Do yogis have “Learning Styles”? (A somatic solution)

BACKGROUND: Learning styles has captivated a great deal of attention in yoga teacher training. The triad of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles has been particularly popular; yet as Sharp et al. asserted, such an approach trivializes the complexity of learning and compromises scholarship at all levels of the education community. AIMS: This paper addresses that although there is great merit in recognizing yoga students’ differences and preferences, many uses of learning styles in yoga teacher training are superficial and promote self-handicapping. CONCLUSION: A somatic perspective (from soma, the body in its wholeness) offers a framework to reconsider the depth of effective learning.