Use this network to ask for feedback and/or have your work ideas validated. Have a think about who you would like to include in this network and reach out to them.

Key words: social, trust, support, constructive, problem-solving, brainstorming, validation

Compassionate adaptation
With the drastic change of work environment and moving from teaching in person to online, many teachers are at risk to start doubting their abilities and some may experience a drop in confidence. Ask someone you trust to tell you one thing they like about your work. If you feel unsure about something, ask them for constructive feedback. Small boosts of confidence and guided support are important to keep you going.

There may also be a sense of loss and loneliness as a response to the limited interactions that you are now faced with as you teach your students through a computer screen. There is a lack of physical- and personal contact which the teacher would normally feedback from and not having that to lean on can make one feel a bit astray. Make sure to explore other ways to connect with your students in which you can still experience a sense of uplifting community and connection. Perhaps by setting up an informal book club or a weekly meditation practice where the role of the facilitator is shared between the group members. This is where community matter more than ever!

This period of adaptation and uncertainty is where managing your expectations and practicing compassion becomes highly important. Give yourself a realistic amount of time to adjust to the new changes and have courage to try different things while you navigate this new turf.

Key words: manage expectations, compassion, adjustment, confidence boosts, navigation

Structure your finances
Financial difficulties can be scary and overwhelming, and the strong emotions that come as a result of this can make it difficult to think clearly when having to make important decisions that concerns money.

Give yourself space and time to detach a bit from the emotional turmoil that may come with this. Once you have calmed down slightly it is time to get practical and work towards finding both short- and long-term solutions that can support you financially. As you do so, remember to moderate your energy so that this does not lead to excessive amounts of work. Stay calm and tactical.

A basic template for yoga teachers and their business

You may have probably done much of the above already, but it can still be useful, even if it is just to validate your own process and to know that you are on track. Here is a basic template to get you started: 

• Ask a trusted friend for help, whether it be practical or emotional support.

• Inform yourself about any governmental aid that you are entitled to. If needed, ask your supporting friend to help you apply.

• Get your basic budgeting in order and reduce unnecessary expenses and find new ways of generating income through yoga.

• Diversify your income. Are there any other professions you can gain an income from during this time?

• Contact everyone from your bank to your landlord and inquiry about possibilities to reduce relevant fees.

Key words: calm, practical solutions, moderation, tactical, budget, diversify income

Categorise your job tasks
Most yoga teachers are in charge of several other job tasks that come with the territory. This has been elaborated on further in part one of this blog series.

As a self-employed it is easy to get into the habit of doing as much as possible oneself, but this is a time where it is more important than ever to thoroughly evaluate one’s responsibilities and priorities.

It may be helpful to categorise all your different job tasks that are part of your profession and dedicate each category a title and an estimation of time spent on each category. Once you have a broader overview of your scope of tasks, it will become easier to decide you’re your priorities need to be. Once you pin down your priorities, it is time to delegate, reduce and/or eliminate certain tasks. This is an important part of the process and remember, less is sometimes more!

Key words: evaluate, prioritise, categorise, delegate, reduce, eliminate, less is more

Summary of all three articles

To maintain a sustainable and constructive lifestyle, yoga teachers need support to sustain good health and work-life balance while offering their services.

• Recognition of a problem is the first step towards constructive solutions.

• Burnout is often caused by the social- and organisational structures in which someone works. Most of the time it is not solely down to the individual themselves.

• Define your job description to get an overview of what your professional role entails.

• Decide on what your priorities are, what is the most important to you?

• Categorise your job tasks and then reduce, delegate and/or eliminate!

• Set professional boundaries when caring for others.

• Identify and tend to your own needs.

• Community is more important than ever, lean on a trusted network for support.

• Look for solutions where they are needed.

• Manage your finances in the most practical way possible.

Final notes from the author
It is with conflict that I write this article series, because these suggestions put the majority of responsibility on the individual teacher. As the first article in this series suggests, the underlying issue, which is systemic in nature, remains and I do not think any individualistic approach will suffice in creating long-lasting change. What this article suggests are mainly coping strategies that helps the teacher to deal with the symptoms, but the change needs to ultimately stretch further.

I therefore reach out to all yoga teachers, studio owners and entrepreneurs in the business of yoga, and invite you to share your ideas, thoughts and comments on how we can together find ways to contribute towards a more equal work environment in which we can all thrive.

