Let’s talk about alignment! This is a huge topic in the world of yoga that relates to many aspects of the practice. Let’s dive in!

What is alignment in yoga?

During my teacher training, our anatomy expert and physical therapist Harvey Deutch made sure to stress the point that “THE (perfect) alignment” doesn’t really exist. We are looking for “AN alignment” because each person and each body is totally different. There is a reason why many yoga teachers advise students to listen to their bodies and to back off when they feel pain. This is because the perfect alignment for one person in any given pose may cause serious injury to someone else and vice versa. No two bodies are exactly the same: we all have very different proportions, ages, physical abilities, trauma histories, and goals for our practice.

If every body is different and there isn’t a “perfect” alignment, then why is alignment important?

It is true that there is no one perfect alignment. There are, however, suboptimal alignments. Alignment is an important piece of injury prevention - do something incorrect repeatedly and eventually, your body will start to show wear and tear in the form of injuries and pain. This is why many yoga teachers offer clues like “engage your core” and “don’t collapse into your joints” because they help to keep you safe and healthy.

How can I ensure that I am finding proper alignment?

• Use props when you need to! Using a prop like a block or strap can be helpful for many people in a variety of poses. There is no shame in using props! Props simply allow for the pose to meet you where you are.
• Listen carefully to the teacher’s cues. I remember when I first started practicing asana, I felt overwhelmed by the amount of information that the teacher was giving throughout class. Everything was new and there were so many cues and so many poses! My mind would simply shut off and I would ignore several of the cues. If you feel that the teacher is giving a cue that is unsafe for your body, then obviously don’t follow that cue. But if the teacher is instructing you to do something specific and you choose to ignore it, then you may run the risk of injuring yourself or at least missing out on some benefits of the pose.
• Pay close attention to how your body feels in any given asana. Deepening your mind-body connection is a major part of yoga asana practice. Pay close attention to any sharp pain and any pinching feeling in your joints. If you feel pain or pinching in the joint, that means you need to back off!
• MODIFY. Sometimes taking the easier option of the pose is the best thing for your body. The goal of yoga is not to push past your limits. Instead, practice acceptance of where you are at with any given asana. It is okay to be tight, weak, and unstable. It is NOT okay to push beyond your limits. You will get more benefit out of taking a modification that is within your limits, than trying to push past your limits with brute force.

What about off the mat?

So far we’ve focused only on alignment in our asanas. This is the most obvious place to start, but is it the most important?

Another important question posed to me during my teacher training was “what are you aligning with?”. Most of us never stop to consider this. What you align with extends off of your mat and into your everyday life. It is so easy to align with fear instead of love, lack instead of abundance, and expectation instead of appreciation.

The key point here is that you can and should make an intentional choice about what you want to align with during this lifetime. This choice will inform the intention that you set at the beginning of each asana practice, and will also set the direction for your life off of the mat.

If you are interested in learning more about alignment or want to practice with me, please consider joining my mailing list by hitting the subscribe button at the top of this page. I offer online and in-person classes as well as private sessions.

About Max:

Max Baker is a certified Yoga Teacher based in Raleigh, NC whose passion is helping people find the tools and the confidence to reconnect with the most authentic version of themselves. He does this through his website, online courses, memberships, and in-person classes.