As a yoga teacher, I once believed that my goal was to create a safe and supportive environment for my students. To do so, I would offer cues that would help them avoid physical harm, such as positioning their front knee to protect their vulnerable joint in standing poses or engaging their core in backbends to prevent shoulder damage.
My Initially Well-Meaning Approach
At first, I thought my approach was effective. Students felt less likely to get hurt, and I could sense their relief when they avoided certain poses or movements that might have caused injury. However, as I continued to teach and observe my students, I began to notice a disturbing trend.
- Students were becoming increasingly cautious and hesitant in their practice, often questioning their own judgment and adjusting their positions in response to my cues.
- Despite my efforts to keep them safe, students were beginning to feel vulnerable and uncertain rather than empowered and confident.
It wasn’t until I was introduced to the concept of pain science that I began to question my approach. I realized that my well-meaning cues might have had the opposite effect – creating a culture of fear and self-doubt rather than safety and confidence.
Pain Science and the Brain’s Interpretation of Pain
Pain is not just a physical sensation; it’s also a psychological one. According to pain science, pain is output from the brain based on its interpretation of information. This information is supplied by sensory neurons called nociceptors, which register potential threats to our bodies through changes in temperature, chemical balance, and pressure.
“The brain’s interpretation of whether or not that nociceptive signal is perceived as painful is shaped by cues from our external environment—including our beliefs and prior experiences.”
This means that words, including yoga cues, can have a profound impact on our perception of pain. A recent study found that hearing words related to pain increased activity in the same regions of the brain as those activated by actual pain or nociceptive stimuli.
The Cycle of Fear and Pain
As I continued to teach, I realized that I was inadvertently creating a cycle of fear and pain. My cues, although well-meaning, were leading students to believe that certain positions or movements were inherently painful or damaging.
When students heard words like “protect your low back” or “safeguard your shoulder joints,” they began to associate those words with the potential for pain or injury. This led to a self-fulfilling prophecy, where students would become more cautious and hesitant in their practice, fearing that they might hurt themselves.
Psychological Safety vs. Physical Safety
But what if we flipped this script? What if we focused on creating a culture of psychological safety, where students feel confident and empowered in their own bodies? Research suggests that our bodies are actually more resilient than we think, and that challenge can be beneficial for our growth and development.
| Antifragility | Description |
|---|---|
| Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s term for the ability of a system to not only withstand stress but to actually benefit from it | Example: Weight training can make our muscles stronger, while aerobic training can improve our cardiovascular efficiency |
In this context, yoga teaching is not about physical safety; it’s about creating a space where students feel confident and empowered to take care of their own bodies. By offering a range of options and encouraging students to explore and experiment, we can create a culture of psychological safety that fosters growth and development.
Revised Verbal Cues
Over the past few years, I’ve been revising my verbal cues to focus on psychological safety rather than physical safety. Instead of saying “engage your abdominals to protect your low back” in Locust Pose, I might say “draw your pubic bone toward your navel and see if it creates length along your low back and sacrum.”
I’ve also begun to use more neutral language, such as “can you find a comfortable position for your front foot in One-Legged Pigeon?” rather than directing students to “flex your front toes to protect your knee.”
By shifting our focus from physical safety to psychological safety, we can create a more empowering and supportive environment for our students. We can help them develop a positive body image and a deeper understanding of their own needs and limitations.
The Power of Empowerment
As yoga teachers, we have the power to shape our students’ experiences and perceptions.
