My 1st Unofficial Official Yoga Class

Last night I taught my first "unofficial" official yoga class! On Sunday I was asked if I would be willing to do a class for the 16-18 year old girls at church on Wednesday. Although I said yes right away, I was immediately nervous because I hadn't ever taught a class before. I wondered what I would teach, how I would fill up the time, if they would like it, and whether it would be too easy/hard. So many questions filled my mind, but I knew I had to do it, and I was excited nonetheless. 

The day before the class, I put together an intermediate flow. I didn't want to make it too simple and slow because I was teaching teenagers and I know that I would have wanted a fast-paced class when I was that age. Here is what we did:

Focus for the Class: Energize and Trust

1. Begin in Sukhasana with right leg crossed in front
2. Close eyes and take hands palms down to the knees. 
3. Bring awareness to the breath 
4. Place right hand on naval and left hand on collar bone
5. Breathe in deep from bottom of naval to top of collar bone (6 rounds)
6. Set an intention in your mind for the practice.
7. Open eyes and come onto hands and knees.
8. Cat-Cow pose 3 rounds
9. Left to right lateral bends 
10. 4 legged twist by bringing right arm through left so the shoulder is on the ground and looking up to the ceiling. Repeat other side. 
11. Child's Pose
12. Downward facing dog
13. plank 
14. Chaturanga with knees down
15. Cobra
16. Downward facing dog
17. Plank
18. Chaturnaga (full: modify with knees down if needed)
19. Upward facing dog (modify with cobra if needed)
20. Down dog
21. Right leg through to low lunge
22. Repeat 17-20 (vinyasa)
23. Left leg through to low lunge
24. Vinyasa
25. Right leg through to high lunge
26. Vinyasa
27. Left leg through high lunge
28. Vinyasa
29. Add in three knee taps while in high lunge
30. Vinyasa
31. Repeat other side
32. Vinyasa
33. Add High lunge to warrior II Right leg
34. Repeat 17-20 with high lunge to warrior II on Left leg
35. Vinyasa
36.  Add on reverse warrior & side angle pose to both sides
37. Vinyasa
38. Add dancing warrior
39. Vinyasa
40. add triangle Pose
41. Vinyasa
42. triangle pose Left side
43. vinyasa
44. Add half moon pose Right side
45. vinyasa
46. Add half moon pose Left side
47. Tadasana
48. Forward fold
49. Warrior I Right
50. Warrior III
51. Warrior I Left
52. Warrior III Left
53. Warrior I right 
54. Warrior III Right into tree pose
55. Warrior I left
56. Warrior III left into tree pose
57. Garudasana Right
58. Garudasana Left
59. Gommukasana Right
60. Gommukasana Left
61. Dolphin Pose
62. Dolphin Plank to dolphin pose 3 times flow
63. Headstand on wall
64. Handstand on wall
65. Legs up wall relaxation pose
66. Savasana: Read quote about trusting oneself and God (since we were in a church setting)
67. Sukhasana Left leg in front: Remind self about intention set during the practice. 

I had a really good time! It took about an hour, which allowed time to play with more handstands and chat with the girls afterwards. They were such GREAT sports and were so pleasant to teach. I learned a lot about what went well and it gave me great practice on my voice and pacing. It was a wonderful experience.