Let's Talk Consent: Community Agreements & Student Feedback

Creator: Jauhien Sasnou

I have been thinking a lot about consent and how, as yoga practitioners, the conversation around consent has evolved. Twenty-three years ago, when I was first unrolling my yoga mat, no one asked if I wanted a physical adjustment in an asana pose- it was just given. There was no practice of creating a container with community agreements before a teacher training weekend, and now there is. Rarely did anyone ask, "what is safe," "what is valid," or " does this affirm" instead, in many yoga traditions, the teacher held the knowledge, and you, the practitioner, accepted it. Over the last few weekends of our Immersion 2.0, we have spent much time unpacking what it means to discern, be critical, and be in collaborative care. 

Many know that part of my yoga history is Anusura yoga. The blessing from that community was the evolution of Rajanaka Tantra, my philosophy teacher Douglas Brooks, and the lesson to question everything. The other half of that was John Friend and the lesson that power, when unchecked, causes harm. None of us are immune or exempt from how power infiltrates our daily lives and yoga spaces. For years, I have been disconcerted and burdened by the stories of transgressions by contemporary leaders in yoga, whether Bikram Choudhury, B.K.S. Iyengar, John Friend, and many other lesser-known yoga teachers and leaders. 

I learned from Michelle Cassandra Johnson on one of her visits how important meaningful conversations around self-inquiry and accountability were. Part of the work in Michelle's book Skill In Action is unpacking the shit you hold (like power) in a yogic way. Working with her and other leaders like Dr. Nathalie Edmonds, Dr. Sheena Sood, and others, our team continues to engage in that conversation and to co-create a trusting, mindful community. At Three Queens Yoga, we developed our community agreements as a call to action to cultivate a space that transforms the world in which we live. 

Community Agreements were one way to create a container, but what might it look like if there were more? A way to engage and empower our teachers and community in regular conversation about trusting relationships? We can!

I am excited to welcome my longtime friend, local yoga teacher, and social scientist, Lindsay Ouellette, to Three Queens. Lindsay has been adjacent to our community for a long time. She has taught about reforming power dynamics in yoga by offering workshops for teachers on power and influence. Understanding these dynamics led her to pursue a Ph.D. in social psychology. Lindsay uses a constructive, positive reinforcement-based approach in her research and as a tool to take action. 

Linsday has offered to work with Three Queens and me to build trusting relationships by measuring and treasuring our teachers. We can cultivate best practices by gathering information from the students/practitioners and providing feedback to the teachers.  What I love about this approach is Linsday employs a positive and appreciative approach to facilitating this conversation, and I am excited and honored to invite you to participate.

This is your invitation to let me know in a safe and meaningful way about classes and your experiences at Three Queens. 

After each class, you will receive an email with a simple anonymous survey about your experience. By answering a few questions about your experience in the class, we can provide confidential feedback to our talented teachers every week.  Performance feedback is one of the most effective ways to create meaningful growth. 

I sincerely hope that as we grow as a community, we can work together to reflect, look deeply and provide the best yoga experience. Your feedback will help us support our community values by “being in relationship with each other and the world with intention.” Your voice will allow us to better the self and the collective. And especially for us to learn and grow and transform our yoga. 

I invite you to join us.