Physical Adjustments?

About This Class

In this brief Q&A segment, Bryan Kest responds to a student's question about his deliberate choice not to give physical adjustments. He argues that physical adjustments have no intrinsic relationship to yoga — any benefit they provide is more akin to massage. More pointedly, he frames adjustments as acts of assumption and arrogance: the instructor cannot know what is happening inside another person's body, and pushing someone deeper into a pose when pain is already present is, in his view, nonsensical. Bryan contextualizes this within a broader cultural conditioning — coaches, teachers, and parents have always pushed us to be more, do more, go further — which makes adjustment feel normal even when it isn't. He concludes with a philosophical anchor: yoga does not seek to change you because it does not view you as broken. Yoga's role is to care for you gently, honor your process, and support self-acceptance. This lecture is ideal for students curious about yoga philosophy, body autonomy, and the psychological dimensions of practice.