E-mail me at [email protected] to share your insights. These may then become selected, with your approval, for publication in a follow-up of this article series.

Inspiration for yoga teacher

• Self-care strategies for yoga teachers in the light of Covid-19 – Part 1 & Part 2, by Eleonora Ramsby Herrera.
• (In Swedish) Vad händer när all yoga går online? av Johanna Alvin.
• Living after cancer – growing after cancer, by Sara Ivarsson.

Videos on power and taking action 

Yogobe Video: 72zh Yogobe Video: f46h Yogobe Video: ge52 Yogobe Video: z69a

To watch a full video you need to be logged in as a paying Yogobe member. Haven't tried Yogobe before? Try it for free during 14 days – click here to get started!

Photo: Tania Cappelluti

Research shows that caregivers are at risk of experiencing caregiving burdens – therefore is important for the yoga teacher to reflect on what they consider their professional role to be. Doing so could help to confirm what their current job description is and to act accordingly. What is the duty of care within your role?

This blog article is part two of three about self-care for yoga teachers in light of Covid-19. Read the first part about Recognition here!

Introduction

The stress that yoga teachers are facing in light of Covid-19, both personally and professionally, is high. Despite this, yoga teachers continue to show up to do their job by providing a (mostly virtual) space to support the wellbeing in others. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that yoga teachers apply sustainable coping strategies to ensure they can maintain their workload while also caring for the upkeep of their own wellbeing.

This blog article is part two of three, of Self-Care for Yoga Teachers in Light of Covid-19. The last two articles in this series will suggest some basic coping strategies that aim to support yoga teachers’ wellbeing while they continue to provide their services to students. Rather than presenting yoga teachers with a “how to list”, these two articles invites the yoga teacher to take a more in-depth and reflective approach to inspire them towards developing their own sustainable coping strategies.

Teaching yoga is a caring profession
An important factor to consider when developing coping strategies, is that the yoga teaching profession, in the broadest sense, can be considered a form of “caring profession” that aim to serve others. It is important to make the distinction that teaching yoga is certainly not a caregiving profession in the sense where one provides care to someone who would not be able to function without the care, like in the case of a dementia caregiver or a medical doctor. Nevertheless, the profession offers a significant degree of care to students of yoga whenever yoga is taught in a manner which supports the yoga student’s wellbeing in some way or form. It is safe to say that no yoga teacher wants their student to finish class feeling worse that what they did before class started!

One may argue that the responsibility of care lies solely in the hands of the student as they are “caring for themselves” by showing up to your class (in person or online). Nevertheless, the teacher is still providing a space in which the student can do so, thus the teacher is contributing directly and/or indirectly towards their student’s care. Whether this care is on the lower- or higher end of the scale is another question, but regardless of that, the so called “caring space” created by the teacher is still of significant importance. This is why teaching yoga can and should be acknowledged as a moderate form of caring profession.

Now why is that important? Research demonstrates that professional- and informal caregivers are at risk of experiencing caregiving burdens such as stress, fatigue, pressure to perform. These burdens can have a negative impact on a caregiver’s psychological health. Although these caregiving responsibilities far exceed that of a yoga teacher, one can still assume that a certain level of burden may emerge for the full-time yoga teacher that risks putting their wellbeing at stake. This is especially the case if both the professional- and personal world of the yoga teacher is under great strain.

To shed some light on this, it can be helpful to reflect on the following questions:

• Can you identify any caregiving burdens within your profession? What are they?
• How do these caregiving burdens affect you?
• How do you respond to them?

What is the role of the yoga teacher?
With the aforementioned in mind, it is important for the yoga teacher to take inventory and reflect on what they consider their professional role to be. Especially since the yoga teacher’s job most likely include various tasks. One’s professional role is something that can easily be taken for granted which risks one to bypass the more subtle aspects that make up one’s profession. Any yoga teacher, no matter their experience, would benefit from regularly reflecting on what their professional role is and what it entails. This can help clarify their job description and then act according to that.

• What is the duty of care within that role?

Once you have a clearer picture of what your role as a yoga teacher entails, you can begin to identify areas within your professional role which include elements of care towards the students. Doing so can clarify how you express care for others within your profession. As you acknowledge your current picture, do your best to keep an open mind towards any questions or concerns that may appear.

