Yoga Is Not A One-Size-Fits-All Practice

In my yoga classes, each student is navigating something—whether it’s physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual, and often a combination of these. One might be recovering from knee surgery, another from a hip replacement, while someone else is grieving the loss of a loved one or care-taking for a partner or parent. Someone may be facing cancer or another serious illness. Some are dealing with frozen shoulder, SI joint issues, or low back pain. Some come in with tight joints, muscles, and physical tension, while others have hypermobile bodies and may overstretch, putting stress on their joints. Currently I have one student with a cast on a broken hand, and many are dealing with stress and anxiety. And of course, we see conditions like arthritis, degenerative disc disease, osteoporosis, and osteopenia—common with aging bodies. And these are the students attending my regular open classes, not just my Therapeutic Yoga Courses!

Yet, despite these challenges, most (if not all) of you arrive—whether in person or online—with a big sigh of relief, saying, 'I’m so glad to be here.' I have to say that I’ve never heard anyone say, 'Ugh! I’m so mad that I’m here!’ I am so blessed and honored to hold this place of refuge and healing for you.

You’ve likely heard me say that yoga is not a one-size-fits-all practice. Originally, yoga was taught one-on-one—one teacher, one student—which makes sense, as everyone has different needs. That said, the energy of practicing together in a group is wonderful, and I believe both individual and group practices have value.

In group classes, I aim to provide general alignment instruction, but it’s important to know that not every cue applies to everyone. For example, there are students who are hypermobile and others who are hypomobile.
If someone has limited mobility, with tight shoulders and forward rounding in the thoracic spine, I might suggest, 'Gently draw your shoulders back and down, and lift through your sternum. This would be appropriate for someone with rounding, but for a student that is hypermobile, following this instruction might cause them to overcompensate, pulling their shoulders too far back, pushing their ribs forward, and hyperextending the low back possibly causing compression in the lumbar spine.

While I do my best to address different needs in a group setting, I can’t always give every individual the time and attention they might require. This is why I believe private sessions are so beneficial. In a private session, we can focus on your specific needs, helping you understand how to apply the instructions to your body. You can then take what you learn and integrate it into your group classes. I recommend private sessions alongside group practice—perhaps monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly, depending on your budget. While private sessions can cover any aspect of the practice, from posture to breath, focus, and meditation, we often begin with a focus on postures and correct alignment. This way you can fine tune and learn the safest way to practice for your body.

Lastly, I love hearing from you. When you share your takeaways, questions, and insights, it helps me understand how the practice is landing for you and what I may need to communicate differently. Your questions might also be shared by others, so everyone benefits when you speak up.

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