Decided to republish this when a reader told me that she felt "liberated" after reading it.
16 May 2010
oldie but a goodie
Decided to republish this when a reader told me that she felt "liberated" after reading it.
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3 comments:
Yes, a great article, very liberating to anyone worried about perfect form.
I hope we will hear from some avid Iyengar folks, who I know feel equally passionate about the need for rigor in form.
Thanks for repeating this one. I had seen it before, but I don't think I read it all the way through that time.
Bob Weisenberg
moved this comment from original post to here. from yoga teacher charlotte bell:
"Ah yes, the alignment controversy. I studied with Iyengar and many of his teachers for years and still do. But I've also been working with Donna Farhi since 1989. It was in one of her workshops that I discovered a major problem with one of yoga's sacred cows—aligning the pelvis straight forward in standing poses. Because of the variations in location, depth and orientation of the pelvic sockets, very few people can hold this alignment without compromising their SI joint. After years of forcing this alignment principle, I have a very unstable SI joint. Letting the hip of your back leg rotate inward in standing poses not only saves my SI joint, it also gives me MUCH more stability in my back leg.
Beginning students can have a hard time figuring out how to align themselves because it's just too subtle. Often they're not accustomed to feeling their bodies at all. In these cases, a teacher can really help them find a healthier way to practice. But I feel that a teacher needs to understand that yoga is not a one-size-fits-all practice. It would be much easier for us as teachers if everyone was exactly alike, but that's not reality!
We all have the ability to be mindful. As a student's awareness grows, it becomes easier for him/her to trust that little voice that Linda speaks of.
I saw Paul give an anatomy demo at the Midwest Yoga Conference probably five years ago. It was brilliant. All yoga teachers should see this!"
you're preaching to the choir, Charlotte!
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