• What degree of care, and what kind of care, do I wish to provide to students?

Write down short and precise answers in a bullet point format. Limit your answers to 3-6 points. The more specific you are, the more useful it can be. This brings you to the next question, which is key in putting things in action:

• How do I choose to provide care towards yoga students in my class?

You can then use these points as a framework which you operate within to help you maintain clear boundaries within your own personally designed “duty of care protocol”. These professional boundaries become an important navigation tool when managing your time and energy.

Holding space for students and oneself
Once you have reflected about what your duty of care is for your students, place yourself in relation to that and consider what your duty of care is towards yourself.

Let us assume that one central aspect of a yoga teacher’s role is to hold space for others in the context of a yoga class setting. In a yoga class the space is shared between teacher and student, yet it is still the teacher that serves as the anchor in the room. The teacher provides a space where each student can have their own experience and then guides them through a class from beginning to end. What is important is that once the teacher have finished teaching the yoga class, they step back into their own personal space and hold this space for themselves. This is an opportunity to recharge your batteries and nourish yourself in ways you know best. With this in mind, what can be worth asking is:

• What can you do to hold space for yourself?

One option could be to write up a duty of care document for yourself, and another one for your students. Oscillate between refining the two until you feel that they are both in harmony with each other.

Why is reflection important?
The purpose of developing and conducting coping strategies, is to re-learn certain actions and behaviours in order to live life in a more constructive, fulfilling and sustainable way. However, our learning will bear little fruit if we do not apply reflection into the equation. Learning does not solely happen by doing. In fact, we learn best when we reflect on our own experiences. Without reflection, a coping strategy risk to become just another superficial list of “how to’s” which does little in creating a deeper change of longevity and substance. Additionally, having a strong sense about who we are within our profession and what our role entails, can help us to approach and develop strategies with greater integrity, wisdom and depth.

Read more

• Self-care strategies for yoga teachers in the light of Covid-19 – Part 1, by Eleonora Ramsby Herrera.
• Creating a space for the wild birds to settle down, by Eleonora Ramsby Herrera.
• What I talk about when I talk about yoga, by Frida Starvid.

Videos on reflecting, breathing and assisting

Yogobe Video: uf87 Yogobe Video: g5w6 Yogobe Video: u97d Yogobe Video: c6f3

To watch a full video you need to be logged in as a paying Yogobe member. Haven't tried Yogobe before? Try it for free during 14 days – click here to get started!

Photo: Carla Rey Christen

Our surroundings may affect how we feel, think and live. How can nature change your yoga and meditation practice?  Follow yoga teacher Frida Boström and go outside to meditate, find a favorite place, sharpen your senses and just breathe.

Go into a different physical space

It takes a particular collection of skills for one to be able to get lost in one ́s own apartment. Think about it; it is a place where everything is known – each squeaking floor tile, every crack in the ceiling, every single door and window opening. It is a place in which you can manoeuvre your way effortlessly onto the toilet seat in the dark of night if needed. Which is all good and well – in the best of worlds your home is a place of security, of comfort and peace. But in other circumstances, this zone of comfort can also be a zone of confinement, of set expectations, and of limitations of mind.

I once picked up a collection of essays by Rebecca Solnit, an author who amongst other things explores the theme of wandering and venturing into the unknown. She suggests that going into a different physical space can provide a new psychic space, which made my mind travel to the practice of meditation. As opposed to the well- established image of a philosopher/thinker as a person in confined solitude, Solnit argues that in fact, “introspection is an outdoor pursuit.” I could not agree with her more.

Listen mindfully

When I came to the Sivananda ashram in India the first time in 2015, I arrived late at night. Aided only by the dim light of a lamp post high above, I climbed the front stairs and knocked on the gate to be let in by the night guard. Soon I was hurrying after him along a winding stone-laid path, making out the ashram temples and office buildings only as deep shadows. When we came into the dormitory with its long row of beds, people were already asleep under the faint humming of ceiling fans and low noises of snoring. As discreetly as I could, I shuffled my backpack into a corner and slipped out of my sweaty clothes. I had been travelling for a day and was exhausted. None of the noises coming from my neighbours could disturb me, and I was asleep within minutes.

