“That pace was too fast for me,” the student shared as she was gathering her personal items to leave the studio. We had just wrapped up a trial class with a potential new teacher and a handful of regular students took part. We encouraged all of them to give us feedback and I appreciated that she was reaching out.

“Hm, yeah?” I began…

“But then I remembered I don’t have to move at that pace,” she added with a smile on her face.

“Yes! Exactly!” My face was beaming and I tried not to let too much of my elation ooze out, but internally fireworks were bursting and chimes of hallelujah were sounding as I took note of this student reveling in her “ah-ha” moment.

I often talk about the notion of having agency in your own practice, but it's sometimes met with uncertain nods. So, to witness this "ah-ha" moment was really exciting because, as instructors, we want students to tap into and follow that inner knowing and wisdom of the body. The sequence we provide from the front of the room is there as a suggestion, but ultimately, it is in the hands of the student to decide what will best support their body and mind. This is why we always encourage students to take what they need from what we offer; to really tune in to how they are showing up to practice and adjust as needed. We aren’t kidding when we say you can lay on the floor the entire class; if that’s what will be most supportive to you, then go for it. We get to know our students and become familiar with them, but at the end of the day, we aren’t in their body. We don’t always know what will work or not; so as much as the students need to trust us, we also need to trust them to decide for themselves.

Going rogue may feel weird at first; maybe you don’t want to stand out, or maybe the mind is pressuring you to keep pace with everyone else, but that goes away when you realize how good it feels to listen, really listen to your body.

And I promise you that we won’t be offended if you don’t do what we say; in fact, we celebrate when we see students deviating from the presented plan (as long as it’s not disruptive to others, of course) because honoring the needs of your body and mind is pretty cool. As we come to realize and practice this within the four corners of our mat, it becomes easier to apply beyond the mat. Even though we gather as a group, our time together is your time, your time to decide, your time to do as you need. So next time you’re in class, please, go rogue, rebel, try something different than what we offer, whether that’s slowing down, doing a different pose, or cozying up and taking a nap. This practice is yours and you have the agency, the power to decide how it looks for you.