Adjustments Workshop for Teachers
The healing power of physical touch can be measured; brain activity changes during touch & certain types of endorphins are released, which combat stress hormones, resulting in a sense of relaxation and peace. Conifident, appropriate touch in class can be welcome & helpful to students but after Covid, touch has become even more controversial.
When you receive a confident, safe adjustment from a teacher you know to be experienced & knowledgable, their hands & breathing help us to visit poses in greater depth with more profound understanding of the the energetic dierection & purpose of the pose. The idea being the student feels & rememebrs the adjustment & can replicate it going forward by themselves or move towards it.
If you are unlucky enough to receive an unwanted, inexpertly applied adjustment, possibly where boundaries are crossed, it can put you off yoga for life & even be construed as physical abuse.
In this workshop we'll look at the more acessible & common adjusts that are useful to us as teachers & discuss the pros & cons of touch.
The following topics will be covered:
Observing first, why would we adjust?
The intended energetic directions of the pose - having a clear intention
Length & stability
Rules of adjusting for the teacher & the student - boundaries & lawsuits
Supporting student's breathing
Limits
Whole class adjustments
Demoing
Language
Physical practice
Poses Covered:
Downward Facing Dog, Corpse, Triangle, Side-Angle, Half-Moon, Child's, Warrior 1,2,3, Cobra, Plank, Upward facing Dog, Shoulder Stand.
