Statement on Hands-On Adjustments

In any career, the hope is that we will continue to learn and evolve as we progress on our journey. Continual growth and the humility that comes along with it is something I take seriously as a yoga instructor. As part of this, I have reached a new level of understanding in terms of my relationship with hands-on adjustments. 

Hands-on adjustments are part of most yoga teaching training programs, including mine. I have learned how to make small adjustments - touching shoulders or palms gently - as well as large adjustments - shifting hips in triangle, pushing on the sacrum in downdog, lifting the ribs and pushing forward in a fold. To name a few.

I have been pondering hands-on adjustments for the past 10 months or so, and have reconsidered my relationship with them. It is important to remember that yoga was initially taught to only one student at a time. Adjustments were given in this style as well, all attention given to one student. Fast forward to the present! Yoga is most often taught in a group setting. I believe we need to adjust our teaching to reflect this.

The Salty Blossom's Position on Hands-On Adjustments:

I will no longer give hands-on adjustments during group classes. 

Please keep reading to understand my reasoning as well as the solutions I have created to meet this need. 

1. When I choose to give a hands-on adjustment during a group yoga class, I am ignoring an entire classroom of students in order to focus on just one. We have all been in that class where you end of holding a pose for a random amount of time because you are waiting for the teaching to finish working with one student. I find this unfair. It affects the quality, timing, and breadth of my teaching when I focus on just one student.
2. As the instructor, I am able to look at your body and see the elements that are "correct" or "incorrect" according to a predetermined set of standards. It is easy to see that someone's arm is rotated in the wrong direction. However, what I cannot see is that the person broke their collarbone several years ago and they are unable to move in that "perfect" way. I cannot see arthritis, injuries, or genetic predispositions just by looking at you. When I assume I know more than your body does, I risk injuring you with a hands-on assist. In a group setting, I do not have the space or time to have a conversation with you before attempting to adjust you.
3. Every single one of us has a different comfort level with being touched. Maybe you are ok with me touching your fingers, but not ok with me touching your hips. Maybe if I walk up behind you, it will trigger panic. Possibly you are craving touch and can't wait for me to approach me. I cannot know any of this information by looking at the shape of your body. The group setting limits my ability to gather this information safely. 

Having said all of that, I am a big fan of hands-on adjustments. I think it helps the student to feel the energy of a pose. Once they have this knowledge, they can try to recreate it when practicing on their own. I want to be able to offer hands-on adjustments at The Salty Blossom. I simply will not make this available during group sessions. Here are the methods you can use to enjoy the benefits of hands-on adjustments at the studio:

• Private yoga classes. When you book a private yoga class, we have the space and time to have a conversation about how I can adjust you in a safe manner. If you have several poses you are working on and want additional help, book a private yoga session and we will cover those poses and how they work in your body. I have done this in the past with instructors I respect. I still think about and use the techniques shown to me during private sessions. They are incredibly helpful because they are tailored completely to you and your body.
• Monthly Alignment Lab. I am adding a monthly Alignment Lab one hour workshop to the schedule. Each month I will choose 1-2 poses and provide instruction and hands-on adjustments for these specific poses. The Alignment Lab will be free for all current pass holders (Monthly Unlimited, 5 Class Pass, or 10 Class Pass); however, you will need to sign up in advance as I will have limited spots available. This is a free opportunity to grow in your practice and receive hands-on adjustments.
• Listen to verbal cues! Do you realize that I am talking nonstop for the entirety of most yoga classes (other than yin). What I am saying is a direct result of what I am observing in you, the student. If I mention to "pull in through the belly" that's because I am watching you and you are not doing this. If you pay attention to my verbal cues, you will begin to learn how to adjust yourself. This is a crucial element of your yoga evolution!

I absolutely love teaching yoga and sharing my light as we blossom as a community. I look forward to watching all of us grow in a way that is fair and inclusive to every person in the room.