Adjustments

Tonight I took class from someone I had never taken class from before. I was a bit wary going into the class because this teacher did their teacher training with a studio that has a style that is not my preferred style of yoga. Although the sequence of postures followed the familiar sequence that other teachers from that vein follow, this teacher made it work for me. Perhaps it was the candlelight. Perhaps it was just where my mind and body were at tonight. Perhaps the music selection enhanced the flow. But, I think what made it such a wonderfil class for me was the teacher's pace, tone, and most of all---the quality of the adjustments.

I am a yogi that LOVES adjustments. Overall, I am very open and most of the time need another body's pressure to get me into poses deep enough to open further. Sadly, I am also one of those students that many teachers avoid adjusting. As a teacher myself, I understand that it can be intimidating to adjust another teacher because you worry that they may judge you or be thinking that you did something incorrectly. Teachers and advanced yogis, however, are often the people that enjoy and need adjustments the most. I have fallen in love with teachers based on their adjustments, especially what type of adjustments they provide while I am in savasana. Mmmmmmmmmmm--savasana adjustments. My favorites are the neck lengthener, the ear lobe tug, the temple massage, the shoulder/upper arm press, and the crown jewel is when the teacher gives a bit of a massage to the inside arch of my feet. I used to take a rope wall class with a teacher that also did bodywork. Those Sunday classes were heaven. Not only did the wall class open me up in a way that yoga without the wall props could never do; but, then I could count on an absolutely delicious savasana that left me feeling as fabulous as if I had just had an hour massage.



Back to the point of this post--tonight's class. The amazing assists I received tonight were: (1) helping release my low back after spine strengtheners with some low back rubs and quick back massage; (2) one of the best assists in supine twists that I have ever had (pressed on the back outer edge of my hip bone while maintaining strong pressure on the head of that same shoulder; and, (3) sweet, scrumptious savasana contact.

Can't wait for next week's class!