Guest guest Posted May 17, 2003 Report Share Posted May 17, 2003 Having attended a workshop with David last summer, I remember some of what he said about adjusting... first, please don't take this verbatim or as "the whole story," as I'm going on what I remember right now, and I'd have to refer to my notes to make it more accurate... of course, the full story is told by David himself. I think David's attitude toward adjusting was significantly affected by several experiences in which he witnessed people being adjusted and being hurt by those adjustments/the teachers who did them. I think, also, that those experiences disheartened him so much that they influenced his decision to just step back from teaching/reaching out for 12 or so years... ie., he has only started teaching and giving workshops in the past few years after retreating to his own practice and giving massages on the side for those 12 years. Btw, part of what makes him a such a helpful, inspiring and authentic teacher, imho, is that he has lived it... and does live it... eg., his practice has been regular for about 30 years.... When I went to his workshop in Allentown last spring, he did "help" me in a handstand at one point, but it just a finger touch, that's all... not an "adjustment." David has a way of teaching - that emphasizes mulabandha and breath - that is safe and as I said above, inspiring... and yes, in a way, his words and presence "adjust" his students, if that makes sense. This all said, sometimes I like to have assistance in my asanas, and yet, to me, a gentle assist (a touch her, and subtle lift there) is all that's often needed... also, having a teacher who regularly sees you and knows your body well makes a huge difference. Fortunately, where I take classes, they didn't adjust me/touch me much when first started taking classes there; once the teachers had seen me move, etc., however, they knew how to help me in a safe way... Nevertheless, I'm planning to study more with David soon, and I look forward to it. I respect him very much. Finally, here's a link to a letter David wrote to students attending one of his upcoming summer workshops; the link may have been posted before, but it's worth posting again, imho: http://www.lvyoga.com/davidwilliam_letter2.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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