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’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”
Mary’s book is published by Shambhala, and she’s offering a webinar via Yogacampus (on January 25) that will share some techniques for getting grounded in practice...
I like how Mary call herself a facilitator. I’m doing more facilitation too – in the form of a men’s group that starts on Sunday, and a philosophy immersion in February.
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Yoga Beyond Poses – Mary Richards