Many students look at alignment and how to get into the poses as a series of steps and rules. The beginner looks overwhelmed. More things to memorize? But when the list is memorized, have they really experienced the pose, or are they still in their heads? It can be disempowering to tell them every little nuance, every step of the way. When learning to write, we started with big crayons and block letters. We worked with them for until we were ready to move on to smaller crayons and pencils. Over time, our dexterity increased and in a few years, we were ready for cursive, and then maybe even calligraphy. It would have been ridiculous to have been asked to write in cursive in the beginning stages. Why demand calligraphy of our beginners? And do we all want them to write the same? Look the same? Do the pose the same?
As teachers, have we taken the time to explore other points of view regarding alignment, or are we also victims of the script of what we “should” be teaching? To be a responsible, non-biased teacher, we need to have at least experimented with or even considered that someone might not fit into the mold of what we call “proper alignment.” Alignment is not posture. Alignment is being aligned with who you are in the moment physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. Finding ease in that moment. If someone is crying, do we tell them to sit up straight? No. We let them be where they are and then ask what we can do to help make them feel better. Referencing the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali – freedom is living in our Svarupa, our self knowledge. And Self awareness is ultimately taught from within the self.
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