Partner Yoga
Connecting On The Yoga Mat
The proclamation of all yoga practice is that how you are on the mat, so you are in life. Students are asked to observe if they quit too easily, if they push themselves too hard, or if they remain open to new ideas. This extends seamlessly to Partner Yoga. How you are in practicing yoga with a partner, so you are in relationships.
Yoga Equals Union
Partner Yoga on a commercial scale in the Western Hemisphere has grown considerably in the last 10 years. Ken Nateshvar Scott (Tesh) is credited with the creation of Contact Yoga in the 1980s, and was subsequently named one of the top ten yoga instructors in the United States by Self magazine. His vision for Contact Yoga comes from the literal translation of the word yoga, which means union in Sanskrit. If yoga is union, then the perfect expression of uniting through yoga is in practicing with a partner.
Acro Yoga
Extending from Tesh’s model for Contact Yoga, former gymnasts began combining their acrobatic training with yoga to develop Acro Yoga. It is an athletic practice that can involve impressive displays of balance, strength and flexibility. Partner Yoga can be as simple as sitting on the mat with another person, and the relationship similarities will begin there. Sitting back to back with a partner, the student’s attention will be drawn to evaluations such as whether or not they lean disproportionately onto their partner, if they carry their own weight, if they provide adequate support, or if they are imagining a way out of the pose.
Balancing practices commonly known as “flying”, where one person lifts the other into any number of positions where only the one touches the ground, provide tremendous examinations of any trust issues that might be present. Many of these poses only work if the “flyer” relinquishes complete control to the “base”. Both partners can gain awareness of their willingness to trust, and the ability to literally and metaphorically carry someone else’s weight. Therefore it is important to switch roles and take turns in each position. There are enough pose variations to negate any height or weight differences that might otherwise provide an excuse not to experiment.
Meta
Closing a practice with meta (literally, “loving kindness”), which is similar to Thai Massage, allows for a further experiment with giving and receiving. Awareness of how open one is to give to another person unselfishly is a practice in itself – especially it there is a difference with how much one gives to various partners with varying levels of relationships or familiarity. As the one receiving the massage, the practice comes in asking for what you want, and allowing the other person to give without rushing to help them.
Partner Yoga allows a practitioner to explore a less physical aspect of yoga, and deepen their understanding of their tendencies within a relationship.
Connecting at the Start of Class
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