Assists and Adjustments in Yoga
Knowing where you are as a student of yoga isn't always easy when you land on the mat. As a teacher of yoga, to offer assists and adjustments means you are stepping into someone else's world. Permission is a must, tender care outside of ego is essential. Gifting the student with the power to say no may be the best experience they take away from the class.
It was years ago, while in yoga class the teacher chopped behind my knee saying, don't lock out your leg...
So, here's the thing. I'm a natural knee locker, I know my edge, but you didn't speak to any students before class and I was there that day carrying a lot more than my body weight on that leg. When you decided to come into my space from an angle where I couldn't see you, without asking and chop me down, it took months for me to recommit to my practice... and let's remember that some days my practice is all I feel like I have.
I've taken from that experience and share it now with my soon to be yoga teachers. To offer an assist or an adjustment is not about you being some star teacher. It's about offering students a choice and the reality of our world is that for some, that choice may be the only one they get that day. THAT is the magic of yoga!
As a teacher, how do you tactfully assist without causing harm? As a student, how do you reclaim your power and your voice?
This is so interesting, hearing the experience you had which made you back away from your practise (whether this was mentally or physically or both, I don't know), but I had a similar experience where I was pushed too far into a stretch which caused pain and a lot of panic in me. It has taken me 10 years to go back. The bes choice I've made is to go to an absolute beginner's class to get back into practise - there is 0 ego in the room - quite a unique experience! E x
Right! I hate to hear you had that experience, unfortunately its becoming more and more common. Im glad to hear that you stepped back on the mat! Where is all the ego coming from with yoga teachers, and seriously who do they think they are to touch and force a student in a class.
Sad that it's common- I thought that I'd just sadly landed with a rare poor teacher with an ego the size of Jupiter ;) So glad to be back at it, but being older myself, I'm more equipped to be strong about what I do and don't want in terms of touch and guidance. E x