Yoga for Absolute Beginners

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Course Outline

2.6hrs to complete

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Section 1
  • Colin welcomes you to the program, explains its format, and tells you what you can expect to learn.
Section 2
  • Colin gives you insight into yoga’s hybrid history, highlights some key philosophical concepts, and explains why those concepts are still meaningful to us today.
  • Integrate yoga philosophy into an asana practice (the physical practice of yoga). First, you’ll play with cat-cow, a basic spinal movement that’s done on hands and knees, in order to explore moving your spine in different ways. After that, Colin guides you through a fun sequence of poses, encouraging you to find the balance between “effort and ease.” You’ll occasionally pause to observe how your body is responding to the poses and movements.
Section 3
  • Why do we practice asana in modern yoga? In this lesson, Colin discusses how the practice of asana evolved. He also talks about how yoga offers us challenges, opportunities for playfulness, and diverse movement—all of which enhance our sense of what’s possible in yoga practice and in life.
  • In this asana class, you’ll practice moving in and out of common yoga poses, like high lunge and cobra. You’ll also do a fun pistol squat to a seated pose transition, a bent-knee forward bend, and more. Enjoy this movement exploration!
Section 4
  • Learn what pranayama means, why we do it, and how it can help us regulate our emotions in everyday situations.
  • In this introductory pranayama practice, you’ll observe the flow of your breath in different ways. Then, Colin will guide you as you do viloma (a three-step pranayama) and brahmari (buzzing breath). Both of these breathing practices can help relieve tension.
Section 5
  • What’s the purpose of meditation? In this discussion, you’ll learn about single-pointed meditation and mindfulness meditation. Colin explains why these practices and meditation, in general, can help us concentrate better, be cognitively flexible, and become more self-aware.
  • Ever think you’re not the “meditating type”? In this class, Colin teaches you five approachable meditation techniques. Try them out, see which one you like best, and then experiment with doing it for five minutes. Colin also offers you guidelines for how to increase your practice time when you’re ready to.

Course Overview

Brand new to yoga? This fun course, taught by yoga teacher and college professor Colin Hall, offers you an opportunity to learn about yoga practice and philosophy in an accessible, lighthearted way. Colin introduces you to the history and philosophy of yoga and their relevance to our lives today. He also shares yoga classes where you’ll get to explore foundational asanas (yoga poses) and learn helpful movement transitions in depth. And, he teaches you breathing and meditation techniques that are helpful for managing stress and improving concentration.

Yoga for Absolute Beginners makes philosophical concepts relatable as Colin frames them in the context of daily life. He also offers you different ways to consider moving into yoga poses, so if you struggle with flexibility, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what he has in store for you.

The eight classes are under thirty minutes each, making them conducive to a busy schedule. The classes are:

Why Does Yoga Philosophy Matter?

Experiential Practice: Philosophy

Why Do We Practice Asana?

Experiential Practice: Asana

Why Do We Practice Pranayama?

Experiential Practice: Pranayama

Why Do We Practice Meditation?

Experiential Practice: Meditation

These sessions are a great way to dip your toes into yoga and all it has to offer—feel free to do them at your own pace and return to them as often as you like.

Meet Your Teacher

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Colin Hall
Welcome to my bio! My name is Colin, and I’m a punk who ended up teaching yoga somehow. I’m into social... Read more

Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely, you can include this course in your Yoga Alliance training hours, with each hour equivalent to one continuing education credit.
This course is entirely self- paced, allowing you to learn at your convenience.There are no imposed deadlines or time constraints for Course completion.
No prerequisites are required; this course is open to anyone interested in deepening their knowledge and practice.
No, the course is accessible to all individuals interested in enriching their understanding and practice of yoga.Yoga teaching certification is not a prerequisite.