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| Anyone have any recommendations for books on partner yoga? I've seen a few books listed on a preliminary search on Amazon, but I was hoping someone had any experience with specific books they could recommend. Basically I want some pictures (other than what I can find on a web search) from which to draw some ideas, and primarily for a beginner to mixed level practitioner. Thanks! |
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| What does Partner Yoga stand for or mean? I mean the idea and principles behind it? |
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| These are my own personal interpretations and definitions, as opposed to anything standard or put forth by any other teachers: On the surface level, partner yoga is a fun way for those perhaps not familiar or comfortable with yoga to open up via touch. It's a staple in "family yoga", classes which are suitable for all ages and abilities, and the element of cooperation is highly emphasized. On a deeper level, it can be a means of teaching compassion, for others and oneself, at the same time. As you support another with your body, your breath and your intention, you allow yourself to be supported by your partner's body, breath and intention as well. For many people, allowing oneself to be thusly supported can be quite challenging. But when you're both supporting and being supported simultaneously, there tends to be less resistance to the concept of surrender and allowing, which for me, are essential in learning compassion. And on a deeper level still, it's the type of asana practice that came to mind for me as the result of my practicing tonglen meditation lately as described by Pema Chödrön. Thank you, Neel, for such an interesting and insightful question to my mundane request!  |
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| you know, i haven't really liked any of the books that i've scene about partner yoga. it's more fun to just experiment and see what works. i've had lots of flops, myself. LOL |
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| Esther, I've done some partner yoga classes before with mixed results. After several occasions, I've called some asanas down from various books and experimentation (as ZB mentioned) and can send you the handouts I used. They're too large to post here. If you'll email me at yogibruce@sbcglobal.net I'll send them off this evening. |
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| Thanks Bruce. Think I'll take you up on the offer, because the more ideas I have the better. Though I'm curious, how were the results mixed? People didn't quite like touching each other? That's what I'm expecting, which is why I'm trying to be very careful with the poses I choose. |
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| well, people do not like touching strangers, for the most part, and it's difficult if you have a mixed-sex class to get everyone partnered up properly.
it's ok for people to not want to touch strangers, particularly potentially sweaty ones, and so i tend to avoid partner work EXCEPT when all of the students know each other well and work well together (my wednesday night class is perfect for partner work). |
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| A number of classes I have attended have encouraged partner-asanas at some point during the practice. Usually it is just a couple of postures and although I have participated, it is not something I am always comfortable with. I would be fine with attending a partner class given that I would bring my partner. From what I have seen, I am not alone in my preference to not share my mat and/or my sweat with someone I don't know. Unless your students are aware that this is included in your practice, please give options to those who don't chose to participate. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
 
Location: Oregon | OM, have you ever heard of AcroYoga? It's umm... a bit fruity at times. And just as much acrobatics as yoga, the farther you go into it. But, I practiced the beginning poses for a time with a gal, and enjoyed it, and liked their book. They had good examples with photos. It's spendy, $50 with a DVD. But it might be interesting.
I actually think some partner poses could be very good in the context of relationship. They don't have to be complex or hard. They could be good ways to slow down and reconnect, like matching breath in a back to back seated pose that could lead into a very nice spine twist. |
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| AKBrooker1 - 2007-12-26 1:36 PM A number of classes I have attended have encouraged partner-asanas at some point during the practice. Usually it is just a couple of postures and although I have participated, it is not something I am always comfortable with. I would be fine with attending a partner class given that I would bring my partner. From what I have seen, I am not alone in my preference to not share my mat and/or my sweat with someone I don't know. Unless your students are aware that this is included in your practice, please give options to those who don't chose to participate. Absolutely! The only partner poses I've dared to teach so far at the gym is where hands are touching, or maybe hands on shoulders at most. I'm still not sure if I'm going to go any further in that gym, even though I'd like to talk about the concept of partner yoga. We'll see... I'm also in the process of preparing a one-time community presentation that's being billed as partner yoga, primarily targeted at mothers and daughters, a beginners to all-levels class. Poses like seated back-to-back breathing with twists should be fine and acceptable for this group, though I doubt anyone there would be able to do stacked-dog. Which is why I'm now doing research! Thanks all for your feedback so far, keep it coming, this is great! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
Location: Oregon | It's probably not what you're looking for, but this is a neat page with lots of photos: http://www.acroyoga.org/gallery.cfm |
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| Very interesting indeed!!! |
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| to be honest, all of the feedback that i've gotten about partner yoga in large, gym settings with mostly strangers is that people are uncomfortable. i don't necessarily do anything fancy--sometimes it's a simple assist into hand stand with the wall, for instance which doesn't really require touching--and people are still uncomfortable.
