Episode Details
Back to Episodes9. Holding Space When Times Are Hard
Description
Life is hard—but how we show up for our students in difficult times can make all the difference. In this episode, I talk about ways to create a consistent, supportive space for yoga students during tough times—for them, or for us as teachers.
Chapters:
Introduction (0:00): Welcome to today’s episode, exploring how yoga teachers can support students during difficult times.
Challenges of Showing Up in Hard Times (0:49): Teaching during national and global tragedies and navigating collective grief.
Consistency and Ritual for Students in Grief (2:03): The stabilizing power of ritual and how to create a dependable class structure.
Maintaining Clean Energy and Showing Up (5:26): Holding space with care and consistency, even in challenging circumstances.
Personal Story: Teaching During a Family Crisis (7:52): I share experiences balancing personal grief and professional responsibilities.
Nothing Lets Go Unless It Feels Supported (14:01): The importance of support in creating space for emotional release.
The Importance of a Go-To Class Plan (18:45): Why every yoga teacher needs a reliable, adaptable lesson plan for tough days.
Conclusion and Affirmation (21:10): Centering students’ agency with the affirmation: “I hold the space with sympathy and clean energy.”
Additional Resources
Get my go-to lesson plan for challenging days: Greatest Hits Back-Pocket Lesson Plan
September’s lesson plan in the Prep Station is Balance Play Trio. The recording is already waiting in the Movement Library, and I teach the plan live on Mondays, September 14, 21, and 28, at 6:00 p.m. Eastern, with 15 minutes afterward for your questions. Every class posts as a recording. It’s all part of the Yoga Class Prep Station, $39 a month.
Join us:
The next cohort of Mastering the Art of Yoga Sequencing Mentorship Membership—MMM, my six-month group mentorship for yoga teachers—starts in January 2027, and the wait list is open now. Doors open to the wait list first, in December, before anyone else hears about it. MMM is also the required half of the Comfort Zone Yoga 300-hour yoga teacher training.
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