When I started practicing yoga I remember the teacher "adjusting" my body. Some of it will feel good, some felt intrusive and vulnerable. The use of the word adjustment was always a question mark for me. Adjust what and for what purpose? Can you tell me what you are doing? I am so glad that most of us moved from the "adjustment" phase and we ask permission and we check to see if it something that would really be welcomed by the student.
Nowadays I call the "adjustments" ENHANCEMENTS, and I use them if it actually enhances. Not just the enhancement of the body (who am I to assume to know I will be enhancing someone's body) but if the student has autonomy, free will and knows my intention and the student is a co-participant in the experience. If there is no trust, if you have not established an ongoing trusting relationship with the student, probably the nervous system is on guard and those enhancements are probably not enhancing but the system is in alert and protecting itself.
I would like to start a conversation for those of you interested in deepening your yoga practice or teaching. There are so many paradoxes in the yoga world teacher - student relationship, expectations and more and I would love to share my experiences and expertise as well from the student's side and teacher's side.
Would you comment and help us create a robust and stimulating conversation around our roles and expectations as teachers and students and much more?
Please connect with me if you want to become a teacher who is informed by trauma, creates trusts and rapport and sees students as whole and not broken.
In deep gratitude,
Natalie