This week’s podcast is about one of the more controversial topics being discussed in the yoga world today: physical contact between teachers of asana and their students.

While most of what we teach is transmitted verbally, the actual learning more likely takes place, in the context of an asana practice, through what the student feels when they follow your instructions. Oftentimes, it is appropriate to enhance the kinesthetic experience of asana with hands-on adjustments.

Touch is an extremely powerful mode of communication and transference of energy. Use it wisely. There are benefits to the practitioner that simply can’t be given in any other way. The flip side of the power of adjustments to help is that they can harm or misguide as potently as they can do good.