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Becky Aten had known for many of their life that there have been things about them “that were a bit of different,” they explain. Having just finished yoga teacher training across the time that they received their autism diagnosis, Aten began looking for ways yoga could help them get to know themself higher—only to search out that only a few resources were available. It left Aten feeling misunderstood and lonely.

“That prompted me to create something,” says Aten, referring to the Yoga for Neurodiversity project they launched in 2021. “I didn’t set out with a plan to start out a business or create classes, I just desired to feel less alone—and that’s the center of why we want more neurodiversity-affirming yoga.”

With an estimated 15 to twenty percent of individuals worldwide having some type of neurodivergence, chances are high high that neurodivergent individuals are already attending the yoga classes you already take or teach, whether or not you know it. The term describes anyone whose “brains develop or work in a different way for some reason,” in line with the Cleveland Clinic. That may include individuals with formal medical conditions—akin to autism, ADHD, social anxiety disorder and dyslexia—but some people discover as neurodivergent without having a particular diagnosis.

Aten has also been diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and has been on a mission to make yoga more neurodiversity affirming. For the last couple of years, they’ve been teaching classes, hosting workshops, and speaking out about ways to empower neurodivergent folks through yoga.

“Neurodiversity-affirming yoga is about acknowledging that each single human being is having their very own experience in ways in which should not all the time accommodated,” explains Aten. “Neurodiversity-affirming yoga means we’re not only acknowledging and making space for essentially the most common ways people think, feel, and interact with the world, but creating an inclusive practice that also centers on folks on the margins.”

What’s Neurodiversity-Affirming Yoga?

Ensuring that everybody has access to yoga classes that support the best way their minds work may also help counteract harmful stigmas and feelings of isolation that may include being neurodivergent.

“By the practice meeting more of their way of processing and direct needs, [people with diverse needs] are given the message that they’re fully seen, accepted, and understood with the utmost love and appreciation,” explains Nicole Zimbler, founding father of Yotism, a specialty yoga teacher training school focused on techniques for neurodivergent and autistic people.

That’s something neurodivergent people may not get in other public spaces, notes Aten. Incorporating neurodiversity-affirming strategies into your yoga classes helps turn the practice right into a tool for self-acceptance and foster inclusivity.

“So many neurodivergent folks have passed through life, either consciously or unconsciously, hiding their differences as a self-protective mechanism for survival against abuse and discrimination,” Aten says. “After we get right into a space where differences are being celebrated over conformity, it allows people to unmask, be more authentic, and feel a way of belonging without having to cover their differences.”

4 Ways to Practice and Teach Neurodiversity-Affirming Yoga

Finding ways to make your classes more affirming to neurodivergent students, either as an instructor or fellow student, starts with acknowledging that everybody’s minds—similar to their bodies—work in a novel way.

Although many yoga teacher trainings teach ways to make classes inclusive to different bodies, the identical can’t be said for individuals who think in a different way, says Kelly Smith, a yoga and meditation teacher who has ADHD and dyslexia.

“After we take into consideration yoga that’s neurodiversity affirming, we want to use the identical principles we do for the body to the mind,” Smith says.

Listed here are some things you possibly can do to make yoga more neurodiversity affirming.

1. Don’t Depend on “Right” and “Left”

Because dyslexia could make instructing and identifying left and right tricky, Smith looks for other ways to supply cues, which will be helpful for her students, as well.

“I’ll find something like a window and a wall to point them to,” Smith explains. “Talking through a pose while we’re doing it also gives people each auditory and visual instructions, which might support different learning styles.”

2. Welcome Diverse Responses to Yoga

Neurodiversity also implies that students can have a distinct physical or emotional response to yoga poses, breathwork, and other elements of your class than you may expect.

“When the body and mind don’t necessarily speak the identical language, it might be difficult to discover and name feelings and emotions,” says Aten. Slightly than telling students that a selected asana or exercise will leave you relaxed, take a less specific approach and leave space for any response—including no response in any respect.

“Allow people to feel what they feel and acknowledge that everyone seems to be going to have their very own experience,” Aten suggests. “If you ask people to note what they notice and feel what they feel, it’s helpful to say that it’s also normal to not feel or notice anything.”

Likewise, giving your students the liberty to interrupt form from the physical practice you’re guiding can support neurodiverse needs. Staying completely still for several minutes, for instance, will be difficult for some students, so let the category realize it’s positive to take some movements like rocking or swaying in the event that they must, Aten adds.

If you happen to’re taking a yoga class and see one other student doing something different than what’s instructed, use it as a possibility to practice non-judgement. You possibly can even give them a soft smile in the event you make eye contact for a moment, but attempt to get back to specializing in your personal practice and what you would like that day. Doing all of your own thing gives others within the room space to practice in their very own unique way, too.

3. Tweak the Environment

Even making small tweaks to the environment of your class could make yoga more accessible to neurodivergent people.

“It could actually be overstimulating to have loud sounds, vibrant lights, and smells,” Smith notes. “We don’t need to have this intense sensory experience in all classes—sometimes less is more.”

Remain aware of the quantity in your playlist, in addition to the natural or artificial lighting, and refrain from introducing incense or essential oils into your group classes. Students can do their part by minimizing the usage of fragrances and heavily scented body products before attending class.

4. Ask for Consent Before Touching

Physical touch may cause anxiety in individuals with autism and another neurodivergent people. To handle this and create a more neurodiversity-affirming environment, Smith asks students to supply consent for hands-on adjustments, a practice many teachers and studios have already got in place.

“I allow them to know that if that’s not something they need today, please give me a bit of wave so I can respect your space,” she says.

How Neurodiversity-Affirming Yoga Advantages Everyone Who Practices Yoga

It’s essential to notice that adjustments just like the ones listed above may go higher for some students than others, and if you need to teach yoga to students who’ve specific conditions, akin to autism, it’s essential that you simply take specialized training on working with those communities. For example, Zimbler’s training on the best way to teach yoga for autism offers specific regulation tools and calming techniques that may also help.

Nonetheless, incorporating some relatively easy neurodiversity-affirming techniques into your teaching can go a good distance toward constructing an inclusive yoga community that’s affirming for everybody.

“Our minds are all unique, and finding ways to support that may make your teaching stronger, more well-rounded, and more suitable for all students,” says Smith.

A neurodiversity-affirming yoga class can profit everyone within the room—including neurotypical students. Dimmed lighting and softer music can set a more soothing environment for everybody to practice. Asking for consent for hands-on adjustments is a key a part of maintaining all students’ bodily autonomy. And who doesn’t mix up their left and right every so often during a flow?

Exactly which techniques you select to include ultimately is determined by your unique style and the needs of your students. The bottom line is to search out ways to be sure all of your students feel welcome to practice exactly as they’re.

“Showing up with the intention of holding space for everybody’s differences is more essential than the precise practices you teach and cues you utilize,” says Aten. “Attending to know your students and understanding the ways by which we’re different that relate to the nervous system make it easier to acknowledge opportunities to rejoice our differences and help people feel supported.”

About Our Contributor
Joni Sweet is a seasoned author, editor, and content strategist. During the last 12 years, she’s built expertise covering the intersection of travel, wellness, and adventure. Her travel writing has also been published by TIME, Forbes, Real Easy, Frommer’s, The Christian Science Monitor, Travel Weekly, and TripSavvy—simply to name a couple of.