Partner Yoga as Human Touch Modality

For all humans, the ability to touch and connect is an essential part of our emotional and physical wellbeing. Unfortunately, with the rise of technology and the busyness of modern life, human touch has become a rarity for many of us. However, research indicates that certain exercises can help us to reestablish human touch and reap the benefits of this essential form of connection.

One of the most effective exercises for human touch is partner yoga. Partner yoga involves two people working together to perform yoga postures, which can range from simple standing poses to more complex balances and stretches. In partner yoga, the focus is not only on achieving the physical posture but also on cultivating a sense of connection and trust with your partner. Partner yoga can be a powerful way for couples, friends, or even strangers to connect on a deeper level.

Using Our Bodies to Bypass Our Brains for Couples

During sessions, couples may synchronize their breathing, assist each other with asana, or link their bodies together to create one pose. Given the therapy’s cooperative nature, partners are forced to rely on each other, which makes communication necessary and builds trust in the process.

Where traditional talk therapy relies on gaining perspective through conversation, somatic-based techniques put the mind and body in concert to address well-being through prescribed movement, awareness of physical sensations, and, in the case of partner yoga, various poses. It’s a scientifically-backed approach: Research indicates that this kind of body-oriented psychotherapy can decrease stress, reduce symptoms of depression, and lessen anxiety, while the practice of yoga can enhance sexual intimacy, improve relationship satisfaction, and cultivate compassion—evidence enough to invest in a mat (or two).

Recently, many therapists began using partner yoga help couples reconcile grief, conflict, and communication blocks. Social scientists call this an experiential exercise. Similar to mindfulness, meditation, and art therapy, couples yoga therapy relies on bodily movement to help unearth curiosity and insight about human behavior.

And couples don’t need to be experienced yogis to benefit: This type of yoga therapy requires minimal physical prowess. What’s more important is a willingness to show up—for both yourself and your partner.

In this way, she helps couples cultivate awareness around their emotions, using the nonverbal behaviors she notices in their movements as cues for leading them to connect physical movement with mental movement. That, in turn, provides insight into the couple’s dynamic.

Benefits of partner yoga

Let’s review the main benefits of partner yoga in more details

1. Increases trust and communication. Partner yoga requires cooperation. To effectively perform partner yoga, each person is encouraged to physically and emotionally nurture, support, and trust each other. As you learn to trust your partner, you are also able to trust yourself. If both partners are able to be fully present and listen to both verbal and nonverbal communication during challenging yoga poses, then these skills can transfer over to day-to-day situations and create an overall positive effect in a relationship.

2. Creates authenticity and honesty. Increased self-awareness, tolerance for strong sensations and emotions, and noticing inner experiences without being judged, all aid in creating an environment for authenticity and honesty between yoga partners. Through partner yoga, there is a more profound and natural connection because of effective communication and trust, which is brought about by the presence of gentle touch and firm physical support. You will learn that you do not have to sacrifice your needs for a partner pose to work. Instead, you learn to be responsible for your alignment and how your actions form the basis of support to your partner. Therefore, the practice can help to realign misunderstandings and offers space to be honest, authentic, and vulnerable.

3. Improves focus and self-awareness. Focus and concentration are required to do the different poses correctly without injury. You will not want to let down your partner (physically, energetically, and emotionally) in the practice and thus you will be more focused and aware of what you are doing. Additionally, being self-aware means that you will be able to recognize your feelings at the moment and how your body and your mind are reacting and responding to the practice.

4. Supports and deepens your yoga experience. Partner yoga encourages you to focus on the execution and alignment of the poses. Your partner can help you with self-adjustments all through the practice. Also, it is easier to know where things are off when you have a partner as the connection with their body gives additional feedback. You will be able to offer assistance and point out what you can improve to ensure that the pose is achieved. You will be able to use the weight of your partner’s body to help you move deeper into yoga stretches, and they can support you with their strength in poses where you feel weak.

5. Reduces stress and anxiety. Yoga as a practice helps you to relax and clear your mind. Partner yoga can be more efficient as you are able to create a powerful connection with your loved one or friend, which helps you forget about day-to-day stresses. Practicing with a partner also brings the aspect of touch, which reduces stress and anxiety as it makes you feel loved, nurtured, supported, and cared for.

6. Builds positive memories and experiences. As you are practicing partner yoga, you are creating fun and delightful memories with your partner. These memories will be treasured in the future, especially if your experience deepens the connection and intimacy between you and your partner.

