{"id":6417,"date":"2022-09-24T17:27:03","date_gmt":"2022-09-24T17:27:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yogajournal.com\/?p=103941"},"modified":"2022-09-24T17:27:03","modified_gmt":"2022-09-24T17:27:03","slug":"8-terms-to-reconsider-using-when-youre-teaching-yoga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/24\/8-terms-to-reconsider-using-when-youre-teaching-yoga\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Terms to (Re)Consider Using When You\u2019re Teaching Yoga"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n
\n

Get full access to Outside Learn, our online education hub featuring in-depth yoga, fitness, & nutrition courses, when you <a href="https:\/\/www.yogajournal.com\/outsideplus" class="o-content-cta-link" data-analytics-event="click" data-analytics-data="{"name":"Element Clicked","props":{"destination_url":"\/outsideplus","domain":"<>","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}”>sign up for Outside+<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Since the dawn of time, words have provided us with a way to form connection or division. The words we use carry certain connotations and emotions. They reveal so much about who we are and what we stand for. They can define us and create a lasting impression. There are so many paradoxes with language, and people may understand words differently depending on societal factors. As yoga teachers<\/a>, we\u2019ve become more aware of using inclusive language because we recognize the power of words.<\/p>\n

Language is very deeply ingrained, and therein lies the problem. Our vocabulary reflects our cultures, families, friends, identity, and community. We need to become aware of our own biases expressed in our language\u2014often picked up from people we have met, the media we\u2019ve consumed throughout our lives, and our lived experiences.<\/p>\n

How do we begin to address this? The answer is through education and training. Listening more and speaking less is a great way to be aware of our biases and what we tend to say. Nowadays, we live busy lives and are often on autopilot. \u201cThink before we speak\u201d should be our mantra, as most words flow out before our brains even engage.<\/p>\n

Using our words carefully<\/h2>\n

Self-study is an important way in which we can become aware of the language that we use so that we can avoid causing unintentional harm. History shows us that language, communication, and experiences continually evolve. This means we can rewrite the proverbial script and create vocabularies that are more compassionate and inclusive\u2014vocabularies that allow everyone to feel welcome. Language isn\u2019t meant to alienate us; it\u2019s meant to help us understand one another and create connection.<\/p>\n

Teaching with care means speaking with care<\/h2>\n

As yoga teachers<\/a>, we must be open to reflecting on ways to be more inclusive and understand that our choice of language is critically important. Our words have the power to inspire and heal. They can also devastate, traumatize, harm, and make students feel they don\u2019t belong. And our words really influence the yoga space\u2014we therefore need to take care when establishing our vocabulary in order to create a safe space<\/a> for everyone. Feeling excluded can certainly cause students to lose a sense of safety. Here is some language to consider.<\/p>\n

8 terms to (re)consider using while teaching yoga<\/h2>\n

1. Just<\/h3>\n

How many times have you used the word \u201cjust\u201d in your teaching? Chances are, you\u2019ve used phrases similar to \u201cJust put your right foot between your hands.\u201d It might seem like a simple throwaway comment that seems to effortlessly fit into our vocabulary and appears to have no real meaning, but it has so many negative connotations. Its use is actually considered to be ableist and can instantly snap someone out of their mindful yoga practice.<\/p>\n

No one was more surprised than me when I listened to a recording of myself where I cued the entry into a posture with \u201cjust.\u201d I put myself in my students\u2019 shoes and thought about how I\u2019d feel if a teacher said, \u201cjust go into splits.\u201d I\u2019d feel inadequate, because the use of \u201cjust\u201d makes it sound like something that should be achieved effortlessly. I\u2019m currently considering creating a \u201cjust\u201d jar\u2014like a traditional swear jar, but for \u201cjusts.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Good and Perfect<\/h3>\n

Listening to one of my own recorded classes was an excellent way to experience my use of language. It made me aware of the words that I use as fillers as well as their frequency. I seem to love describing everything as \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cperfect,\u201d<\/a> and this is something I\u2019m consciously working to remove, particularly when I\u2019m asking anyone to do something in class. Using praise in this way is unhelpful as it contradicts me telling my students that there is no such thing as perfect, yoga is a practice, and falling out of the pose is okay as this is all part of being a yogi. Perfection should have no place on the yoga mat.<\/p>\n

