How And Why You Should Teach Meditation
There is a growing demand for meditation teachers, and as Yoga Teachers, we have a responsibility to bring strength and balance to our students’ minds, as well as their bodies. To achieve this you should learn to teach meditation properly, because as you know from your 200 hours yoga teacher training course, yoga is NOT only about the asana yoga poses. There’s much more to teaching, practicing and experiencing yoga, than just focusing on the physical postures.
Many people are more concerned with how their bodies look and they’re perceived by others, than with the health of their minds, and in strengthening and connecting with their inner selves. They search for gratification and happiness outside, through consumption and materialism, instead of within themselves. Meditation is the remedy, and as a yoga teacher, you hold the key to helping them with this. So why is certifying as a meditation teacher and teaching meditation so important? And why should you consider a meditation teacher training course?
Meditation as Yoga, and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras
When the philosophy of yoga first began around 5000 years ago, and was written down in the Vedas, yoga practice was only meditation. Pranayama breathing exercises came later, and the yoga poses we see in classes today are less than 200 years old. ‘Yoga’ was meditation, and it was only as it spread across India, from the higher Brahmin caste to the general public, that it began to change. People weren’t able to sit for long periods of time in meditation, so asanas were developed to strengthen and stretch the body, in order to be able to dissipate mental and physical agitation, and sit comfortably in meditation.
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras written in the 2nd century BC, codified the Eight Limbs of Yoga, considered the guidelines or steps towards the ultimate goal of yoga, Samadhi. In order to reach this enlightenment and connection with the divine, or your true self, meditation is key. All the other steps preceding the 7th limb Dyana, or meditation, were created to prepare the body and mind for meditation in order to reach Samadhi. The only asana mentioned in the Sutras is a sitting pose, solely for the purpose of meditation.
Today’s Yoga Classes
With most people concerned with their outer selves more than their inner selves, yoga classes tend to focus entirely on asanas, and a bit on pranayama. There are meditation classes dotted around here and there, but the reality is that most yoga teachers have not been taught how to teach meditation, let alone meditate. Unbelievably, most yoga teachers do not actually meditate themselves! In order to maintain the integrity of the practice of yoga and what yoga truly is, and to properly benefit from it, yoga teachers should know how to practice and teach meditation. It might not help you get a six pack or tight butt, but it’s benefits far out way those of asanas, for mental strength and control, and a host of other physical benefits.
Physical Benefits Of Meditation And Associated Research Studies
- Increases attention, emotional regulation and memory: Increasing grey matter in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus improving cognitive function (Sara W. Lazar et al., 2005, NeuroReport Journal).
- Improves immune function: A study found that regular mindfulness meditation led to an increase in antibody production, improving immune response to vaccines (Davidson et al., 2003, Psychosomatic Medicine).
- Reduces blood pressure: A study demonstrated that participants practicing mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) experienced significant reductions in blood pressure, especially those with hypertension (Hughes et al., 2013, Journal of Human Hypertension).
- Decreases inflammation: Research showed that mindfulness meditation reduced markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein, in individuals under high stress (Creswell et al., 2012, Brain, Behavior, and Immunity).
- Improves physical health: Lowers blood pressure and boosts immune function (Black & Slavich, 2016).
- Rapid improvement of cognitive performance: Even just 5 days of meditation can enhance neural efficiency, improving attention and self’ regulation (Yi-Yuan Tang et al., 2007, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Journal).
Mental Benefits Of Meditation And Associated Research Studies
- Reduces stress: Lowers cortisol levels and improves psychological well-being (Kabat-Zinn, 1990).
- Improves emotional resilience: Enhances emotion regulation by increasing activity in brain regions related to emotional control (Davidson & Lutz, 2004).
- Boosts focus and attention: Increases sustained attention and cognitive performance (MacLean & Saron, 2010).
- Enhances productivity: Reduces distractions and improves task performance (MacLean & Saron, 2010).
- Promotes burnout recovery: Decreases emotional exhaustion and improves job satisfaction (Jennings & Greenberg, 2017).
- Improves mental health: Reduces symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders (Hofmann et al., 2010).
- Enhances self-awareness: Increases mindfulness and the ability to recognize thought patterns (Holzel et al., 2011).
200 hrs Yoga Teacher Training Courses
The reality is, that with so much to learn on a 200 hrs yoga teacher training course, meditation practice is largely ignored. And if it is taught, then it is often only one meditation technique, associated with that style or lineage of yoga. 200 hrs YTT’s have been responding to the demands of society, and have therefore focused more on the physical practice of asanas. But today there is an increasing demand for meditation teachers, especially with more research studies being published on its benefits. Learning how to teach meditation on a meditation teacher training course, honors the integrity of the practice, and the true goal of yoga.
The Indiv Yoga 30 hrs Online Yoga Alliance Meditation Teacher Training Course
If you’re taught how to meditate properly, then teaching it is actually much easier than teaching a yoga class. Not every meditation technique is going to suit everyone, so on our Yoga Alliance Foundations of Teaching Meditation and Mindfulness Course, you will practice at least 8 different meditation techniques, and learn how to professionally teach them. You do not need to be a seasoned meditator to be able to teach it to others. You can start teaching meditation and guiding your students, as you develop and progress in your own practice.
Our online Yoga Alliance meditation teacher training is called the ‘Foundations of Teaching Meditation and Mindfulness Course’, because no one can teach you everything you need to know for meditation. It is a personal and internal experience. So the foundations can be taught, but each individual needs to then develop and evolve with their own personal practice.
Our course is taught online over a weekend in live zoom classes, followed by 2 weeks of home-study, before sending in your coursework. You will then receive a certificate making you eligible for 30 hrs of Yoga Alliance continued education credits. The course will kick start or enhance your own personal meditation practice, and give you the confidence to guide students in a variety of different meditation techniques, to find which you and your students resonate with the most.
Curriculum
- The history and philosophies of meditation and mindfulness
- The benefits of meditation and mindfulness
- What meditation is and what it is not
- How to cultivate your own practice
- Various techniques and how to teach meditation confidently and professionally
- How to give meditation classes privately, in groups, online and in corporate settings
- Issues you may encounter teaching meditation
- Teaching meditation and mindfulness especially for anxiety
- The importance of breathing in meditation
- Demystifying meditation in the modern world
Course Teacher
Charlie Stewart-Brown is the voice of the British Airways On-Board Yoga and Mindfulness Program. With more than 26 years of meditation practice behind her, she set up Indiv Yoga in 2009, and has trained over 400 yoga and meditation teachers. Passionate about sharing the benefits of yoga and meditation with as many people as she can, Charlie will expertly guide you through the course with her usual humor, wisdom and many years of experience. Read more about Charlie.
Conclusion
Luckily the demand for meditation classes and connecting with the inner self, is increasing. Today, more than ever, in the stress, speed and stimulation rich society we live in, there is a need for meditation teachers. Upholding the integrity of the practice, goal, and objectives of yoga, means that yoga teachers should also be offering and teaching meditation. Taking a meditation teacher training course will enhance your own meditation practice and your teaching skills, and increase your client base and services. The Indiv Yoga 30 hours Foundations of Teaching Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher Training Course is a comprehensive Yoga Alliance course, that will enhance your own meditation practice, and give you the tools and confidence to teach it to others.
Click here for more information on our Yoga Alliance 30 hours Foundations of Teaching Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher Training Course.
Next course dates: 4 – 6 October 2024 – online
