not to want to massage other people in my yoga class

[drxerox]

I've recently started a weekly yoga class. The other students are younger than me, and include a man. Today the instructor told us to pair up and massage each other. I was next to the young man and felt v. reluctant to massage him (and I'm sure he was equally reluctant to massage a portly 54 year old woman). The 1st time round I said 'sorry, I don't feel comfortable with this'. Luckily there was an odd number in the class so he wasn't left out. But someone had to leave early, and the instructor gave us a talk on how important touch was and how little we do it here and how we should love our bodies etc etc and when mutual massaging came up again I did do it, but feel uncomfortable about going to the class in case we have to do it again. (We might not as we didn't do it in the 1st class). Am I being unreasonable? It's not just about massaging a man, I wouldn't really want to do it with a woman, especially one I don't know.

I meant YANBU

Yanbu! This used to happen in my pregnancy yoga class. I used to hate being massaged because of all the extra pregnant weight I was carrying and worried I'd do it wrong when it was my turn. Not relaxing at all. And I love a relaxing massage from a professional.

i dont want anyone touching me either!

It does not matter if touch is important in yoga, you should not do what you do not feel comfortable with. in our yoga class we did massaging but did not feel under pressure doing it, i did not so sat out

I think it's a shame we've become so anti-touch as a culture. But we have, and your yoga instructor IBU to expect people to simply be OK with it. She needs to introduce it more sensitively IMO.

I find that odd. Super odd. So odd that I wouldn't go again. :lol:

YANBU

Has our culture ever included touching each other like that? I wouldn't fancy massaging anyone.

Its not like a hug or a handshake, its more intimate and personal massaging somebodies head or elsewhere

Very odd, what happens if you're paired with a heavy handed person that hurts you or if you hurt someone else.

YANBU!!!!

in my old class they made us partner for stretches, there is NO JEFFING way I wanted a complete stranger stretching near my crotch and feet

I just went to the loo, every time!

YANBU. If you don't feel comfortable then that is all that matters. Either sit it out or find a class that doesn't do this. That's what I would do anyway

yanbu, sounds horrible, can you find another yoga class?

YANBU at all - that's horrid. I've been to loads of yoga classes and never touched anyone else!

YANBU.

Touching people, yuk!

Find another class, this is NOT the norm!