Detail-oriented

When it comes to describing the benefits of a little-understood healing system, knowing how much to say - to whom - is part of the healer's art.  Healing systems that fall into this category include (but are not limited to):  yoga, acupuncture, acutonics, chiropractic, cranio-sacral therapy and reiki.  As a yoga teacher and yoga therapist, I often have to walk this fine line between vagueness and too-much-for-the-listener-to-understand.  Even if a student/client has some exposure to yoga, it doesn't mean that they grasp the subtle, yet powerful, aspects of the practice.

Rob and I were recently on the consumer's end of this situation.  His allergies are wretched right now, and our way to the grocery store we passed a sign that said something along the lines of:  "Allergies got you down?  Try acupuncture."  We'd discussed Traditional Chinese Medicine as a drug-free allergy treatment before, but the sign prompted us to check it out.  So we go inside, the receptionist calls a practitioner out to speak with us.  We have more exposure to TCM than the average person, so we understand the philosophy, approach, etc.  We wanted specifics - how much, how often, what kind of outcome we can expect, etc.  We got a bunch of vague answers.  This left us feeling unsatisfied.  I would rather have a detailed answer that I may not yet understand, than an answer that plays down the intricacy of that particular healing art.  It's centuries old!  There has to be more to it than, "It works to balance the body's systems"  We know that already, that's why we're here!

I asked a couple of my students about it this morning.  We all agreed that we, as potential students/clients, want an answer that leaves us feeling like 1) the practitioner is well-educated in the system and knows what they're talking about  2) even if I don't follow yet, it's likely that I will "get it" at some point and  3) gives details that, even if they're esoteric, let me know that there's much more to this than what the surface offers.

What's your take?  If you call a yoga studio, for example, and ask what yoga can do for you...do you want the details, even if you might not understand them?  OR  Do you think it would be intimidating to get so much detail about things that you don't yet understand?

Comments

[Dixie]

I dropped by a while ago and started reading, but haven't commented yet. I'm delurking to offer my two cents on this. :]

I think the level of detail required for a person really depends on the person. Some people *will* get intimidated with too much information, or maybe just want to get a vague sense of well-being and hope and don't want to get into the nitty gritty. If the information-giver is paying attention, (s)he can determine when to stop gracefully before overwhelming the information-givee. This is how I determine how much detail to go into when I'm discussing my own work with someone, and it works pretty well.

Personally, I love the details. I'm a scientist (and a knitter and a novice yoga practitioner, etc), and if I'm seeking information on something that might be considered...silly...I want to know that the person knows what they're talking about and has a rational sense of what they're doing. I understand there could be aspects and subtleties that go beyond that, but I need to start somewhere, and it's with concrete, rational details. Like the ones you mentioned -- what, how often, what results to expect, how do I know if I'm doing something wrong, etc. When approaching something I'm skeptical about, the more detailed and concrete the information the better. It creates a framework for learning.

When I started yoga, it was enough for me to know the instructor knew what she was doing. She was credible (not just in what she said, but also what she did and how she carried herself), and answered questions clearly and completely. Some of the instruction went over my head for a while, but made sense later on. The knowledge was there for when I was ready to use it, and I appreciate that.

It's long for a "me too" comment, but you did ask. :] Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences on your blog!

[Jen]

Here's my take:

"What can yoga do for me" is a totally loaded question, and I would give the vaguest answer I could get away with. I am very careful about setting expectations that yoga can heal, transform one's life, etc. I can't guarantee that for anyone, and the "power" of yoga is totally dependant on the openness of each person.

In a nutshell, I'd say "yoga is what you make of it. Some people experience x, and others experience y. It's up to you." This may sound vague, but it's the truth, especially when you don't know anything about the person on the other end of the line. It's the same reason that I get annoyed when people insist that I can eat sweets just because I'm thin. They don't know that my family has a history of diabetes. You just don't know what baggage people carry around with them, so I hold back until I know more about them: their medical history, their emotional state, their maturity. Even then, I am very careful not to give the impression that I'm a medical professional. Too many people come to yoga to fix their aches and pains b/c they've heard someone's transformational story. It doesn't work like a prescription. You can't go into it with the expectation, "ok this is going to fix me up and then I can go home."

Intention plays a big part in how "successful" yoga can be for each individual. On top of that, yoga itself is a journey to the realization of some very basic truths. If I lay it all out on the table, wouldn't I be robbing someone of their journey? I also believe that it's up to the student to ask, because that is a clear indication of an openness to learn.

That doesn't mean that my yoga classes are devoid of yogic philosophy and principals. I just frame the "teachings" in a way that encourages personal exploration. Students ask when they want to know more. I think of this like Zen masters giving their students a koan. As a yoga teacher, how much can you really say that would actually do any good anyway? Yoga is a personal journey, and I think of myself as a guide more than a teacher.

Regarding your experience at the acupuncturist, here's my philsophy on all types of doctors (medical or otherwise) - I seek out the recommendations of people I trust before signing up for a treatment. If you weren't satisfied with that acupuncurists explanations, then I'd go to another one who is more interested in an open exchange.

On the other hand, sometimes, it's better not to know all the details, because all you're doing is fueling your brain's quest for total dominance over your life. Yoga is about quieting the mind, after all.