Bad touch, Good touch

For the past few weeks I've been assisting yoga classes for a fellow teacher at Be.Yoga in Union Square, Somerville, MA.
Initially I was so excited, but once I got in the class I recognized the vast assortment of bodies within one class and became intimidated.  How do I know how much pressure to use?  What if somebody falls while I'm trying to assist them in a pose? 
As I walked around the room I felt a sense of something greater; that we are all here to share this unified experience, to practice yoga.  This yoga practice instills a calm, quite mind in the midst of sweat and difficult poses.  I began breathing that soothing Ujjayi breath that yogis love so much, and instantly, I felt grounded and in control.  I touched with gentle grace and loved all of it.  Only one person fell down in a sweaty mess. (and not while I was touching them) 
Assisting has been such a great learning experience to get to really learn how to pay attention to students alignment, but also your own mental alignment.    What is too much? 

While practicing, when should we push ourselves and when should we give ourselves the compassion to back off?  During one of these classes I noticed a young woman silently crying to herself while in chair pose.  I glanced quickly and could barely tell beneath the sweat and smudged mascara, but there she was crying while in this deceivingly difficult posture.  I thought, Oh GIRL!! I Know exactly how you feel right now!!!! 

After class I went up to her and asked if everything was ok. She assured me that she was good, but she was suffering through an injury and pushing her body to do something that it wasn't ready for.  Knowing it was causing pain she kept trying, only to exacerbate the problem.  But my heart went out to her because I have been that person pushing myself to the limit of my practice, the limit of my social schedule, my working schedule to the point where my body rebels and I'm left crying in child's pose. (The past week for me!) So, really, we can be our own mental assistant in yoga class who pays attention to how our bodies feel to gain more from ourselves and our practice.  Thank you for reading and be kind to yourself.