| As teachers, we should encourage our students to | | | | internal reference. Our work is to help our |
| understand themselves based on their internal | | | | students-particularly beginners-become aware of who |
| reference points rather than those of the external | | | | they are as distinct from what they have been told |
| world. This practice will inflect our teaching in both | | | | they are. One way to do this is by defying common |
| practical and subtle ways. | | | | practice and not telling our students what they are. |
| To guide others is an art of infinite subtlety, although it | | | | Instead of placing them in categories and destroying |
| is rarely appreciated as such. As our understanding | | | | their uniqueness with labels, we can tell our students |
| and command of the art of teaching develops, so will | | | | what they can do to change, grow, and find |
| the well-being of our students. Deepening that | | | | themselves. |
| understanding means recognizing that all of our | | | | Here is an example of this philosophy in action: |
| instruction and guidance must rest on a particular | | | | commonly, teachers tell students, "You are very stiff, |
| foundation: to help our students become "internally | | | | so don't do this pose or you could hurt yourself." |
| referential." | | | | Instead say to the student, "I would rather you do this |
| We understand who we are based on our | | | | variation of the pose for now." In this case, the student |
| perceptions of the world around us. We learn to | | | | does not have a label pinned on him by the teacher |
| compare ourselves with others and value ourselves in | | | | and is not bound by the teacher's perception of who |
| accordance with how we stack up with them. Through | | | | he is. The role of the teacher is to know the difference |
| this process, we become "externally referential"-we | | | | between someone who is stiff and someone who is |
| make sense of ourselves by referring to outer | | | | supple and how to help both students become more |
| standards. By the time we become adults, our | | | | balanced. We must find ways to do this without |
| self-conceptions are largely borrowed from what we | | | | creating or reinforcing a negative, diminishing belief. |
| have been told by our parents, family members, | | | | As another example, I regularly see students who |
| friends, teachers, and the commercial media. We do | | | | cannot do certain poses because of illness or stiffness. |
| things to look good or be popular, not necessarily | | | | I say, "I want you to prepare to do the pose that the |
| because they are our soul's desire or our life's true | | | | others are doing by using the wall, or by using a belt. |
| purpose. Compounding the problem, advertisers | | | | And after you practice it for a short time, your body |
| incessantly bombard us with messages saying, at root, | | | | will blossom and you will not need the prop anymore." I |
| "You are falling short when compared to others. You | | | | give them a method by which they can remove the |
| had better buy your way out of this embarrassing | | | | stiffness without reinforcing the fact that they are stiff |
| situation." | | | | and unable. Most students already feel unable, so |
| Defining ourselves in terms of external references is a | | | | confirming it aloud only makes it more of an obstacle. |
| dead end because it means ignoring the desires of the | | | | In some cases, they will be condemned to fight the |
| soul. As yoga teachers, we must work to help our | | | | stiffness in both their bodies and minds for the rest of |
| students understand this. In fact, one of our main jobs | | | | their lives. |
| is to shift the paradigm of external reference to one of | | | | |