Before night had turned into dawn, me and my dorm companions were brutally awakened by the ringing of a loud bell. It was 05:30 and still pitch dark as I hustled outside, passed through a garden and walked up the massive entrance stairs into the main meditation hall. The floor was already filled with people, all silent, their eyes closed in the dark. But in the hour that passed, as we sat meditating, the sun began to rise. Outside the high, open valves of the large hall, birds I couldn ́t even imagine the names of, were waking up and starting to sing. Suddenly there was a different sound, one that made me open one eye into a half squint. Had anyone else heard that... a roar? Could it have been a lion? The thought seemed totally absurd. And since no one else reacted, I closed my eyes again.

Get lost in nature

To me, the change of soundscape is one of the major fascinations of meditating outside. If you go outside and close your eyes - anywhere outside - you ́ll notice the vast difference from being in an indoor space. And while the eventual goal of meditation is to withdraw from all sense impressions, you surely know that being present in observation is the first step on the journey towards letting go. I find this much easier to do surrounded by the sounds of nature.

I used to think that in order to change one’s pattern it would not be enough to travel. I thought that one had to move, probably far away and forever. Now, back home, I realise that while not everyone will get the chance to meditate accompanied by roaring lions (they were in fact lions I was told later) there ́s usually somewhere one can go. Being outside always contains venturing into unknown territories to some extent, of getting lost in the space that nature provides. If that happens to be in a distant country or in your own backyard makes no difference. The perk is that once you ́ve been out there, especially while in observing meditation, that experience will always stay with you.

Video recommendations to practice outside

Why not take your practice outside?

Yogobe Video: 4f9w Yogobe Video: r94g Yogobe Video: t6k8 Yogobe Video: x9r7

To watch a full video you need to be logged in as a paying Yogobe member. Haven't tried Yogobe before? Try it for free during 14 days – click here to get started!

Playlist with mindfulness meditations

Here you'll find a playlist with sequences in both English and Swedish, to calm the mind, reduce anxiety and to find your focus: Playlist Mindfulness.

Read more

• Flyg utomhus i din yoga (interview in Swedish with Milla Floryd).
• Research: Grow your brain with meditation.
• Kom i kontakt med naturen (in Swedish), av Bianca Barck

About Frida

Frida Boström is a Vinyasa Flow and Ashtanga instructor (200 hr RYS), educated in Goa, India. She started off as an architect but after a burnout she decided to shift careers. Her first trip to an ashram in India in 2015 led to many more, and evoked her already existing curiosity about philosophy and meditation, as well as fun and physically challenging yoga. Frida teaches Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Rocket and Yinyoga classes in Sweden and India, and assists at yoga teacher educations in both countries. Read more about Frida at her website or follow her at Instagram: @frida_bostrom

Many yoga teachers are now experiencing high stress levels and financial pressure – yet are still showing up to teach (virtual) classes in support of other people’s well-being and to maintain some income. In this first part of a blog series about self-care strategies for yoga teachers, I write about recognition. The industry is not perfect, and one yoga teacher cannot change it alone. Recognition is an important step in moving towards constructive solutions.

Introduction: Self-care for yoga teachers

Research and personal experience show us the positive influence that yoga can have on people’s general wellbeing. Therefore, it is understandable that many people are now leaning on yoga as a way to cope and care for themselves in the light of the stressful circumstances brought by government measures due to Covid-19.

While we know the positive affect that yoga can have on the practitioner’s wellbeing, there is little inquiry into how the wellbeing of yoga teachers is affected by their profession, especially when being under a lot of stress themselves. The implications due to Covid-19 has impacted on peoples’ lives in multiple ways and it has fundamentally changed the way in which everybody live their lives. In the context of yoga teachers, they have had to face a period of adjustment as they are continuously adapting to these changes in both their personal- and professional life. Many yoga teachers are now experiencing high stress levels and financial pressure, yet they continue to show up to teach (mostly virtual) classes in support of other people’s well-being,

This blog series seeks to address this issue in three articles.

1. The first article aims to place the individual yoga teacher into a larger social context by recognising some of the professional challenges that yoga teachers are faced with.
2. The second article invites the yoga teachers to reflect on their own role within their professional context and how it may affect their personal life.
3. The final article of this series offers suggestions for constructive solutions that aim to support yoga teachers’ overall health both in their personal- and professional life.

