From Overwhelm to Clarity: A Better Way to Plan Your Yoga Classes
When planning yoga classes feels like a burden
For many yoga teachers, class planning is the least enjoyable part of the job.
You sit down with good intentions…and suddenly hours disappear.
You scroll through notes, flip through books, try to piece together sequences, and still feel unsure: Will this even work?
Instead of excitement, planning creates stress.
Instead of clarity, you end up with overwhelm.
Why overwhelm happens
It’s not that you’re disorganised or lack creativity.
It’s that most yoga teacher trainings didn’t give you a planning framework you can trust.
Without that structure, every class feels like reinventing the wheel.
That’s why you waste time, second-guess yourself, and sometimes dread the whole process.
Clarity comes from structure
In the Viniyoga approach, sequencing is built on clear, simple principles:
Define a goal.
Every practice should move toward a specific effect, for example, calmer breath (langhana), uplifted energy (bṛṃhaṇa), stability (sthira), or space (sukha).Identify the main work.
Choose one or two key āsana that embody that effect.Add pratikriyā.
Not to “reset,” but to protect and integrate the effects of the main work while minimising possible downsides. Always dynamic, always purposeful.Integrate.
Settle into the state you’ve created, so students leave feeling changed, not neutralised.
A practical example
Let’s say your goal is a calming, langhana effect:
Preparation: Dynamic tāḍāsana with breath-led arm movements (inhale lift, exhale lower) to set tempo and lengthen the breath.
Main work: Uttānāsana (standing forward bend) and utkaṭāsana (squat pose) coordinated with longer exhalations.
Pratikriyā: Gentle, dynamic dvi pāda pīṭham (two foot support pose), protecting the back and chest while preserving the overall quieting effect.
Integration: Simple seated posture with a slightly extended exhalation ratio.
That’s only a handful of āsana. Yet the whole practice has coherence, and your students will feel it.
Why this reduces overwhelm
When you use a framework like this:
Planning takes minutes, not hours.
You know exactly why each āsana is there.
Students feel a clear effect, not a random collection of shapes.
You feel calmer, more confident, and less drained.
From overwhelm to clarity
This is exactly what I teach in my short course Revitalise Your Yoga Teaching.
It’s a simple, practical training designed to help yoga teachers:
Stop wasting hours planning
Build classes that actually work
Regain confidence and clarity in their teaching
Get instant access here for €37.
Planning doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right structure, you’ll go from scattered to clear, and your students will thank you for it.