Yoga, personal space and ego

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hello

Recently I started practicing yoga and I am quite new to it. I joined a local yoga school in the city where I live and I do Ashtanga yoga each week in a beginners to advanced class (where they give options). The routines are more or less the same each week, although it differs slightly.

The classes are often full and mats are aligned one next to another, from wall to wall, with ten centimeters space between each mat. One is more towards the opposite row and one more towards the wall.
It has never really been an issue as you always work on your mat.

Yesterday we did a stretch exercise (first time), where you lay on your back and have your leg stretched out with your foot flex towards the ceiling. Then we were to open our legs towards the side.

This is my issue. The person next to me was being assisted by one of the yoga correctors and was pretty flexible. As he opened his leg towards the side, I could feel his leg and feet coming closer and closer to my face, up to a point that was unpleasant for me. I have a personal space and I do not like to have it “invaded” unless I allow it. I wasn’t really quite sure what to do in such a case. I covered my face with my hand to protect it. As I didn’t know what to do I just lay there, with the foot and leg hovering above me, but that didn’t really work for me. I thought about getting up and leaving, but that seemed a bit drastic, and the thought occured only after the event had passed. I just lay there and stopped doing the exercises until we did the relaxation and the end chant.

Afterwards we got a speech from the teacher about how yoga is hard and that is about ego and eliminating that. I don’t feel having someone’s foot so close to my face is about ego, it’s about personal space.

What would you recommend as a good alternative course of action that is appropriate? Or is it “just yoga” and is “personal space” an ego-driven concept I should leave at the door?

Thank you for your thoughts.

Regards
Brecht

#2

Greeting Brecht and welcome!

Ego has nothing to do with it. The assist from the teacher was not appropriate due to space limitations. When a class is that crowded, Supta Padangusthasana with the leg out to the side should not be done. Of course there are some ways around it like having every other student face the opposite way so that the leg when reclined would not be near the face of the person next to you. But this takes quick thinking on the part of the teacher and experience.

One of the places I teach is quite small and usually packed. When I have less students and the space is more open, I take advantage of it and add poses like above mentioned. Otherwise, I find other options.

No one wants a foot in their face during yoga class unless it is their own! If the teacher assistant did this, I would address your concerns to the teacher. But I must ask, was the teachers talk about yoga being hard and eliminating ego in response to you covering your face? If so, I think I’d find another class/teacher.

#3

[QUOTE=lotusgirl;58968]Greeting Brecht and welcome!

Ego has nothing to do with it. The assist from the teacher was not appropriate due to space limitations. When a class is that crowded, Supta Padangusthasana with the leg out to the side should not be done. Of course there are some ways around it like having every other student face the opposite way so that the leg when reclined would not be near the face of the person next to you. But this takes quick thinking on the part of the teacher and experience.

One of the places I teach is quite small and usually packed. When I have less students and the space is more open, I take advantage of it and add poses like above mentioned. Otherwise, I find other options.

No one wants a foot in their face during yoga class unless it is their own! If the teacher assistant did this, I would address your concerns to the teacher. But I must ask, was the teachers talk about yoga being hard and eliminating ego in response to you covering your face? If so, I think I’d find another class/teacher.[/QUOTE]

Hi LotusGirl and Brecht,
I practice Ashtanga in a very small studio where it often gets very cramped. The students stagger themselves for certain poses like Supta Padangusthasana, which shows their awareness about each other and the small space we share. Maybe in this case, the teacher could ask the students to do that, rather than remove the pose from the sequence. Imagine if every teacher in crowded, cramped studio did that.

I’ve had a foot in my face on more than one occasion. Not ON my face, mind you. Never a stinky foot, thankfully. And would I prefer it not be there just for the ick factor? Maybe. But you know, it’s just a foot attached to someone who’s entitled to be there too.

#4

OMG, more ammunition for the ashtangie bashers, take it away Gordon, snicker all in good humor my friend.

#5

Wakingup,

I did offer that suggestion in my response, meaning staggering the students. And it is a viable alternative to not doing the pose. I guess I should have clarified that more. Thanks for bringing it up!

My point was really more about the teacher. A teacher has responsibility for all students. Brecht was not comfortable with the foot near his face. The teacher shouldn’t assume he wouldn’t mind. Each student has needs and as a teacher I do my best to know those needs. With larger classes that is more difficult, but this is where experience comes into play. And that is not to say that teachers don’t miss things at times. But good communication between teacher and student can allow this to be a learning experience for all. Hopefully Brecht has a good relationship with his teacher and will offer that suggestion which will be accepted with gratitude by his teacher. I know I would want my student to tell me!

#6

[QUOTE=ray_killeen;58989]OMG, more ammunition for the ashtangie bashers, take it away Gordon, snicker all in good humor my friend.[/QUOTE]

Are there ashtangi bashers here ? dont recall seeing any of that

#7

Hello Brecht,

You lend an interesting perspective, as do other respondents.
I personally don’t find this particular issue to have anything at all to do with the style of yoga one practices. So I’ll respond based on that perception.

When a student comes to class there are a variety of things they accept, agree to, consent to, and relinquish in order to be in a class setting with other human beings. This is in contrast to one’s home or personal practice where you may exclusively do as you see fit (or unfit, as the case may be).

Some students do not care for touching. They do not care to be touched by the teacher, by other students, or to touch other students. And that is fine if the class one choose also abides by those limitations. But they are limitations and not freedoms. As students on the path of yoga we should not confuse the two (when possible).

Personal space has to do with respect and the idea that crossing that imaginary line is invasion is really quite interesting as things like intimacy and hugging, massage, acupuncture, setting a fracture, and cleaning teeth all cross this boundary - as best I can determine. The only difference is you have not given permission? Then go inside yourself and give permission.

As for Parsva Supta Padangusthasana we’ve done the pose in very full classes at Yoga Journal and Omega conferences and I see nothing inherently “wrong” with doing so. Some students wiggle around to avoid touch but it is very clear that multitudes of human beings occupy the planet and we’re likely to have to touch them and be touched by them. What safer way than in a well-guided yoga class.

Having not witnessed the adjustment mentioned I cannot say whether it was appropriate or needed or even necessary. But I see no reason as a teacher to avoid a profound pose. It might be helpful to mention to your teacher, in confidence, that you have a touch issue and how you’d like to proceed in class. If they handle that in a way that helps your growth (rather than pacifies you) then consider continuing. If the reply is unacceptable, really unacceptable, then look elsewhere.

gordon

#8

Ah, the joys of personal space. If I’m able to remain present and observe my mind, it’s amazing how often my personal space is invaded and how uncomfortable my mind gets about it. Cut me off in traffic? %&*$! Stand too close to me in the grocery line? Back off lady! Some guy setting up his mat a little too close in yoga class? WTF?!

Why?

Why have I created these boundaries?

My guess is my yoga practice and overall sense of peacefulness will take a leap forward once I’m able to understand the reasoning or integrate whatever it is I need to feel.

#9

I felt the same way when I first began attending classes. Very self-conscious the first time the instructor made an adjustment. I perspire profusely. Also felt awkward lowering my foot to my my neighboring mat-member. So I understand how you feel. Fortunately I got over it quickly.

#10

Thanks for the viewpoints and your support. I’ll take it up with the teacher when it comes up. When we are doing the routines for this exercise I’ll be warned to either do the exercise and give permission inside for the other person to touch me, look out for extra staggering or just go back to another posture to avoid the other person altogether.

Brecht