Yoga sequencing for trauma-informed classes | FNWYI Home Practice
I am continuously learning and refining my yoga teaching style and approaches. Following my first yoga teacher training (YTT) in 2012, I felt I had to follow a sequencing approach focussed on building up to peak poses, which are typically more advanced asanas (yoga forms). When I became more immersed in Vinayasa yoga, I fell in love with the art and playfulness of yoga class sequencing. It became a creative outlet to craft moving meditations (and sometimes playlists). Once I began teaching and offering classes more consistently, I realized my teaching path was not going to be based in a typical city studio and instead geared towards serving Indigenous communities and guiding diverse bodies and backgrounds of people.
Go figure - peak poses, endless transitions, and vinyasas became less important. I began shifting my energy into creating holistic classes that feel safe, accessible, and welcoming for all bodies. Still a work in progress!
There are endless ways to develop, sequence, and facilitate a yoga practice with others - finding an authentic approach is key. In this post, I will outline some considerations when sequencing and guiding from a trauma-informed approach that applies to teaching yoga to Indigenous community members.
Trauma-informed Yoga
Trauma-Informed Yoga is an approach to teaching yoga with a guiding framework that involves understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects of all types of trauma” (http:// www.traumainformedcareproject.org). We are not specifically treating trauma in a yoga class, but rather being aware of, and accounting for, the greater need for safety and trust within the space when we are working with others.
Trauma-informed yoga provides a somatic approach to establishing and enhancing self-regulatory capacity in interoception (inward awareness) and skills for shifting and balancing physiological arousal - or simply put, trauma-informed yoga supports people who have experienced trauma in cultivating a connection and relationship with their bodies through empowering practices that prioritize the needs of the person healing from trauma.
Here are some core principles of trauma-informed practice that I operate by with my yoga teaching:
Respect - Maya’xalapa (respecting each other) and this begins with how you respect yourself, your family, the environment, and those in community.
Safety - always prioritizing consent and fostering a sense of safety so individuals know they are safe with you, in the room and can make a choice to leave if/when they wish.
Creating a healing container - this begins during your own spiritual and cultural work, as you prepare for teaching, throughout the class, and to the closing and transition of the practice.
Offering choices - clear pathways to making decisions for what feels best in the individual’s body.
Empowerment - using a combination of themes, language, movements, stillness, and reflection to promote a sense of empowerment within the circle or the class
Transparency (or predictability) - telling folks what they might expect from the class, giving an overview, providing some time parameters or breath counts etc.
Collaboration - inviting the class to make the practice their own. Encouraging folks to move in ways that feel good and restorative in their bodies, minds, and spirits. They can choose to adapt certain poses, use yoga props/blocks, share in the circle (or pass) and feel they can share their voice to guide when they wish (which helps when you start class with a check in and check out).
We do not know what is going on with people who show up to class - working with empathy and compassion is essential when showing up for this work. We do not know and do not need to know what our students have endured or experienced that may have created trauma or trauma responses and patterns of behavior; however, it is our responsibility to create a space for people to feel safe and welcome.
Some elements of a trauma-informed yoga approach include:
modeling movements
using slow progressions
offering invitational, empowerment-based language
integrating choices and providing options (e.g. A or B)
careful selection of physical poses and breathing techniques
maintaining a supportive and nonjudgmental presence
awareness of where you position your body in the yoga space (prioritize the sense of safety for the participants, so do not stand over people or place hands on folks)
being mindful of the space (cautious use of lighting, candles, fragrances - putting care into your choice of using anything that stimulates the senses).
Yoga Sequence: FNWYI Live Class
This is a 60-minute class sequence that integrates most of FNWYI Module 1 & 2 Core poses and pranayam to support the learning of the cohort participants. Take a look through the Sanskrit and English names and imagine moving through this in your own body - think of who may have some challenges with this class and how you would use the Language of Invitation and Language of Inquiry to guide people through this practice. Overall, this class is developed for able-bodied folks and would need to be further refined to meet the needs of pregnant, injured, or other people with joint or health conditions.
Here is one approach to theming - there are many ways to further develop your own Yoga short hand, illustrations or descriptions.
Theme: Releasing to the earth
Opening / grounding - 5 min
Tadasana (Mountain pose)
setting intention —> “releasing and letting go”. Visualize: light at crown of head washing down to your feet to the Earth
Warm-up - 10 min
Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
Adho Mukha Śvānāsana (downward dog → DD) x 3 breaths
Balasana (child’s pose) with side waist stretch
Marjaryasana (cat/cow)
Modified Tibetan Sun Salutes x 4 breaths
Bhujangasana (baby cobra)
Targeted Warm-up // Peak (optional) - 15 min
DD x 3 breaths
Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I - R side) x 4 breaths
Tadasana w/ optional side waist stretch
Utkatasana (chair) x 3 breaths
Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I - L side) x 4 breaths
Tadasana - re-grounding x 4-6 breaths
Floor / Cool Down - 20 min
Dandasana (staff pose) x 4 breaths
Ardha Matsyendrasana (Seated spinal twist)
Janu sirsasana (head to knee forward bend - L/R)
Supta kapotasana (supine pigeon or thread the needle - L/R)
Reclined twist (Supta Matsyendrasana II - L/R)
Dirgha pranayama in supine (3 part breath or belly breaths) x 7-10
Apanasana (knees to chest)
Closing - 10 min
Savasana (4-5 mins)
Sukhasana / virasana (easy pose, seated meditation)
Closing intention setting and gratitude
Helpful Tips & Resources for [New] Yoga Teachers
I believe the best guidance I received is “to practice more than you teach” - because you must be connected to the forms and practices on a deep level before you offer those practices to other people in a safe, humble, and meaningful way. I have made the mistake of integrating too many asanas, or complex transitions, or themes and peak poses that I had not fully embraced in my own sadhana and practice. These experiences felt off when I shared them with others and you can feel the difference when you take time to align and ground yourself with what you know and are prepared to teach.
Ensure you have lots of time to develop and design your theme and sequence
Practice your sequence - physically move through the poses and transitions. Make notes about things you would like to emphasize or modifications you plan on sharing.
Plan and rehearse the timing - be mindful of the time of others
Learn and use Sanskrt names of poses (with English translations) as much as possible. Ensure you are always honoring Yoga’s roots!
Write it down, keep it in a journal, notebook (digital or paper - the choice is yours)
Organize a system to maintain classes you’ve taught so you can reflect back on, repeat and document your teaching hours.
Teach the same sequence more than once.
Ask for feedback from your friends, family, students
These two books are an awesome addition to any new (or experienced) yoga teacher and student. I love creating themes that connect with the practices and selecting movements and breathwork that supports the embodiment of the chosen theme. Both resources give some practical guidance and creative solutions for sequencing and theming!
References
Barudin, J. W. G. (2021). From Breath to Beadwork: Lessons Learned From a Trauma-Informed Yoga Series With Indigenous Adolescent Girls Under Youth Protection. International Journal of Indigenous Health, 16(1). https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/ijih/article/view/33220
Barudin, J., & Zafran, H. (2019). Introduction to Trauma-Informed Rehabilitation with Indigenous Clients. physiotherapy, 19. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hiba-Zafran/publication/339513551_Introduction_to_trauma-informed_rehabilitation_with_Indigenous_communities/links/5e56f1e1a6fdccbeba056d87/Introduction-to-trauma-informed-rehabilitation-with-Indigenous-communities.pdf