On Language and Yoga
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Yoga class in another language is a bit of a kick. If you don’t know the words for ankle (tobillo) or shoulder blades (omóplatos) or neck (cuello), for example, things can get a little tricky. Needless to say, one of the reasons for my attachment to Sara at City Yoga in Madrid is that I can understand her. Literally. Understand the Spanish coming out of her mouth.
It wasn’t always this way. Often enough I’d attempt a handstand while the rest of the class practiced forearm stands – because well, I thought I understood the instructions. (This is usually when Sara utters a quick kind word in English and then goes back to pretending she doesn’t know English.)
Thankfully, though, most yoga instructors refer to poses in yet another language: Sanskrit. So, what usually helps is Paschimottanasana, Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, Ardha Chandra Chapasana, Bakasana. Needless to say, enlightenment was high the day I connected the Spanish term “perro boca abajo” to Adho Mukha Svanasana and its direct English translation: downward facing dog.
Right before moving to Spain, I took a yoga class in French – as a way to prepare for my future state of disorientation. But the experience was more fun than prophetic. Turns out, we rely on cues other than those tied to language all the time and because I knew this particular French speaking instructor, following her idiosyncrasies was not much of a problem.
Two years of practicing yoga with Sara and the result is similar. When familiar with a person, it is easy to follow their nonverbal prompts, particularly in a situation like yoga which removes excess layers of meaning and emphasizes mindfulness. Of course, I don’t realize my reliance on Sara’s nonverbal cues… until a substitute teacher arrives.
Subs don’t find out right away that Spanish is not my best language – thanks to the Sanskrit and to the well practiced art of looking like I understand what someone is saying in Spanish.
What usually happens next is the substitute instructor scans the room for someone to help demonstrate a pose… and lands on lucky me. No need to guess: I go into a handstand against the wall when the instructor wants to demonstrate a forearm stand.
Language, apparently, is only partly made up of words.
