Motivational Yoga

The benefits of yoga are valuable to people of all ages and all fitness levels. Yoga teachers have a responsibility to keep classes fresh and challenging to help students discover their unlimited potential available. Serious yoga students have a personal responsibility to learn the principles of yoga in order to lead a more fulfilling, meaningful life.

Motivational Yoga simplifies that task with 100 easy-to-follow lesson plans that vary in length. The lessons progress from basic yoga asana and pranayama lessons for beginning students to more advanced material such as mindfulness and meditation.

Fully customizable to meet individual student needs, these ready-to-use lessons will save you valuable preparation time. Choose from beginning lessons focusing on body and breath awareness, basic postures, and breathing, or select more advanced instruction on the yamas and niyamas, guided relaxation, the heart center, the chakras, emotions, and mindfulness. You’ll also find lessons for kids, older adults, athletes, and pregnant women to ensure you are equipped to serve all populations.

Most of the lesson plans offer a written script for use in class, or as a guide for student home practice purposes.  For beginning teachers, these scripts provide a helpful structure and set the stage for mindful yoga instruction. Veteran teachers may use these lessons and scripts as a creative departure point for expanding on one of the eight limbs of raja yoga or designing a tailored focus for the day’s practice. Motivational Yoga is a starting point for bringing yoga’s abundant teachings into the daily lives of teachers and students alike. For ease of planning and organization, each lesson follows a five-part outline:

• The intention provides the focus for the day's yoga class.
• The lesson (script) embodies the essence of the day's teaching.
• The Asanas for Deepening section illustrates the lesson through body stretch, movement, and sensation.
• The Motivation Off the Mat section presents suggestions, homework assignments, and reminders for practicing the yoga teachings outside of the classroom.
• Teacher Tips and Wise Words offer advice for fine-tuning sequences and proverbs that convey a specific thought or feeling for the lesson.

In addition, five full-length workshop lesson plans help you expand your teaching beyond a traditional class to offer focused workshops to your students on these popular topics: Spring Cleaning Yoga Detox, The Joy of Backbends, Yoga for Absolute Beginners, Introduction to Meditation, and Transformational Breath.

With each lesson, Motivational Yoga demonstrates how the strength, balance, and stretching of the physical practice can inspire a healthy, complete, and joyous existence on and off the mat.

Audience

Reference for yoga teachers, advanced yoga students, and fitness professionals.

Chapter 1. Beginning Lessons
Beginner’s Flow
First Class Facts
Learning Diaphragmatic Breathing
Benefits of Yoga
Softening the Edges
Body Tension
Lengthening the Exhalation
Defining Ha and Tha
Setting an Intention

Chapter 2. Breathing Practices
Smiling Breath Vinyasa
Two-to-One Breathing
Three-Part Exhalation
Ujjayi Breath
Nadi Shodhana
Opening the Left Channel

Chapter 3. Asana
Stepping Stone Vinyasa
Feet
Forward Bends
Backbends
Twists
Headstand
Asana and Acceptance
Asana and Peace
Sequencing a Class

Chapter 4. Salutations in Motion
Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation)
Chandra Namaskara (Moon Salutation)
Star Salutation
Earth Salutation
Salutation to the Self

Chapter 5. Prana
Wave Vinyasa
Holding On to Prana
Feeling the Flame
Prana and the Focused Mind
Storing Prana

Chapter 6. Pranayama
What Is Pranayama?
Benefits of Pranayama
Working With Ha and Tha
Boosting the Immune System

Chapter 7. Motivation
Motivation in Motion
Moving Forward
Morning Gratitude Meditation
Energy Is Your Identity
Transformation
Reframing

Chapter 8. Yamas
Yama 1: Ahimsa
Yama 2: Satya
Yama 3: Asteya
Yama 4: Brahmacharya
Yama 5: Aparigraha

Chapter 9. Niyamas
Niyama Flow
Niyama 1: Saucha
Niyama 2: Santosha
Niyama 3: Tapas
Niyama 4: Svadhyaya
Niyama 5: Ishvara Pranidhana

Chapter 10. Chakras
Chakra Flow
Chakra 1: Muladhara
Chakra 2: Svadhisthana
Chakra 3: Manipura
Chakra 4: Anahata
Chakra 5: Visuddha
Chakra 6: Ajna
Chakra 7: Sahasrara
Chakras and the Five Tibetans

Chapter 11. Mindfulness
Vinyasa for Awakening
Mindfulness: The Core of Practice
Paying Attention
Dharana
Mindfulness of Gratitude
Holiday Gratitude
Mindful Eating

Chapter 12. Lessons of the Heart Center
Heart Center Vinyasa
Anjali Mudra: Namaste
Seeds of Love
Expanding the Heart
Reversing Negative Emotion
Self-Love

