Why your yoga is unique

THERE IS NO PERFECT POSE

As yoga educator Bernie Clark wonderfully puts it, there is no average.

When someone asks me what a pose is ‘supposed to look like’, I always respond with it depends. Which can be frustrating to hear! I had to come to terms with it myself the more I learnt about the body.

While it can depend on where you are at in your practice and tension from various muscles, tendons and/or fascia; a huge factor will be the physical structure of the bones in your body.

You may have already noticed this! When you’re seated on the floor and you fold over your legs while they are extended, your range might naturally be more easeful than if you were to fold forward with your knees bent out to the side and soles of your feet together (or vice versa).

This is most likely due to the structure of your pelvis and how your femur (thigh bone) connects in the socket. Below highlights the differences in human variation, when you compare the two pelvises you will see different shapes, lengths, sizes and angles of the bones. You can also see how we are not symmetrical, that’s why you always hear me say a pose might feel different on each side!

Images via Paul Grilley

While this isn’t to say you won’t ever achieve a certain pose or to hinder you from your practice, it just means some poses will feel more accessible than others and having a better understanding of our limits can reduce strain or injury.

Use the cues you hear in class as a guideline, but always pay attention to the sensations in your body and remember your yoga is unique!