02/27/2024
“Take a break in child’s pose.”
“Rest in down dog.”
“Savasana is a time for rest.”
While these proclamations can be true for some students, they aren’t blanket statements that apply to everyone.
Child’s pose can be a challenge to access for students in larger bodies or anyone with thick thighs or a round belly, like pregnant people. It can exacerbate discomfort any students already have in the ankles, knees, and hips. When we cue our students into child’s pose, we can also offer hero’s pose or taking a minute to move in table top instead. Or we can support this pose with a blanket between the sit bones and heels, and/or a bolster under the shoulders/arms or under the torso for a more restorative option.
Down dog can be challenging for any student who already has wrist or shoulder pain, or a student who is still building core and upper body strength. It’s also technically an inversion, as it postures the heart above the head, so it may be better to avoid for those in late-term pregnancy, those with high blood pressure, those with ear infections, or eye issues like glaucoma. When we offer down dog to a class, we can also offer for students to take a minute in table top or child’s pose. We can support down dog by placing hands on a wall or rolling a mat or using a wedge block under the hands to support the wrists.
You might think that Savasana would be restful for most people, but for trauma survivors, being told to lie on the back in a specific way might replicate a traumatic moment in the student’s life. And for students who are neurodivergent, sometimes forcing so much stillness can actually make it more difficult for them to focus. When we offer Savasana, it can be helpful to remind students that they have the choice to lie down on their back, belly, or side. If it would feel safer, they can opt for a seated meditation, maybe with their back supported by a wall.
All of these are small shifts that teachers can make to help their students feel more comfortable and empowered.
