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deployed soldier

Friday 16th November 2007 at 9:25:19 PM

mrsyanni
Rank: Beginner
#Posts: 6
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Hello, I am a Staff Sergeant in the Army. I am deployed to Iraq and the soldiers I am with are working like 13-14 hours a day... with very limited time off. I have been doing yoga for around 7 years... but I am by far none close to an expert. The gym here has classes which are taught by soldiers, but the yoga class conflicts are work schedule, so I asked some of the soldiers if they would want me to give a class. They were very excited! My question is, what would be the best routine in an environment like this. I would them to have at least one hour to relax. I was planning on doing some basic sun salutations

Sunday 18th November 2007 at 8:42:27 PM

emy505
Rank: Intermediate
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mrsyanni posted the following on Friday 16th November 2007
Hello, I am a Staff Sergeant in the Army. I am deployed to Iraq and the soldiers I am with are working like 13-14 hours a day... with very limited time off. I have been doing yoga for around 7 years... but I am by far none close to an expert. The gym here has classes which are taught by soldiers, but the yoga class conflicts are work schedule, so I asked some of the soldiers if they would want me to give a class. They were very excited! My question is, what would be the best routine in an environment like this. I would them to have at least one hour to relax. I was planning on doing some basic sun salutations

Hi Mrsyanni, honestly I am also not an expert in yoga but I think your idea of teaching sun salutations would do, you could also include several yoga basic poses in your class such as the back stretch, cobra, bow, lotus. good luck on your class Mrsyanni!

Sunday 18th November 2007 at 9:21:57 PM

souled
Rank: Advanced Intermediate
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i'm fairly new to yoga, but i think sun salutation is good for the soldies deployed in iraq. i commend you for wanting to teach in such an environment. good luck to you. and stay safe!

Sunday 18th November 2007 at 11:58:53 PM

mcclements
Rank: Beginner
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Given the stress of where you are located, I would tend to allow a large time period for your students to be able to relax. I would concentrate on pranayama techniques (breath work). I believe this would not only help them in the classroom but also in those situations when they need to calm themselves down and can bring the yoga class off the mat and into the real world. Depending on the time of day as to when you will be holding the class, if it's int he morning you may want to concentrate on sun salutations including some back bends (bow, locust, crocodile, camel) that are wonderful mood elevators and very energizing. If it's at night and they are ready to relax, then think more forward bends which are calming and increase the ability to self reflect. Legs up the wall is such a simple way to end a class and is one of the best remedies for insomnia that I know, it might be nice to end your savassana in that position. Good Luck and Namaste

Monday 19th November 2007 at 12:42:33 PM

purnayoga
Rank: Advanced Intermediate
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Sergeant ,

Welcome to the board. I've often thought about teaching yoga in a forward position. And I am using the military term for forward not the yoga term.

The practice depends on the purpose. The instruction depends on the students. That which you do or do not do is tailored to your students, your environment, your diet, the emotional state, etcetera. While "we" can postulate as to what that might be for you there in Iraq, it is only guessing. You know what is going on there. You are in the best position to determine the needs of your fellow practitioners. However...

I prefer Yoga be taught by a Yoga teacher just as I would prefer an Ordnance Instructor for weaponry. Circumstance may mandate that you step in to instruct, though I'd encourage you to explore all alternatives before moving to teach that which you are not trained to teach. If you opt to teach, or that is the only remaining option, please consider instructing only those things of your own practice. It violates our own inner harmony when we teach that which we do not know or do not teach that which we do know.

Yoga is everywhere and nowhere at all
.....................................................
Gordon Kaplan
Certified Purna Yoga Teacher
RYT-500; IAYT
http://www.innerathlete.net

Sunday 25th November 2007 at 4:34:08 AM

mlisa
Rank: Growth
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Nice one mam! If I will be one of your soldiers I would really be glad. Not only you are concerned with their skills for battles and such but you are thinking about their physical wellness. Hope yoga can take your men's skills to another level. I admire you fer the continuous practice for seven years! Good luck!

Sunday 25th November 2007 at 4:49:56 AM

lau2
Rank: Beginner
#Posts: 16
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Wow you are one dedicated yoga lover. Hope I can meet you. I have recently been addicted to yoga. funny thing is I haven't done it yet but by merely reading I knew that I will love doing it and that I need this. You said you have been doing it for almost seven years, you said you are no expert but wow at least you have all that experience. Hope o hear some advice from you! enjoyed reading all the replies on this post.. see you around!

Sunday 25th November 2007 at 10:13:33 AM

traceyanneg
Rank: Intermediate
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I think what you are offering your soldiers is very admirable. Those that are interested will be grateful for the invitation to practice yoga - a lifelong art that will add to their quality of life. I found some links you might be interested in reading. :)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13890826/ (Soldiers Learn to Loosen up with Yoga)

http://www.prevention.com/cda/article/health-hero-major-michele-spencer/f1286dd8833b5110VgnVCM20000012281eac____/news.voices/inspiration/reflections.with.ardath.rodale

As PurnaYoga said, we here in the US can only make guesses as to what kind of practice would be most beneficial. I would say that you would want to find a balance between powerful, confident standing poses and surrendering relaxation poses. I'd make sure that you practice a sufficient savasana at the end of the practice (I know this seems obvious but I have heard of so many yoga classes that don't practice it at all so I thought I'd throw it out there.) Please feel free to shout out any questions or throw out any ideas here on the board. We're always ready to listen and offer feedback. Besides that, I'm curious to hear how it goes.

Be Present

Sunday 25th November 2007 at 11:32:34 AM

mrsyanni
Rank: Beginner
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I first and foremost like to thank everyone for their feed back. I have loved doing yoga, and my intent is to pass down what I know and what I know is, I guess... an intermediate level of the sun salutations. I hope to help the soldiers on this post to relax their mind, even if it is for a little bit. A lot of us do a lot of running and I know most of them do not stretch that well. So, I am hoping to put a little stretching back into their days.

Thank you!

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