3. Guys<\/h3>\n

Avoid referring to large groups of students as \u201cguys.\u201d It\u2019s seen by many as a ubiquitous term used to address any gender and is hence considered gender-neutral\u2014but is harmful. At first glance, \u201cguys\u201d seems inviting and friendly, but it undoubtedly has masculine connotations. The term may be commonly used, but it may be considered inconsiderate to subconsciously address only one specific gender. It could also be difficult for women or gender non-conforming people to feel empowered when, upon receiving a greeting, they\u2019re immediately misgendered or ignored.<\/p>\n

Some alternative ways in which you can greet the class are \u201cfriends,\u201d \u201ceveryone,\u201d \u201chumans,\u201d \u201cfolks,\u201d or \u201cbeautiful people.\u201d I remember when I was teaching in Texas a teacher called Brad would try to get me to say \u201cya\u2019ll\u201d\u2014but not with much success (the memory still makes me smile).<\/p>\n

4. Gendered pronouns<\/h3>\n

Do not openly refer to students\u2019 genders, as you do not know how the people in the room wish to be identified. The only instance where this will be appropriate is if you are able to find out (and remember) everyone\u2019s pronouns before the beginning of class.<\/p>\n

One way I try to work around this is addressing the students by their names; I feel that it is so much more personal. How do you feel when someone acknowledges you by your name? It\u2019s so lovely to be seen. However, it\u2019s been suggested that it is a good idea to get permission to use someone\u2019s name, as some students may not want to draw attention to themselves in the class.<\/p>\n

5. Body references<\/h3>\n

Consider moving away from using body parts or clothing as reference points, as these can prove to be confusing for students and can also be gendered. One example is telling people to place their hands in line with their bra strap. Instead of these landmarks, use other reference points as alignment cues\u2014the mat (long or short side) or places in the room (front of the room or ceiling). We often cue the feet to be hip distance apart, but I like to say, \u201cplace your feet to whatever distance feels comfortable,\u201d or alternatively \u201chave the feet at least two fists\u2019 distance apart\u201d (which can be demonstrated) to help with awareness. I\u2019ve found that using such alternatives eliminates some of the confused expressions that I used to see in class.<\/p>\n

6. Body size<\/h3>\n

Altering the language we use to talk about weight can reduce stigma. While many people are uncomfortable with certain terms, others may choose to use them. This can be seen as an act of rebellion or a way to neutralize a word that has previously been wielded against them\u2014or they may simply feel that it\u2019s the most appropriate word to describe their body. Some examples are overweight, fat, curvy, plus size, straight size, skinny.<\/p>\n

7. Gendered cues<\/h3>\n

I\u2019ve heard teachers say, \u201cMen may find Chaturanga easier as they have greater upper body strength.\u201d Although this may be true for some men, we can\u2019t assume this to be the case for everyone, and there are plenty of women who are able to do Chaturanga (Four-Limbed Staff Pose) with ease. This kind of phrasing is unhelpful and may make students feel uncomfortable. An alternative to make this statement less gendered is \u201cYou may find Chaturanga easier if you tend to have more strength in your upper body.\u201d<\/p>\n

8. Othering<\/h3>\n

Othering is a phenomenon in which some individuals or groups are defined and labeled as not fitting in within the norms of a social group.  This occurs in statements like, \u201cI wish I had a booty like yours!\u201d Or \u201cI am the same color as you are now.\u201d (The latter usually occurs when someone returns from a holiday and wants to highlight their tan.) This is not the best way to try to connect with students. Othering Black and Brown people in wellness spaces takes away the safety of these spaces and serves to maintain the white wellness status quo that has long been prevalent.<\/p>\n

Adapted from <\/em>Teaching Body Positive Yoga: A Guide to Inclusivity, Language and Props<\/a> (Singing Dragon) by Donna Noble. <\/em>Yoga Journal readers can receive a 15% discount when they order the book directly from Singing Dragon.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Donna Noble is a writer, educator, wellbeing coach, and founder of Curvesomeyoga<\/a> based in the U.K. She advocates<\/em> f<\/em>or<\/em> social justice, diversity, and inclusion in yoga and wellbeing spaces.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"8<\/figure>\n

Improve your ability to connect with students by using inclusive language.<\/p>\n

The post 8 Terms to (Re)Consider Using When You’re Teaching Yoga<\/a> appeared first on Yoga Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6418,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[37,35,36],"class_list":["post-6417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ayurveda","tag-blogs","tag-yoga","tag-yogacourseware"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6417","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6417"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6417\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6418"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}