Certain Disciplines Appeal to Certain Learning Styles

Psychology has determined that different brains, quite simply, learn differently. Some students learn through visual means (in other words, they need to see a pose in order to understand it). Others are auditory learners, and can comprehend a pose simply by having it explained to them. Still other students are kinesthetic learners. These students must experience the pose in order to understand it.

While not a necessary component of teaching a specific style, various breeds of yoga tend to present information differently. Iyengar yoga is often very didactic; demonstration with explanation is the first element of instruction. I have seen students fail to grasp the actions suggested for a pose until they are in the pose themselves. Only when they can “feel” the pose does the action begin to make sense. For these students, a style of yoga (such as Ashtanga) where they can be safely guided into poses with verbal cues is most appropriate.