Private yoga sessions are, or should be, quite different from what you experience during a group class. After all, individual yoga is all about you! It is recommended that new yoga practitioners schedule a private session once a month or so. More experienced yogis, too, can benefit from 3-4 private session a year, or more if they wish to achieve a specialized practice. Let us see why, shall we?
A Private Session is About YOU
Prior to your session, we’ll have a conversation about your specific needs, desires, and goals. Then I’ll design a practice specifically for you, so that we tend to sore places, build strength where desired, and take your specific body shape and style into account.
A Private Yoga Session is PERSONALIZED Instruction
In a group class, it is difficult for an instructor to offer EVERY modification to a pose, EVERY potential alternate pose, to teach to EVERY body, and to offer just the right cues to help you find alignment. During your private session, this is exactly what happens, except that I am able to offer just what you need, and not confuse the issue by offering what you don’t.
In a group class, one person may have room to extend their top arm further, while another has over-extended and needs to balance their alignment. In that group, I can offer, “send your right arm straight up towards the sky, being cautious not to over-rotate.” In a private session, I might use a physical (soft touch) adjustment to guide your arm, or offer “Feel how your arm is right now? You have slightly over-rotated and have space to bring your arm into alignment by moving it directly over your shoulder.”
A Private Session is FLEXIBLE
If you have trouble getting to the class you want due to scheduling, a private session can give you exactly what you need, just when you need it. A private yoga class can also incorporate aerial silks, traction/rope wall yoga, strengthening weighted poses, or other modifications that aren’t generally available in group format.
A Private Session is PRIVATE
Yes, that’s redundant. But for many, the simplicity of being the only person in class can open doors for questions, allow for a deeper mental and emotional practice, and provide added feelings of comfort and safety. While it is always acceptable to be a human in a group class, some people are able to feel more free to cry, breathe hard, sweat, relax, pass gas, leave class for a bathroom break, and even drink water when there’s no one else to see them.
A Private Session Can Take You Deeper
Even experienced yogis can benefit from someone who knows just where to push, where to stop, and how to explain new opportunities well. Even someone who is able to handstand at a moment’s notice might well have areas where they could seek better alignment, a safer posture, or deeper stretch. Most students will learn small modifications to add to their practice as poses become easy, allowing them to get more out of regular group classes or at-home yoga.
Mind Over, With, and Among the Matter
A private yoga class also offers the instructor to consider your mental state, any emotional issues you are experiencing, and your mental wellness goals. I am better able to use specific breathwork, meditation styles, or Emotional Freedom Yoga techniques that will enhance your journey. While a group class might touch your soul every once in a while, private sessions are designed to help you feel better on purpose!
So, there are my reasons that every person with a yoga practice should have at least an occasional private practice. Have you found other benefits to your private sessions? What would you like to focus on most if you had a private yoga class all to yourself?
