Yoga 101: Proper Alignment

About This Class

In this brief lecture, Bryan Kest dismantles the notion of "proper alignment" in yoga, making the case that alignment is inherently subjective — illustrated by the fact that different yoga schools teach the same poses in meaningfully different ways. He frames alignment cues as opinions rather than facts, and encourages practitioners to remain open to new perspectives while trusting their own discernment. Kest draws a pointed parallel between the word "alignment" and "dogma," suggesting that the true spirit of yoga lies in the personal discovery of what each individual body needs in any given moment. He closes by addressing safety, arguing that when poses are performed gently — as he believes they always should be — safety concerns largely dissolve. This is a conceptual, philosophy-oriented session with no physical practice component.