If you’re a teacher, and you’ve taken a photo of students in Savasana, this article is an appeal for you to stop! Teachers careful create sequences, playlists, mudra and mantra to guide students to a place of deep relaxation. -Note, I said students not their students because the ownership ting has to stop too. There will be another blog about that I’m sure...
Students have been guided into savasana, finally people are relaxed and because the teacher wants to show class numbers (in the hope of increasing them for the next class) they take a photo. When it’s written down like this you can see how awful this is right?
As teachers we know that a well taught class is an act of service, but the offering is changed at the last minute, by making it about the teacher, and that is what a photo is about. No student is curious to see what they look like when they’re relaxed. Taking a photo of a class involves you going to your phone, if you haven’t turned in on flight mode you’ll see notifications before you take the picture and in posting it, you’re thinking about other people, not the ones who trusted you enough to relax in your class.
Things happen in savasana, people are really vulnerable, there can be tears or, just for the first time in ages, a student experiences a break from their constant thoughts. A moment of peace. A photo can’t capture that, and nor should it. When I’ve had therapy or seen a GP, not once has the practitioner caught a moment of the session on camera, and Tweeted at the end of the day about their wonderful, inspiring and brave client. Look forward to seeing you soon! Incredibly inappropriate!! Savasana and practicing Yoga in general is not so different. We need to be aware that students attend because they want a break from constant observation and interaction with social media and be sensitive to the fact they might be there to heal some physical and emotional wounds.
When you see images of me teaching on my Instagram, it’s posed. I’ve asked friends and students to join me for a shoot, because sometimes of course I need to be able to show what Yoga can look like. They’ve given their consent, happy for photos to be made public and I don’t tag them in the images. They retain a level of privacy. I know the students who have appeared on my website and social media really like the images, they’ve chosen to show friends and family. If we take a moment to reflect on the tagging of students… Is there some ownership disguised as connection…? It’s a question to be considered.
If you believe in a practice that unifies body and mind, keep yours unified, your phone outside of the studio and your attention on the people in the room. And as a final thought, perhaps we could stop ‘liking’ those photos that are taken without a students consent.
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Thank you, Rosie Pose x