In the Kundalini Yoga lineage, it is said that there are three statements we might consider avoiding:
- I don’t know
- I can’t do it
- I’m not ready
I have found that looking at whether or not these statements are the best thing for me to say or project has been illuminating, especially “I can’t do it.” Sometimes, for me, it’s not “I can’t . . .” – it’s actually “I won’t,” which feels more empowering. That’s why I enjoy teaching yoga with permissions and modifications – so people can participate regardless of their ability level or current state. Sometimes, “No” is the most effective response we can offer, supporting clear boundaries and self-care. Someone with PTSD or trauma, for example, needs to have permission to say “I won’t,” especially in a yoga class, where they likely came to heal.
My awakening around this came years ago when, during an invigorating yoga class I was teaching, a person whom, it turned out, was a PTSD affected Veteran who had been participating actively and enthusiastically, suddenly walked out of my class.
I felt terrible initially, and after the class, I took the time to seek him out, check on him, and then thank him for taking care of himself. The experience ended up being a great gift to me, a wake-up call.
I wondered how many others might have been in that same class and not felt able to walk out, or to at least lie down and take a moment – in essence, to do what felt right for them regardless of what I had instructed them to do. And then I wondered if an experience like that would add yet more trauma to someone who had come to my class for healing and restoration. That sent an arrow of pain straight to my heart. I knew that was something I was committed to avoiding, from that moment on.
I had a learning curve, needed a lot more training myself, but that experience ultimately changed everything about how I teach, and now, as a teacher and a teacher trainer, it is my mission to teach future teachers to incorporate awareness around this into their own classes.
Whether it’s trauma, anxiety, depression, or something else that is affecting the student who unrolls a mat in front of you, can you meet them where they are in a discreet and respectful way, perhaps without knowing at all what’s happening for them? We will not always do it perfectly, but there are definitely ways we can make our yoga classes feel more inclusive and sustaining.
Join us to become a Kundalini Yoga teacher but also to incorporate this level of awareness into your own yoga classes, whether as a student or a teacher. This knowledge is empowering, even if you never intend to teach.