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Yoga Beyond Poses – Mary Richards
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Yoga Beyond Poses – Mary Richards

An embodied approach to philosophy, backed by science

What might yoga look like if we weren’t making shapes? As Mary Richards writes in Teach People, Not Poses, the purpose of practice is self-inquiry, so one way to start is by getting more familiar with physical form, instead of contorting to follow instructions.

Mary Richards teaching Embodied Anatomy.

Mary’s approach is down-to-earth, yet shaped by decades of study. A self-described “anatomy nerd”, she’s also guided by philosophy, having first encountered yoga via the Bhagavad Gītā as a teenager. Among other topics, our conversation explores:

  • The extent to which everyone’s body is different

  • How a fixation on postural alignment causes injury

  • Why many modern classes teach unhelpful methods

  • Which specific āsanas might be worth abandoning

  • Whether one-to-one teaching makes most sense

  • How physical practice unwinds mental issues

  • What it means to be the “Sith Lord of Yoga”

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