Teacher Q&A: Whitney Paterson

Yoga Heights talks with Whitney Paterson about the new Mysore Ashtanga program she's leading at the YHDC Takoma studio

YH: When did you find yoga? Where did your yoga practice begin?

WP: I was introduced to yoga in high school at an Iyengar studio. It happened at a time in my life when I was trying to figure out who I was. Growing up, I was a strong student but felt a lot of anxiety and pressure to do well in school...self inflicted performance anxiety. I was working hard but wasn’t taking the time to even think if I liked what I was spending so much time doing. I struggled with an eating disorder, worrying about looking perfect, and always being in control. Then I took a few yoga classes. Definitely not a practice, per se. It was sporadic, but I remember being aware that yoga felt useful and helpful although I didn’t know why. Later on in college, I chose yoga for one of the PE requirements and that’s when I developed a more regular practice. Amid all intensity of college academics I suddenly realized there was this hour a few times a week where I wasn’t doing anything other than just being. One hour where my brain could shut off but I was still doing something physical.

YH: What meaning does the word yoga have for you?

WP: It’s about connection to self. Which, naturally, extends into a connection to others...union with the self and others. To me, yoga is about that relationship with the self and then also with everyone and everything else. And it’s also about space.

Back then [in college], yoga meant having space from doing things and worrying about who I was and how I appeared to others. It also was a huge help on physical level with scoliosis and back pain. But there was no processing or revelation. It was simple...I just took a breath. It just felt like space. And I remember thinking, this is different...I have space.

YH: Why Ashtanga?

WP: I found Ashtanga was the best fit for me because a student can have their own experience more than in any other type of class. All yoga styles have their pitfalls and Ashtanga has them too. But I love that no one is curating the experience for you; a student’s practice is between their body and themselves. As a teacher, I’m just there to witness the experience they are having...and provide support as needed.

There is no music and students go at their own pace. You have to be okay being with yourself and all the things you find challenging. Do you procrastinate instead of just doing the practice. Or are you the kind of person who comes in a works tremendously hard without any breaks; you might injure self that way. This practice can really help you know yourself on a deeper level.

Another thing unique to Mysore Ashtanga is developing a deeper relationship with a teacher. For the student, the teacher becomes your co-explorer of the poses. Together the student and teacher can really dive into what’s happening for the student. For example, as a teacher I can help a student unpack why their back bends are uncomfortable and then offer guidance to move through the discomfort. Together we look not only at how they are doing the pose but what is happening in other parts of their life and then consider how to make the pose more accessible.

YH: HOW does one teach yoga? How do YOU teach yoga?

WP: Traditionally, Mysore Ashtanga has a hierarchical structure with a main guru who permits students to move from pose to pose when they feel the student is ready.

I envision something different. I trust that the student knows as much as teacher does about their body and their practice so I am trying to create an environment that is about learning from each other. Ultimately we are all teachers. I like to check in with students, to ask if they feel ready to move on to the next pose. This makes the practice successful for everyone and for all bodies and all ages. Certain markers like binding hands in a particular way might never be accessible for someone. So I think it's more important to simply consider if the student is getting the core teaching of the pose. In a flow class, you essentially follow the cues given by the teacher. I’m more interested in helping students get what they need from a pose or a series by digging a bit deeper. And that is going to be uniquely personal for each student.

YH: What do you focus on in your teaching?

WP: I’m interested in helping people develop agency over their own practice. I talk with students understand what they want to work on; to find out what they are interested in right now in their practice. And then asking why. When I can learn more about their motivation to explore a pose or a series, my teaching can be focused on what might be useful vs. not useful. For each of us, those two things are so personal. How we might approach a pose from a physical place is going to be different than coming at it from an emotional or spiritual place. So understanding where the student is coming from as they move through their practice means I can offer suggestions to alleviate feelings of frustration that are specific to each student. Ultimately, I try to help students practice in alignment with their values.

YH: What are the benefits of Mysore Ashtanga yoga?

WP: There are so many benefits and they all seem to fall under the broad umbrella of regulation. We develop balance in our nervous system by practicing at the same time of day, doing a similar series of movements, with consistent teaching. In Ayurvedic philosophy, which is closely aligned with to Ashtanga yoga, the cure is rhythm...finding ways to bring balance within our unique doshic types. I know this from my own experience. For example, in my mid-twenties my sleep was horribly erratic and I suffered from depression. Practicing Ashtanga yoga corrected these, along with mitigating body pain, reducing stress and anxiety. Another huge benefit for practicing in a Mysore room is injury prevention because you are working 1:1 with a teacher.

Whitney Paterson leads Yoga Heights' Mysore program at the Takoma studio from 6-9am Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. She has been a student and teacher of yoga for 10+ years. She is drawn to the extensive lineages of Ashtanga and Iyengar yoga traditions and their emphasis on the teacher-student relationship. "I believe in the power of connection, vulnerability, working hard, and being kind to ourselves and others. I attempt to utilize these tools as I teach, and as I hold space for your inner transformation." Learn more about Whitney at www.whitneypaterson.com.