Hi Reader,

I'm starting something new—a bi-weekly exploration of the deeper layers of yoga teaching. Not just what we teach, but how we can teach in ways that honor the full complexity of our students. Each email will focus on one concept you can immediately integrate into your classes, whether you teach vinyasa, a stretch class, chair yoga, or anything in between.

Let's begin with the koshas.

In yoga philosophy, we understand the human being as five interconnected layers or “sheaths” called koshas. The annamaya kosha, or physical body, is just the first layer—the most obvious one we tend to focus on in Western yoga classes. This is probably the layer you’re most focused on when designing and sequencing a yoga class.

But the second layer, pranamaya kosha, is where profound transformation happens. This is the energy body: life force (prana), breath patterns, circulation, nervous system. It's the bridge between our physical bodies and our mental awareness.

It's taken me years to understand how powerful tending to the pranamaya kosha in class can be. I'll never forget the first few times students shared how the practice—a class I taught—was transformative for them. They'd share things like "Time just stopped for me" or "You got my engineer mind to actually quiet down" or "I felt really connected to myself." Although I had taught a posture-oriented class—maybe focusing on hips and hamstrings—I was also touching something much more complex. They weren’t just walking away feeling “good” in their physical bodies. They were walking away more deeply connected to themselves. What was different about my teaching? I was cueing them to breathe, relax, feel, watch, and allow different energetic experiences to unfold in a shape. I used their breath as a tool to help them access a deeper layer.

When you teach through pranamaya kosha, you're not just helping someone stretch their hamstrings. You're giving them access to their own vital energy, which naturally settles the mind and opens doorways to deeper layers of awareness (i.e. other koshas).

Most of us learned to prioritize posters and shapes in our classes. But if that’s all we’re focusing on, we’re missing out on opportunities for students to experience deeper layers of themselves.

This Week's Focus

Choose one class you will teach in the upcoming week. Select a few shapes or pockets of time where you guide them to notice their energy body. Give them a few breaths of silence to notice.

Notice: What shifts in the room when you cultivate this space?

I’d love to know how this lands and read your reflections. Hit reply when you’re ready.

Much love.

// Kate

This is the first in a series exploring how to teach through all five koshas.

Upcoming Teacher Community Events

• 5/31-6/1 Pranayama & Meditation Retreat (8 CEUs) // a 2-day morning retreat // Cost: $145
• 6/22 Yoga for Yoga Teachers // a 1 hour yoga practice with other local teachers // Cost: Free
• 7/26-27 30 Hour Cultivating Aliveness: Breath-Centric Teacher Training (30 CEUs) // independent study, one in-person weekend, and 1:1 mentoring // Cost: $400 early bird ends 6/15
• 7/17 Yoga for Yoga Teachers​
• 8/17 Yoga for Yoga Teachers ​