now, partner yoga workshops go over very, very well. |
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| Once I was invited to give a free class on an Opening day of a Yoga School in Washington D.C. Before my class there was another free class on Partner Yoga. The lady teacher who was to teach that class was extremely beautiful, no doubt. Now, I was not participating in her class. But, I was told that as a part her class another lady Yoga Teacher shall act as a partner for the teacher. I was looking after the visitors during her class. Suddenly she called me and said, 'Neel you have to be my partner as the other lady teacher could not make it'. I said, 'that is impossible'.
Later, I learnt that the lady teacher was lesbian and the other lady teacher was her boy friend or whatever that is called.
I did not watch the class.
I have taught children's classes where I make two or even more children do something together. But, I shall call that as play and not partner yoga. I think there is something missing while doing the partneryoga.
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| DJ Dre - 2007-12-26 1:56 PM OM, have you ever heard of AcroYoga? It's umm... a bit fruity at times. And just as much acrobatics as yoga, the farther you go into it. But, I practiced the beginning poses for a time with a gal, and enjoyed it, and liked their book. They had good examples with photos. It's spendy, $50 with a DVD. But it might be interesting. I actually think some partner poses could be very good in the context of relationship. They don't have to be complex or hard. They could be good ways to slow down and reconnect, like matching breath in a back to back seated pose that could lead into a very nice spine twist. You must've been posting at the same time I was, and that's so funny, considering we both referenced the same pose! I had first seen that back-to-back spine twist in a prenatal class, and had already thought it would make a very nice and gentle entree to the class. But thanks for the suggestion nonetheless! Actually, I did happen upon AcroYoga earlier today when I was doing a search on "partner vinyasa", of all things. The best I found there (in my search, not at AcroYoga) was a partner-assisted sun salutation, which is really not what I'm looking for. And since I'm generally looking for more gentler poses, acrobatics isn't it either. I do have a number of poses already lined up, and will be continuing to experiment with another teacher friend of mine, since we're doing the class presentation together. It isn't until February, so I have some time. |
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| Following up on the topic of partner poses, I taught a most non-invasive partner class today, and the feedback was good, so maybe I'll do more touchy-feely stuff in the weeks to come. First I taught the sequence as (literally) stand-alone poses, then everyone pressed their palms together like a chorus line, elbows slightly bent, yet still each using their neighbor for, as well as providing, support: Tadasanalift leg, thigh parallel to floor, knee at right angleVrksasanaGarudasana (legs only)Virabhadrasana IIIreturn to lifted knee, arms elevated (Eka Pada Urdhva Hastasana?)Tadasana in Anjali MudraWe did each side first standing alone, as I said, then all lined up in a row, repeating the sequence right and left. Each pose was held for at least 3-4 breaths. We had about 7 or 8 in the class, and I participated in the "line dance" as well. There were smiles afterward all around. |
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| I have been incorporating partner poses in my regular classes for five years now. I find them very useful icebreakers, particularly after doing a frustrating balance pose. I also teach a weekly partner yoga class.
I also consider it important to help students connect with each other in a classroom. I taught in Seattle for years, which can be a very isolating place: incredibly tech-centric and car-centric, lots of drive-throughs and other conveniences that remove people from human interaction. I found partner poses a great way to help remind ourselves of our basic humanity that we all share (that's the speech I always gave). People can go their whole week without human touch, and since many studies, particularly in massage therapy, have documented the importance of human touch, I feel it's a gift that we can help our students give to each other.
Back-to-back, hand-to-hand and foot-to-foot contact are the easiest for a group setting of regulars. Also, when teaching a regular class, I always give people the option of practicing a version of the pose solo if they are not interested in doing partner work. I demonstrate with a student I know well first, then give students the option of partner or solo. In general, 95% of my students opt for partner.
I make a distinction between what I call partner yoga, or what my students call "buddy poses" and couples yoga. I have seen some books and workshops that are more geared for couples and do things like "head nestled in the boobies pose" (they called it something else, but that was essentially what I saw in the photo).
Of course, I have to plus my partner yoga book, Yoga with a Friend, which my husband and I have just released:
http://8thelementyoga.com/books/partner_yoga.php
Keep at it. |
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partner yoga books
