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Trauma.

It’s a heavy word.

And it’s one which we’re seeing increasingly more often, especially within the yoga industry. In its simplest terms, trauma is defined as “a distressing or disturbing experience.” As we learn more about trauma, we’re becoming more aware that each human experiences some type of trauma of their lifetime.

Certain situations can inadvertently trigger longheld emotions from the body and mind, an idea that has been increasingly explored lately, including within the groundbreaking book The Body Keeps the Rating by psychiatrist and trauma researcher Bessel van der Kolk.

Which means at any time when yoga teachers are taking others through their practice, even when we usually are not desiring to lead a “trauma-informed yoga” class, we’re working with individuals who’ve likely experienced an array of distressing life events.

Those triggers can include certain cues and even the tone of voice experienced in yoga class. A method that yoga teachers will help keep the yoga space relatively trauma-free is thru the usage of “invitational language.” That is when teachers omit commands and replace them with suggestions on how students can explore the yoga practice.

Teachers are sometimes unaware that they speak to students in commands, which take the shape of common cues resembling, “Raise the proper hand,” “lift the foot,” “I need you to,” and any form of “do that” or “don’t do this.” Without the teacher intending any form of dominance, most of these cues can create the sense of the teacher being on top of things and knowing what’s best for the coed.

This may result in students injuring themselves or, in some cases, having an intense and unexpected emotional response that could be confusing and distracting.

Invitational language asks your student to hearken to their very own body and forge a more self-aware relationship with themselves. Invitational language creates an experience that shows students the practice is theirs and never ours.

Ultimately, the role of the yoga teacher is to assist guide the coed to self-realization about their practice and their body. “As a student, I find invitational language more comforting for my very own protected expression of asana,” says Robin Golden Trotter, a yoga teacher and licensed massage therapist. “As a teacher, I see invitational language gives students greater freedom.”

Not every cue needs to incorporate this kind of language. But as teachers, we have now a responsibility to challenge ourselves to remind students that they’re ultimately in charge of their practice. That is the final word goal of yoga. As teachers, our role is to indicate up for his or her experience, not ours.

(Photo: Marco VDM | Getty)

22 Ways to Integrate Invitational Language Into Your Teaching

I find that teachers are sometimes overwhelmed by the thought of fixing their well-honed cueing. They’re also afraid of sounding like a broken record and turning their students off by repeating, “I invite you to…” every other pose.

But there are many sorts of invitational verbiage that may keep your class dynamic and be sensitive to students who’ve experienced trauma. The more phrases you explore, the more you’ll understand what feels authentic to your teaching. Listed below are some suggestions for using “invitational” language in your classes:

“I invite you to…”

“Whenever you’re ready..”

“One option is..”

“We could..”

“Let’s try…”

“How about …”

“When you’d like…”

“If it feels good today..”

“Perhaps…”

“Perhaps …”

“Explore…”

“Try…”

“What in the event you…”

“If it’s comfortable…”

“Invite your foot forward…”

“If it suits your intention today…”

“Consider…”

“It’s possible you’ll wish to…”

“In case your body is asking for it…”

“If it feels authentic to you…”

“In case your body says yes…”

“How does it feel to…”

With practice, this sort of language can change into a natural a part of your communication as a teacher and create a more inclusive experience in your students.

About Our Contributor
Denver Clark, ERYT-500, C-IAYT, LMT, is this system director for the Yoga Therapy school at Heartwood Yoga Institute in Bradenton, Florida. She’s been teaching and training teachers for over 15 years. She is an anatomy and physiology teacher and licensed massage therapist and focuses on yoga therapy for anxiety, depression and body image, all of which she has personal experience with. Denver lives in Florida together with her Husband and two amazing daughters and he or she strives to include mindful awareness into her family life in addition to self-acceptance when she isn’t perfect, which she has found to be essentially the most difficult yoga practice yet.