Correct hand/finger placement on the floor asanas, unable to talk to teacher

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hi there,

I did Iyengar yoga for a couple of years, many years ago with a western/european teacher. My teacher was always adamant that that when doing down dogs etc that the fingers were spread wide on the floor and you were to push down through the hands/fingers into the floor feeling a firm connection .

Now I have taken up yoga again, with a new teacher from India oringinally and she has been telling me my hand placement is all wrong, and that when I do those poses that the fingers should all be together not apart, so there are no gaps between the fingers on the floor??? She said that this is the “correct” way of doing it, which bugs me a little, I have been on a google search on youtube trying to look at as many videos as I can, and they all seem to have the fingers spread out on the floor.

Also I believe I am doing a type of ashtanga yoga now?? going through a routine of doing the same exercises/asanas every time in exact order…Im not too sure?? She uses no “props” at all, which is fine…but she gives very little instruction with each pose…which worries me…alot of the time she tells me I am doing the poses correct when I know that I am not that good…and when I ask for more instruction she tells me that she will tell me when I doing something wrong??

I dont know what to think really.

Any advice

Thanks

#2

If she is not giving you enough instruction for you to feel comfortable with the asanas then she is not a good teacher.
A good teacher should always be able to give clear instructions for every asana (pranayama etc) and be able to re-explain or give more detail to any student who needs/wants it.
It sounds like she does not know enough to answer your questions…

Try another teacher.

And I always have fingers spread in downdog and planks etc as it helps to keep weight on whole hand not just on heel of hand.

#3

A student need only [I]feel[/I] whether the teachings and teacher are appropriate for them.

As for the hand placement I do not practice in that way, nor have I done so in the last 11 years. I cannot say it is not correct because I simply do not use that sort of language as I find it fosters dogma.

#4

Hi

Thanks for the replies…maybe I should have put it…that I was taught that it was “safer” to have the fingers spread wide, and that it took pressure off the wrists in doing so.

I dont think it is just about “feel” at all. If you do not know anything about yoga yourself, and are in the hands of someone, who seems very experienced(but maybe is not) how are you to know any better…and some teachings and poses could be dangerous, if done haphazardly.

#5

Hi Mitzy,

in reply…

Using the typical definition of “know”, when the student doesn’t know that is an inability of rational thought (mental force) due to a lack of eternal information. “Since I don’t know anything about yoga how can I choose a yoga” as an example.

There is an innate intellect which dwells in the heart center. It is not at all the voice of rational thought, thinking, being right or correct. It is, for lack of better wording, the voice of the spirit. So my statement is thus:

The student can tap in to this wisdom, feel the nature of choice which is a constant occurrence during our daily living, and select based on the call of the soul rather than the knowing of the mind. However it is less likely to be able to tap in to this wisdom when there is no intention to do so, no direction in so doing, and not enough stillnes in the living to allow for it to be explored.

When new students ask how they should choose yoga classes/studios/teachers I suggest they try several BUT take time after each to pause, sit quietly and feel for the residue left in them from the class. It is for the above reason that I suggest in this fashion.

One additional point, if I may…
All experiences are learning experiences in yoga. While I never hope that another student sustains injury I do acknowledge that both joy and sorrow are part of life’s lessons. Point? We learn from some choices which are later labeled as “poor” though they may be essential to our growth as human beings. So yes, some of us do get hurt and I’ve been there. They are my greatest lessons

As for your pragmatic question on the hands I do believe that spreading the fingers in an appropriate way to craft foundation for asana. I cannot, at this time, think of any postures where my hands are on the floor (palms down) and the fingers are not spread. But again, this only makes it a layer of truth. It does not make it THE truth.

Consider a discourse with your teacher on these things. To me, a sound, dedicated, compassionate teacher with a robust and effective practice will meet you in that conversation. A teacher who doesn’t? Well I think that’s self-evident from the previous sentence.

gordon

#6

Hi Gordon,

Thanks for your reply. I will read it and think it over you have some interesting points. Hopefully I will be able to have some conversation with my teacher over it…though i dread it :wink: and something will come out of it, either I will be leaving the class, or at least try and get some understanding of why they are asking me to do things in that particular way.

Thanks for you reply

Regards

#7

Should the student have feelings of dread when considering discourse with their teacher? The feelings, obviously, are legitimate but I wonder if this is the yoga relationship you are wanting…or not? Only you can answer.