On YTT Weekend 8, we focused on physical adjustments, which I’ve termed The Lost Skill secretly in my head simply because I honestly think that is what it is. Throughout many years of my practice, I’ve hardly been adjusted physically; most adjustments were done verbally. But to be truthful, it was not something I was comfortable with anyway. The idea of touching sweaty bodies (or people touching my sweaty body) was slightly icky, a little awkward and very much foreign. Due to various controversies surrounding physical adjustments that’s been thrown into the limelight, especially recently, as well as the rise of virtual yoga classes where physical adjustment is simply impossible, and not to mention the presence of COVID-19 and its Safety Management Measures – I had thought physical adjustment was something unnecessary or not important.
Yet, this skill itself could very much be a trademark of a good yoga teacher. From our lessons alone, we already know that adjusting someone is so difficult; it’s hard to tell how much strength is too much or too little, to keep both yourself and the student safe, to be conscious of the position you put yourself in and ensuring that your adjustments are appropriate, to continue to verbalise the instructions and give assurance. It really indeed is a lost skill that can take many years of experiences to hone, and a timely reminder that we are equipped with the knowledge and the first step to becoming better at it is to practice what we learn.
Soo Hui
200 Hour YTT Oct’20
