Yoga Ethics: Finding Safe Edges

I am an active student of life. I like to learn as much as I can. Sometimes I get lucky enough to teach what I learn. This is an opinion based on my own experience and study. I would love to hear yours.

I have been to different yoga studios. Every yoga teacher and studio does things differently. There are many beautiful styles of yoga and teaching. I would encourage most folks to try all styles and studios of yoga! Check out a slower moving Hatha class, a faster flowing Vinyasa class, a pose holding fast flowing Power class or a set series like Ashtanga or Bikram. I do believe there is one brief concept that every single yoga teacher and studio should follow.

Try to keep your students safe and teach to the least in the room.

Take this scenario. A teacher has a room where over half of the students are brand new to yoga. They want to please the teacher and try to get into the pose, or they are competing with a friend, a mat neighbor, or they simply want to see how far they can push their bodies. I know, I've been there. I have jacked up my right shoulder for a month because I wanted to do one more side plank and one more chaturanga to make my teacher happy that I was truly "reaching my edge". Part of a yoga guide's duties should be to teach modifications to the room to keep them safe. A brief mention of bringing a knee down would suffice. It is important to speak to the concept of not harming myself (ahimsa) while trying to give a posture my all. A teacher should be comfortable verbally or physically adjusting a student if they see something crazy out of whack that might hurt that student.

I am not saying yoga teachers should micro manage every posture their students are in. Not at all. What I am saying is that when a teacher has half the class dumping into their shoulders or low back while lowering through chaturanga, they should take a moment and explain the posture and explain modifications. I know great teachers that take the time to do this. It doesn't hurt the 10 year yogis to take a moment to listen to the explanation. It simply makes us all more aware of our breath, movements and intention...and isn't that the point anyhow?

When the class is in prasarita padottanasana (wide leg forward fold), and the teacher verbally suggest that folks can find their headstand if it is accessible, and a student falls out of headstand B variation of knees on triceps and knocks another student over...and then goes back into the posture with a humped back, elbows bent out to the sides, wrists twisted and dangerous head/neck placement...it is that teacher's duty to verbally or physically adjust to keep that person safe!

Likewise, students need to know that they have a right to refuse an adjustment. No, it is not okay for your teacher to physically pull you into a headstand or pincha mayurasana if you physically and mentally are not yet "there". This is especially dangerous if you have an injury they are not aware of.

Every student has a right to say no.

Some good teachers I know explain this every time they start a class. A simple "you may feel my hands on you and adjusting your postures to keep you safe or deepen you in, you can always tell me no or tell me that it is uncomfortable or painful and I will stop". While students have a responsibility to keep themselves safe, to stop when they feel pain and to not "cut themselves with a samurai sword," (as a great teacher always says)...teachers need to let students know that it is OK to say no! Teachers are in a position of power and authority and with that power and authority comes responsibility to keep students in a safe space.

It is the most ethically important thing to do...keep students as safe as possible. Teach to the least in the room to allow for modifications and adjustments. Have fun, learn, and experience but don't hack anyone apart and contribute to injury that could be prevented.

What do you think? Do yoga teachers have an ethical responsibility to keep their students safe, or, is it on the student? Are modifications and speaking to this point even necessary; can students simply "fake it 'till they make it"?

DIY Christmas: Marvelous Mocha Sugar Scrub

I'm crazy. I got it into my head this year that I was going to get crafty and make some holiday gifts that were "out of the box" for me. I typically bake cookies, bake biscotti and make jam to give away to friends and family. This year I decided to make sugar scrubs and mod podge projects. In my free time. Yes, free time between work and yoga and house upkeep. Welp, I did it! After six horrific hours finishing my Christmas shopping, I made my own sugar scrub. Sweet.

I had found jars at Hobby Lobby in West Lansing earlier in the week, but I passed them up. Bad move. I ended up checking JoAnn's, Michael's, Home Goods, World Market and Kroger's before I found the Hobby Lobby in Okemos/East Lansing. Score. Decently sized jars to put a body scrub into. Most of them look like Yankee Candle jars. I bought a few smaller ones to give to folks who might not be able to use the scrub. You never know with people's allergies and particularities! 

I washed the jars carefully. They were all "food safe", but washing is important. 

A beauty product is only as good as the ingredients you put into it. The same is true with baking, cooking and well...all of life. Put quality in, get quality out. I got most of my ingredients from Foods for Living and Meijer's.

Florida Crystals sugar and brown sugar

New England Spice Company nutmeg and cloves

Frontier organic cinnamon

Cocoa powder (standard)

Paramount espresso, finely ground

Grapeseed oil

I based my recipe off of this Mocha Spice Sugar Scrub.

I multiplied that recipe by eight because I wanted a lot of scrub to give as gifts!

Ingredients

4 cups of sugar

4 cups of brown sugar

1/2 cup ground espresso
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg

1 teaspoon cloves
4 cups grapeseed oil (plus more as needed)

I whisked together the dry ingredients and then stirred the oil in 1 cup at a time.

Then, take the dry jars and pack the scrub into them! Leave some head room in the jars.

Make the jars fancy with handmade recycled card tags (list the ingredients, for those who want to know and those with allergies!). Marvelous Mocha Scrub. Ta da. Your very own sugar scrub to give and to receive.

December 8 of #Reverb11 - Dharma (The Path)

I'll grab these great topics when I can and write a blurb here and there. I may make more time for writing in the near future.

Wandering can be good for the over-focused creative. How did you wander well this year?

For physical wandering, I went to New Orleans on a great girlie trip with some solid friends. I experienced the wonders of BBQ shrimp and real red beans and rice (still wish I could make 'em half that good). Paul and I went on a trip to Washington D.C. - the first time I've ever been - and had a blast during the hurricane.

For spiritual wandering, I am learning to truly live my yoga on the mat and off of the mat. Be in the present moment. Breathe through it. Breathe in it. Worry less, do more. Less trying to be things and trying to do things and more active doing. As Yoda would say, "do or do not, there is no try." I have learned so much. I have so much left to learn. I hope that never stops.

#Reverb11 - Dream

Reverb 11 is 31 days of blog prompts. It provides a focus and an intention for a blog entry. "Reverb is a means of reflection on the year that has passed and looking forward to the coming year. It provides us with an opportunity to celebrate life and mourn losses together." via YogaFreedom2010

Cool concept. I'm late to the party.

December 5 – Sueño (Dream) - What was your dream come true in 2011? What is your wildest dream for 2012?

To keep it short and sweet...my dream come true in 2011 was finding Just B Yoga, deepening into myself physically and mentally and exploring my yoga practice, and connecting with a wonderful company and HR career.

My wildest dream for 2012 is to complete my yoga teacher training, to go even further and climb personal and physical mountains, and to effectively teach in a compassionate, challenging and thoughtful way.