I had the opportunity to work with Twee during a weekend long workshop afew weeks ago at Pure Yoga. Despite all my years teaching Reiki in a non-doctrine, non-judgmental way I am still such a student in the art of trusting and learning from your own inner guidance system, especially when faced with other 'expert' opinions.
Its natural that we have this issue - from birth we have been scheduled, guided, programmed - when to eat, when to sleep, what to eat, when to get up to go to school/work, what to do at school/work, how to study, how to work, how to get ahead, how to exercise, how to eat healthily, blah blah... Just take a look at the bookstore and you'll see what I mean! Twee's form of Yoga is totally the opposite to anything I have experienced before. She teaches that we all have an innate sense of rightness for our individual needs, some postures are no good for our body, others are wonderfully invigorating - but no person is the same, so no yoga practice should be the same. Oooh! I LOVE that! how many times have I peeked at my neighbour and thought 'Jeez, I'm so stiff, how come I can't do that!' Now when I do yoga I really feel my body and when it feels forced or uncomfortable I either change the pose or stop it all together - I could not have done that afew weeks ago as I would have been too concerned about what my teacher might have said. In other words, I was taking my teacher's knowledge as more important, more 'right' than my own experience and truth of the situation. Duh!
My youngest, who is just 4, is still so true to herself, she dislikes school because "they are always bossing me about and telling me what to do, they don't let me colour when I want to". Simple, yet profound! Unfortunately we have a way to go before we can choose to wake up when we want, go to work when we want - but we have total choice in eating what we want, and developing our body and soul how we want.
Since I have begun truly listening to my body and my soul I have noticed that it is actually all there already. I have started experimenting with Ayurvedic cooking and I am amazed at how I can look at a certain fruit or veggie and ask my body "Do I want this?" and boom - the answer is clear as day - Yes or no. Amazing! I've even managed to kick my chocolate habit as I ask my body "do I want this?" (whilst staring longingly at a Mars bar :)) and the answer, incredibly, comes back "No, but I would like something soothing and sweet and fresh" so then I eat a mango instead, and feel infinitely better!
The same application can be used in any situation. Instead of following anyone else's' doctrine, how about testing it against your own level of rightness? This is particularly true of anyone who says "this is right, that is wrong" about ANYTHING! In Reiki I came to see this many years ago and am still bemused by teachers who teach their own belief and doctrine as 'truth'. Their truth, absolutely, but not necessarily yours.
More about Twee Merrigan here: http://www.tweeyoga.com/
