Yoga Class Basics
Yoga is a complex and comprehensive system of health and healing. One of the downsides of the modern American version of yoga, where a group meets and practices under the guidance of a teacher, and focuses heavily on postures, alone, is that much of the subtleties can be missed. The resulting practice, then, falls far shy of the full potential of this ancient tradition.
The trade-off, of course, is simplicity, convenience, and accessibility. Not everyone that wants to benefit from yoga wants to learn all the details or spend months covering all the basics. Perhaps, many people simply want a relatively low-impact, group exercise experience. It is likely that many more people receive some benefit when things are simplified and intentionally made more accessible.
As a medical practitioner, I am drawn to maximize the healing potential of modalities I use in the clinic. This holds true for yoga, as well. I want the most out of it (leading me to practice daily), and I want my patients to receive the most possible benefit. This requires going into more detail than may be standard.
I offer the following to review prior to attending any of my yoga classes. It will greatly assist you in making the most of your experience.
The goal of yoga is a calm, attentive mind.
Perhaps surprising to some, the core goal of yoga has to do with mental presence, not physical ability. The single most authoritative work on yoga, The Yoga Sutras, by Patanjali, begins by defining yoga as
The calming of the fluctuations of the mind so the seer may abide in themselves.
All yogic practices have this as their ultimate goal - a peaceful mind and the resulting clarity and awareness that follow. This may seem overly, and inaccurately, simplistic, but, for most of us, attaining, much less maintaining, a calm mind is all but impossible. It is so because of obstructions in our energy channels. Yoga practices are designed to open those channels, and, thus, facilitate a calm mind.
I mention this at the very outset, just as Patanjali did, so that we may keep it foremost in our minds during all the activity of practicing yoga.
In "doing" yoga, much emphasis tends to be placed on correct physical position in the postures. This is important, but only so that we get the effect of the posture, which is to assist in stilling the mind. It can easily be seen how attempting to do a position correctly, could defeat the entire purpose of yoga.
I like to think of a couple basic phases of practicing a posture. There is the initial intent to do a specific pose, which is followed by conscious, willfull effort to align the body properly. There may be much mental activity here, as you recall the proper body position, move the body into that position, check it, and adjust accordingly.
The next, extremely important phase is shifting that mental attention into a witnessing role. Whereas there is much effort in the previous phases, here, that effort relaxes. You focus on maintaining the posture, with correct alignment, but that's it.
You hold attention on the pose, and then, as I like to think of it, pull out of the posture, step away from it - Witness yourself in that pose; witness the process. Another way to think of this is honoring or respecting the pose. You try your best to do it perfectly and then you hold it in that state, honoring the spirit of the pose, and allowing its effects to work through your body and mind.
There are two basic rules to any yoga posture: be steady and comfortable.
We are, again, guided by the sage Patanjali. He instructs us that in our poses we need to be steady and comfortable. This makes perfect sense and is quite in-line with the above-mentioned goal of yoga. If the aim is a peaceful mind, and the postures are designed to get you there, it only makes sense that they should be steady and comfortable.
When practicing any posture, no matter how seemingly simple (or advanced), always ensure you are comfortable; seek stability. They say you have not mastered a pose until you can hold it for a lengthy amount of time. This requires real comfort.
Basic Physical Alignment Guidelines
Keeping the above in mind always is the first rule to proper alignment. If something feels wrong, please adjust to a place of comfort.
If you are specifically led by me, or any instructor, to a place of discomfort, please verbally inform us of that discomfort. We may be making adjustments or having you perform specific poses that are actually balancing out improper posture habits. In such a case, you may feel uncomfortable despite the fact that the position is healthy for you.
This scenario is, actually, a main therapeutic tool in yoga - We slowly dissolve bad habits by practicing healthy ones. It is walking a thin line between "good" and "bad" discomfort, and it is paramount that both the instructor and student give such situations their full attention to ensure the end result is always healthy and positive.
*** At all times, you are, ultimately, in charge of the process. Whether in class with me, or any other teacher, you have absolute permission to end any posture at any time.
The Spine
Movement of the spine is central to yoga postures. In general, it should be held long, extended, with good posture and the three natural curves. Over and over, in my class, you will hear "lengthen the spine". This means you should act as if the backbone were rooted in the hips and the top of the head was being gently lifted upward, opening up and creating space between the vertebra.
The Neck
The neck deserves special attention. Generally, it should remain in-line with the torso. It should not be strained in bending in any direction. It is worth checking your head position in any posture you perform to check for straining of the head and neck.
Knees
The knees are structurally vulnerable and need to be taken care of. Many postures will challenge the thighs, hamstrings, or calves. The knees should always be strong and stable in any of those poses. As a general rule, if the leg is straight in a posture, the knee should have a "micro-bend"; it should be ever so slightly bent and never locked rigid.
After Class
Yoga is both a physical and mental practice, as such after practice, you may experience changes on any level - physically, mentally, and emotionally.
If possible, when you experience such a response to class, try to sit and give it your full attention. If something hurts, what is it, exactly, that is in discomfort? What is the nature of the discomfort? Has something been challenged to the point of damage, or is the sensation indicating the release of tension and opening up of new areas?
If emotions, memories, or unexpected thoughts or feelings arise, give them your full attention. Sit and listen to them as if they were your closest friend and you have all the time in the world. If you can, and are so inclined, journal. Such written records can be a great way to bring deeper experiences fully into consciousness.
If any experience worries you, please feel free to email me with a brief explanation of what's going on.
Home Page
