ABSTRACT
This chapter describes both tools and theoretical perspectives through which teachers may construct a robust methodology by framing the practice and teaching of yoga as a ritual progression. Through ritual, practitioners make meaning of their experiences as they struggle with material until it can be integrated logically into a larger belief system; one that explains their place in relation to the nature of reality (worldview). As the ritual operator, the successful teacher relies on their ability to structure lessons, so that students may find meaning in what are otherwise routine or ambiguous actions and experiences. The stages of ritual progression are described from the anthropological perspective and examined in the context of yoga classes and trainings. An appendix with practical exercises is included at the end of this chapter.
