3 Weird things yoga teachers say and what they actually mean

Yes, your yoga teacher (me included) may be likely to say weird things but before you panic and start to worry that some of those things should be interpreted literally (open your heart space for example) I am here to explain!

So what are some of the weird things yoga teachers say and what do we actually mean?

Firstly I want to be clear that this article is not about the sometimes inappropriate things yoga teachers say, and unfortunately this does happen, even if it is not intended. If you are experiencing any situation where you feel uncomfortable with some of the things your yoga teacher is saying, please be sure to let them know, most yoga teachers I know are very open to your constructive feedback and would prefer to know if something they were saying or doing was making you feel uncomfortable. If you do come across a yoga teacher who is not open to your feedback, perhaps have a look around for a yoga teacher who helps you feel safe and comfortable to share your feedback and is a better fit for you.

This article is also not titled ‘Weird things Kerry says whilst teaching yoga’ that my friend is another article and yes, I do say weird things! Teaching yoga can be tricky with loads of things to remember, so please just know if I ever ask you to bring your right wrist to your right elbow (true story, I really did say that once) that I didn’t actually mean that you should try to do that - trust me, it’s not possible, you should absolutely never try to do that, and what it really means if I do say something like that is that I just said something ridiculous! 🤷‍♀️

This article aims to shed a little light on just a few of the weird and wonderful things your yoga teacher might say during a yoga class. It is not comprehensive, I don’t think it would be possible to capture it all in one little ol’ article, but perhaps these 3 weird things your yoga teacher might say in a yoga class and what they actually mean, might help just a little.

One: Melt into the shape

Which type of yoga class:

Any class at anytime you come into a longer hold. Common in restorative and yin yoga classes.

The confusion:

When your yoga teachers say ‘melt into the shape’ it may raise questions and strike fear that you are about to do a sweaty and hot yoga sequence when you signed up for yin yoga for beginners 😬 yes we know you are not made of snow and that you can not literally melt and no we didn’t forget what class we are teaching 😉

What does it actually mean:

Encourages you to release muscle tension and gradually sink deeper into the stretch or position.

It’s a visual or mental analogy that invites you to consciously relax the muscles, allowing your body to embrace the posture with a sense of ease rather than force.

Using visual cues or analogies can be helpful in learning to ‘feel’ a pose in the body and worry less about what the pose looks like!

This phrase is an invitation to ‘visualise’ yourself melting, softening, and letting go of any tension or tightness, so you can fully experience the benefits of the pose with as little effort as possible.

Two: Activate your Mula Bahnda

Which type of yoga class:

Commonly in seated meditation poses and during breath work practices.

The confusion:

🤔😕🤷‍♀️ Activate my what!? When your yoga teacher invites you to activate your Mula Bahnda or any Bahnda for that matter this might leave you feeling a bit perplexed - I mean you might have been top of the class in human biology but you don’t ever remember learning anything about your Mula Bahnda, you don’t know where to locate it and certainly don’t know how to activate it…is it like how you activate almonds maybe?

What does it actually mean:

Mula Bahnda is an important part of a yoga practice but is rarely taught in any detail in a regular yoga class. Mula Bahnda translates to root lock and refers to the physical area around the base chakra (low back, pelvic floor, pubic bone). To activate your Mula Bahnda you switch on (lock) the muscles in the area, drawing them up slightly which is important as it helps create stability, grounding and directs the flow of energy throughout your yoga practice.

Three: find your breath

Which type of yoga class:

This one you are likely to hear at almost every single yoga class you attend 😉

The confusion:

How can you ‘find’ something you haven’t lost? Your breath has been there all along, you didn’t even know it could hide or disappear did you?

What does it actually mean:

Yes, your yoga teacher knows you didn’t loose your breath, we know it’s not hiding from you or you left it on the train on your way to yoga! The breath is always there, however what we mean when we say ‘find your breath’ is to consciously become aware of your breath. Often times we forget to breath deeply or fully or we hold our breath as we attempt something challenging, in yoga the breath is a useful and important part of your practice so a cue to find your breath is simply a gentle reminder to bring your awareness back to your breath!

Now you know, you’ll be able to walk into your next class find your breath, activate your Mula Bahnda and melt into the pose with confidence 💕

Much magic to you 🌙

Kerry x.

P.S I hope this playful look at weird things your yoga teacher says has been helpful…if you have more phrases you’d like explanations for, you can let me know, send your email through to Glimmer Yoga: hello@glimmeryoga.com