7. Increases intimacy and sex life. Couples’ yoga allows individuals to have an intense bonding time as they practice. Practicing yoga with a partner creates a strong physical, mental, and emotional connection. A couples yoga practice will have ups and downs and require work to get through the rough patches–just like all relationships. The practice makes you more attuned to your partner’s body, breath, and physical responses. These experiences help improve intimacy, which in turn can improve one’s sex life.

8. Boosts relationship satisfaction. Couples’ yoga is famous for strengthening relationships and intimacy. Couples’ yoga enables the partners to be fully engaged in the practice and rely on one another to create different poses. The two must maintain balance, alignment as well as focus. This heightens the connection between the partners as you learn to let go, improve communication, be open, and fully rely on the other for support. These positive experiences can transfer over to your day-to-day relationship.

9. Encourages playfulness and fun. The experience of partner yoga is playful and fun. Partner yoga creates room for letting go and helps people not to take things too seriously, but rather have fun amidst the challenges. Cultivating play and fun in a partner yoga practice provides a foundation to experience this same joy with your partner in other everyday activities.

5 Fun Partner Yoga Poses That You can Do At Home

Before we begin, here are some things to keep in mind when practicing Partner Yoga!

1. Patience: One thing to keep in mind when practicing Partner Yoga is patience. Balancing in asanas by ourselves can be hard for some of us. Imagine balancing on someone else? Calm yourself and don’t worry about getting the poses right at the first try. Enjoy the process and deal with them with laughter. If you feel yourself getting restless, just take a break and try it again next time.

2. Communication: Focus on your partner, communicate with each other and do not try to do more than he/she can. Partner Yoga is not a competition. Be present and make sure your poses are aligned and are in unison!

3. Have Fun!: Turn Partner Yoga into a fun bonding activity! Laugh when you fall, listen to some music, set goals and reward yourself upon achieving them! Do not forget to motivate and encourage each other!

Seated Twist

1. Begin by sitting cross-legged and having your back face each other. Make sure that you lengthen your spine in this position.

2. Next, turn both your shoulders to the right and bring your right hand to your partner’s left knee.

3. As you inhale, straighten your back. When exhale try to feel a deeper twist using your partner’s knee for a bit of support. Do the twist based on the comfort level of you and your partner and adjust the pose to suit your flexibility.

4. After a few deep breaths, slowly return to the center and repeat this by twisting to the left.

Seated Forward Bend

1. Start by sitting down on the mat and facing each other. Proceed to bring your legs extended to the front and bring the soles of your feet together.

2. Reach forward and hold on to each other fingers, if one of you are more flexible you can try to hold on to the wrist.

3. Next, start pulling to pull your partner forward GENTLY. Avoid pulling your partner towards you forcefully.

4. If you have lower back pain or stiffness, keep your lower back engaged so your vertebrae don’t expand too much at the back. Do the forward bend based on your comfort level!

Supported Wheel Pose

1. Start off my standing face to face to your partner and hold on your right hand with his/her left hand.

2. Bring your arms up and to the right, leading your partner and turning so you’re standing back-to-back.

3. Proceed to bring your hands up and out, bring your partner close towards you so that your tailbone will be just above him/her. Take your time to get the height right.

4. Now pull your partner up and forward while moving your hips back. Ensure that you are taking on the weight onto you with knees slightly bent, as it will be hard to lift if you bend your knees too far. Get your partner some yoga blocks to stand on if he/she is too far down for you to lift comfortably.

5. When your partner is balanced, begin to straighten your knees and lean further down. Make sure that your knees are not locked when you are in this pose!

Warrior III

1. Begin with both your arms reaching forward and placing your hands on each other shoulders.

2. Next, walk backwards while keeping your arms and legs long such that your torso and arms are in a line.

3. Make sure that your arms are reaching actively while you bring your chest down.

4. Proceed to ground your left foot on the mat and shift your weight onto it.

5. Bring your right foot and reach it back, lifting at the hip and with the foot pointed and knee straight.

6. For a more challenging balance, lift up your left foot while your partner lifts her right.

7. Repeat this on the other leg.

Boat Pose

1. Sit facing each other on the mat with three feet distance.

2. Touch your toes and forefeet to your partner’s.

3. Then, bring your arms forward and hold onto your partner’s forearms, and bring yourselves up and lift all four of your feet off the ground at the same time.

4. Raise your shins to be level for a half-boat or point them upward for a full boat.

5. Make sure to bring your navels forward and upward, to stretch your hamstrings and protect your lower backs.