Addressing the root cause of “teaching by shaming” and how we can heal from internalised shame

I have read the heartfelt and contemplative blog post Transforming the wounds of our elders and teachers, and am moved by the honesty and integrity of the Iyengar teacher who wrote about her experience and observations regarding the recent allegations of some senior Iyengar yoga teachers’ behaviour that tantamounts to abuse.

I note that the “teaching by shaming” practice stems from past hurts and wounds, particularly due to internalised shame from colonialism.

I admire how the writer has sought to forgive her own teachers while not condoning their behaviour.

She also accepts the need for accountability and inner transformation, as mentioned below.

“I have continued to study with Geetaji at every opportunity. I don’t condone verbal abuse, but I recognize where it’s coming from, and take it upon myself to transform it, as Abhi has, into more affirming practices. As such, we are transforming the wounds of our elders and our teachers. We are healing our ever-unfolding pasts, to open into a more compassionate and loving future.“

I also learn from the writer’s profile that she embraces the “Healing Justice” movement to describe her practices, whether yoga, creative writing, cooking, gardening, and more.

As she put it:

As Guruji BKS Iyengar reminds us, “Yoga is primarily for individual growth, but through the individual, society and community develop.” I have to heal myself in order to be available to my friends, family, neighborhood, and broader community. As I heal myself, I turn the fruits of my healing outward, to promote positive social change, and to dismantle oppression (white supremacy, capitalism, patriarchy, heterosexism, etc), while actively building alternatives.

Come to think of it, I see a similar pattern of “teaching by shaming” in the internet marketing community. Workshop trainers, for example, would say things like “successful people take action” and “don’t analyse until you are paralysed” in an attempt to motivate participants into taking action out of guilt and shame to sign up for their paid programs.

I realise that the trainers and coaches themselves too have internalised shame themselves, which was inherited from their past, whether from their own coaches or family upbringing and so on.

I believe that the healing justice movement is needed in every individual, community and organisation, as part of our ongoing evolutionary journey.