The goal is not just to slow down but to ask, “How can we build a sustainable practice?”
The goal is not to win, but to keep playing for as long as possible. -Bossy Flyer The AcroChat at Divine Play 2017 regarding safety in acro was intelligent, investigative, and intentional. We began with a sharing of accidents. Why? An important part of promoting safety is normalizing discussions of injury and accidents. In today’s social-media-driven culture, we often see the highlight reel of acroyoga: beautiful sunset pictures, the joy of first flight, the honeymoon of acro partnerships. We do not see the days we take off from training because we pushed too hard over the weekend. We do not have the privilege of retelling the stories of those who have left the practice because of multiple injuries, whether they were physical or emotional. We don’t see the exhaustion of traveling teachers who, in the current climate, may feel they need to hide chronic or acute pain to maintain a brand image of joyful bliss. People who become injured may blame themselves and feel shame[1]. These stories, then, can become lost and hidden in the midst of fear, shame, and anxiety, contributing to selection bias when we consider the risks of acroyoga. Discussing safety in acro [2] and normalizing post-accident analysis contributes to improvements in teaching methods, in the culture of acro, and in the creation of spaces where we are allowed to say “no” and exercise accurate self-assessment. Stories shared at Divine Play included the following:
Common themes for factors contributing to injury included miscommunicated/unplanned exit strategies, fatigue, inaccurate assessment of the unpredictable nature of working with beginners, lack of proper warm-ups and preparation/progression/calibration. Strategies for addressing these concerns include the following:
Use words from your own point of view when saying no, and speak to your own limitations. Ex. “No, thank you for asking, I appreciate that you asked me and I’m flattered, I’m not up for it right now.”
On Saying no:
Let us destigmatize the use of “no.” Invite the use of “no” as a prerequisite to “yes.” Invite others to use “no” because if someone cannot say no without fear of retribution, how can we trust that their “yes” is true? “No” is a complete answer. If it’s not a “f*ck yes,” it is a No. – Look for signs of enthusiastic consent. Consent can be confusing. Enthusiastic consent is not confusing. Notice this process of identifying consent in yourself as well – an internal ”umm…” is a no. Practice the following:
Finer points:
Thank you for your care, your courage and support of a practice that continues to inspire and create space for so many of us. -Adi Firefly www.idefirefly.com Seattle, WA
[1] http://acroyogatalk.com/t/of-hood-ornaments-and-acroyoga/152 [2] https://www.facebook.com/groups/1633316826884338/ [3] http://bit.ly/2xKCu3Q [4] Past note from 2014 DP AcroChats
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AuthorI Defy - Firefly Archives
October 2017
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