From my nascent years as a movement professional, I have embraced education as a powerful means to build my own skills, critical thinking, and curiosity. I was raised by parents who valued education and inquiry, and the pursuit of knowledge was instilled in me and my siblings. When people ask how the LYT method is different than other yoga or movement practices, I respond that we always provide education to our students and teachers. Teaching movement doesn’t necessarily require an extensive knowledge of the body and biomechanics, and simply imitating movement taught by an instructor can be beneficial on its own. However, I firmly believe that education is a key feature that is necessary to look for and/or provide when determining what kind of practice is most optimal for you. Combining my love for education with my enthusiasm for acronyms and quotes, I have summarized why education is needed and valuable for a lifelong movement journey with the word EDUCATE.
E: Empowerment
“Knowledge itself is power.” – Sir Francis Beacon
Moving the body without the knowledge of the workings of the body takes the power away from the individual living in that body. When you learn some of the simpler principles of physics, biomechanics, and functional anatomy, you can have true ownership of how you move, heal, and transform your body in motion and at rest. In both our online LYT daily classes and in our LYT teacher trainings, we teach TRIPLE S, neutral spine and pelvis, hip versus pelvic mobility, core dynamic stability, and the mechanisms for rewiring brain mapping. The teaching is a part of every class so our students can bring this knowledge into their lives off the mat, empowering their movement quality, postural awareness, and overall vitality.
D: Development
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin
Education in movement can keep both the brain and body more fit and resilient, qualities that are especially important for longevity. If people don’t learn much about their bodies, they will be more likely to give up or chalk it up to aging when problems arise. Investing in education is like making small deposits that accrue a compound interest. Learning requires dedication, leading to the development of traits like perseverance and patience, which are the fertilizing agents for a growth mindset. For movement/yoga teachers, education enables them to specialize and refine their skills and cater to a wider range of student needs and interests.
U: Understanding
“Education is the movement from darkness to light.” – Allan Bloom
Countless times, we have seen our LYT students celebrate how education has helped them feel more embodied and capable in their movement practice and lives. Understanding how your habits, compensations, and imbalances can surface is a crucial step to improving movement, breath, and energy. The learning of the ‘why’ and ‘how’ your body moves unveils a new outlook and opportunity for growth. LYT students receive education about and tools for optimizing biomechanics to escort them through decades of living. Understanding is the ability to grasp the meaning, significance, or nature of something and involves comprehending information, concepts, or situations in a way that allows you to make sense of them, see connections, and draw conclusions. Students who understand their bodies are more adaptable. And teachers who graduate from our LYT trainings possess a thorough understanding of movement and are more confident in their teaching abilities. This confidence translates into more effective communication, better student engagement, and a more authoritative presence in the classroom.
C: Creativity
“Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom.” – Oprah Winfrey
As we say in LYT, when you create the structure, you find the freedom. Creativity is sparked by understanding and a framework on which you can build. Our education clarifies how movement can be executed in a more impactful way. Without education, we might be able to move in a variety of ways, but it will be more challenging to delve into creative patterns that are less familiar without a guiding roadmap. I often explain that the pathway to learning a handstand is as essential to performing a handstand even if it takes months, years, or decades to find stability in the handstand pose. Without education, people tend to fling themselves into a handstand and either give up or never find stability because the prerequisite understanding of the mechanics is lacking. With education, we experience more freedom, possibility, and stoke the sparks of creativity.
A: Awareness
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
Education about your body in a movement practice leads to a greater awareness of overall health and well-being. With information that is presented without gatekeeping (as can happen with health professionals), people will be more knowledgeable about health issues, preventative measures, and the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Education empowers us to think more critically because we have been given the tools to better understand our bodies and our habits.
T: Transformation
“Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.” – George Washington Carver
The most rewarding aspect of teaching LYT to both students and LYT trainees is hearing them share how this practice has transformed their lives, not just their movement. With a deeper understanding of yoga and greater education about functional anatomy and biomechanics, LYT practitioners cultivate more energy, passion, and curiosity that collectively weaves a beautiful tapestry of transformation. The key was given to them in the form of a training or a class, and they opened the door to potential.
E: Enlightenment
“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” – John Dewey
Education in any field is a catalyst for positive change. Our movement practice can parallel the struggles and triumphs we will inevitably experience in life. Fortifying ourselves with the knowledge about our own home, own body that carries us through life and is our constant companion in all the stages, will not only support us but the education will also enlighten us. Enlightenment can refer to the greater knowledge and understanding about a subject and often conveys a journey from ignorance or confusion to clarity and insight. Most of us did not receive any formal education about our bodies- how to care for them or move them with efficiency and grace-so it makes sense that given the opportunity to learn more, we feel empowered. We might also be bewildered that more people don’t have knowledge about the basics of human movement and physiology. Once you learn, you might feel compelled to share with others. Our LYT teacher training offers a robust and thorough guideline for functional movement and yoga mindfulness, so you are prepared to teach others and to better understand your own practice. If you feel the calling to teach or delve deeper for your own knowledge, check out more information about our trainings here. And if you simply want to gain more wisdom for yourself as either an experienced or novice mover, know that we are pulling for you by giving you education in every LYT class! Check out our online LYT daily platform where we guide you from our “Start Here “series to numerous other collections and individual classes to educate you in your movement journey.