This blog series is rich in content. Take your time to go over the material and to re-visit it. It is not meant to be a quick fix, instead it serves to encourage the cultivation of a process, and processes take time.

It is both personal and business

Teaching yoga as a profession is, to a high degree, tied in with the personal. Most (if not all!) yoga teachers are, through their yoga teaching, sharing a practice that is both personal and meaningful to them. The challenges that the yoga teacher is faced with professionally can easily pour over into their personal life. This is the case in many professions, but perhaps it is extra prevalent within a profession where one more personally invested in one’s work. The personal attachment that yoga teachers have to their profession, may also be a reason for why it can be difficult to know when to draw a boundary between; where one’s various professional responsibilities begins and ends; and, what those responsibilities should and should not include. When one is so passionate and personally embedded into one’s own work, it can be difficult to know when to stop and when to draw the line between personal and business.

It is much more than just teaching

The job title “yoga teacher” does not encompass the multiple aspects that come with the profession. In fact, the teaching plays a substantial small part in comparison to the hours spent on other job tasks. Some of these tasks may include marketing their work on social media; producing content for digital marketing; the upkeep of websites and newsletters; filming- editing and publishing yoga movies; writing blog posts; being an administrative- and project manager; keep track on bookkeeping; all while trying to maintain a self-practice and showing up in good form for when to teach a class. Not to mention, the added competitive pressure that the small-scale, local yoga teacher is facing against the large dominating yoga businesses and “yoga celebrities”. As a consequence, many yoga teachers are at risk of becoming overworked and burned out. In a wellbeing industry where the yoga teacher is expected to lead by example and model a healthy lifestyle, this can become a heavy burden to carry. This is especially the case during the Covid-19 pandemic, where the pressure for yoga teachers to perform and produce is perhaps higher than it has ever been before.

Constructive resources for coping is needed

This is a testing time for many yoga teachers whose income has been reduced next to zero and being self-employed does not provide the same financial safety nets that an employment does. In this moment, yoga teachers are eager to step in and offer their services, from a desire to support others as well as a need to find new ways to continue earning an income as quickly as possible.

Yoga teachers have been exceptionally creative in adapting their services and transferring them online as a way to maintain their professional activity, their visibility and a degree of income. They deserve to be recognised for their hard work and creative problem-solving. Yet what is even more important, is to offer yoga teachers professional coping strategies that can support their wellbeing in a work environment where the stress to perform and produce; and, the anxiety that comes with online exposure, can risk leading them to burnout. Never has it been more important than during these vulnerable and testing times. Thus, yoga teachers need to be provided with resources to care for themselves, both on a professional- and a personal level, in order to continue with their job in a way that is sustainable.

The yoga industry is not perfect

It is okay to recognise that the yoga teaching profession is one that comes with flaws and pressure. Recognising the reality of the industry is not the same as dwelling in negativity. Recognition is an important step in moving towards constructive solutions and it can further support the yoga teacher in feeling less alone and less helpless in their situation.

Burnout is often caused by the social- and organisational structures in which someone works, most of the time it is not solely down to the individual themselves. It is therefore important to put one’s experience into a larger context and view it with a broader perspective. This can alleviate the burdens and pressure and invite hope, agency and compassion towards oneself and one’s professional activity and development. The industry is not perfect, and one yoga teacher cannot change it alone. However, it is still useful to control what one can control, while making an active contribution towards changing the work culture that one is part of. Small ripples can travel far.

Continue reading in part 2 & 3 

The next two articles will invite the yoga teacher to reflect on their own role within their professional context and offer some practical suggestions that aim to support yoga teachers in establishing long-term self-care and coping strategies:

• Part 2 – Reflection
• Part 3 – Take action

Inspiration for yoga teachers

• Managing hardship through connection, by Eleonora Ramsby Herrera.
• What is my path cultivating? by Luke Bache.
• Att vara en vettig medmänniska (in Swedish), av Jopsephine Selander.

Online yoga classes for self-care

Yogobe Video: x83k Yogobe Video: g5w6

To watch a full video you need to be logged in as a paying Yogobe member. Haven't tried Yogobe before? Try it for free during 14 days – click here to get started!

Photo: Stu Bishop