Chapter 13. Emotions
Emotional Effects of Asana
Frustration in the Body
Empowerment of Change
The Only Constant Is Change
Fear
Letting Go
Clinging to Happiness
Patience

Chapter 14. Workshops
Spring Cleaning Yoga Detox
The Joy of Backbends
Yoga for Absolute Beginners
Introduction to Meditation
Transformational Breath

Chapter 15. Yoga for Special Populations
Yoga for Kids
Yoga for Pregnancy
Yoga for Seniors
Yoga for Athletes
Chair Yoga

Chapter 16. Practices for Home and Office
Design a Practice to Support Your Needs
Obstacles to Practice
Keeping Your Home Practice Interesting
8 Minutes to Awesome
10-, 20-, and 60-Minute Home Practices
Busting Through Anxiety
Bedtime Yoga
Good Morning Bed Yoga
Chair Yoga at Work

Chapter 17. Guided Relaxation
Be a Corpse
Expanding the Light
Favorite Place
Dark Cloud
Journey Through the Chakras
Silent Chanting

Nancy Gerstein is a yoga teacher, author, speaker, and entrepreneur. She is the creator of Motivational Yoga, a yoga style that empowers life decisions, goals, and results. Nancy’s teachings incorporate spiritually strengthening practices that bolster personal growth and self-motivation. Her classes feed the body and the mind, encouraging students to make conscious choices about how they direct thoughts, energy, and physical focus to live the best live they can. It's Nancy's belief that a genuine yoga practice begins within.

A Himalayan Institute–certified yoga teacher, Nancy is a frequent contributor to yoga publications and websites, including Elephant Journal, Yogi Times, Yoga Magazine, and Yoga and Health Magazine, and she is the author of Guiding Yoga’s Light (Human Kinetics), a go-to reference book for yoga teachers and students. Motivational Yoga is Nancy’s third book.

Nancy resides in Morton Grove, Illinois. In her free time she enjoys hiking, traveling, and trying most things at least once.

“Motivational Yoga offers wise and practical words for teachers, reminding us that we are all students, we all need to breathe, and we all need yoga! It’s a wellspring of resources and guidance for yoga teachers, both new and experienced. The consistent sections like Motivation Off the Mat, Wise Words, and Teacher Tips will support yoga teachers in creating a full lesson around each topic.”
—Julie Chavanu, Founder of Yoga Tree Consulting and Creator of Yoga Trainers Workshop

“Nancy Gerstein helps us look more deeply within the physical postures, outlining the mental and spiritual benefits in accessible, relevant ways. Motivational Yoga is a perfect resource for us all, with inspiration and guidance for every level of practice.”
—Elena Brower, Best-Selling Author of Practice You and Art of Attention

"Yoga is a deeply personal practice that invites us into our inner selves and the swirling world of emotions. Ancient to modern yoga practices give us the tools for transforming these feelings into clarity, moving from what might at times seem chaotic to a more balanced and joyful life. In Motivational Yoga, Nancy Gerstein shows us the way, offering a clear philosophical framework and a set of practices that are adapted to different needs and conditions. I highly recommend this wonderful book to anyone interested in the deeper purposes of yoga for making this life better."
—Mark Stephens, Author of Yoga Therapy and Teaching Yoga

"A must-have for every yoga teacher. As yoga teachers, we are not here to guide movement so much as to inspire healthy living. This book is a yoga toolbox, packed with pearls of wisdom that can be shared with all yoga populations. I have never come across a more comprehensive, yet user-friendly, resource for yoga. Highly recommend to teachers and students alike."
—Jenn Bodnar, Editor in Chief of Yoga Digest

“If you are a yoga teacher or a serious student of yoga, you need go no further for inspiration. This beautifully written book is a profound exploration of how yoga transforms us on every level, and Nancy Gerstein guides us in that transformation. There is deep wisdom here, gleaned from one who has lived her practice, as ever the open-minded student, always the compassionate teacher. Gerstein offers posture sequences and yoga breathing with stunning metaphorical language that will help teachers lead life-changing classes and workshops. Her authenticity and love shine through on every page.”
—Amy Weintraub, Founder of LifeForce Yoga and Author of Yoga for Depression and Yoga Skills for Therapists

“Nancy Gerstein is both ready and willing to share her extensive wisdom, experience, and insight with yoga teachers seeking a lifelong practice and profession. In Motivational Yoga: 100 Lessons for Strength, Energy, and Transformation, Nancy offers a user-friendly practice with tips for teachers as well as powerful suggestions to increase the readers’ motivation in all areas of life. This must-read guide is suitable for yoga teachers of all levels of experience.”
—Felicia Tomasko, Editor in Chief of LA Yoga and President and Editorial Director at Bliss Network

8 Minutes to Awesome yoga practice
Modified chair yoga poses
Stepping Stone Vinyasa