hi chris, this is really well put. You are right, stability has become such a cache word, while equity is never even mentioned. There is so much fear in butting up against the status quo... and I always wonder about what it takes to finally light a spark of change which is what seems to be happening across the pan-arab world right now. As for the Tea party supporters, I have no understanding of their lack of deeper insight into the realities behind rhetoric - of actually trying to understand the health care bill and its impact; and why they feel marginalized, even with so much privilege, as opposed to the years of repression in Egypt or Tunisia or Yemen where poverty, illiteracy rates and a lack of education have allowed the majority of the population to put up with so much inequity...

thanks for posting this Chris. I think that the fear of assists also stems these days from a fear of intrusive touch in our society at large and some of that is seeping into the yoga community. I think there has to be a balance both of somatic insights and cuing that helps a student, especially new students in a class to feel their body at an intuitive level in a pose, but guide, assists can really really help a new student especially to feel how a simple, sometimes subtle and sometimes dramatic realignment in their body by a qualified, confident and compassionate teacher can open them up to a completely new realm / feeling in a yoga asana. Our YTT up here in Canada emphasizes not just philosophy and knowledge but an amazing hands-on practical approach to adjustments that attunes you to moving with your students. Also, like "Yoga for Cynics" above, I feel so grateful that my teachers have always been hands on with me. It has and continues to help me evolve my practice.