You can get hurt doing yoga???? Really???

According to the New York Times, yoga can wreck your body.  Honestly, I'm appalled that the NY Times would publish such an article.  Granted it was balanced enough in its view on the subject, but for anyone who was on the fence and contemplating taking yoga in the new year; just the title of the article alone will scare them away.

Given the negative press yoga received, I have made it my mission this week to speak to my students about the article in case any of them read it and to provide a realistic perspective on the issue.  Yes, you can can hurt yourself doing yoga.  The article cited extreme instances where people have gotten injured and perhaps done themselves permanent harm.  These cases were ones where students of yoga were either being poorly advised by under trained teachers or trying to advance their practice on their own without the guidance of a decent teacher.  It's no surprise that these people have "wrecked" their bodies.  Let's use common sense people and listen to our bodies which actually communicate with us better than most people.  Many of the big corporate run gyms only require that yoga instructors be AFAA certified.  An AFAA certification is an online course with a one day workshop!!  It's a joke.  It's not enough training to ensure that students are practicing as safely as possible.   If you are going to take a yoga class or work to advance your practice, please make sure your teacher is at least 200hr. certified.....500hr. certified is even better.

Another problem that most people face is their ego.  The ego is a double edged sword.  It's wonderful in survival situations where it is imperative to succeed, but when faced with challenges of executing impossible asana that our bodies may not be ready for, the ego can talk us into pushing ourselves further than we should.  We end up competing with ourselves and the other yogis around us who's practice may be more advanced.  That's how injuries happen.  One of my students said most injuries follow seven words....,"Hey, I'm getting really good at this."

Now, I'm not saying don't strive to advance your practice, but one must be mindful of when the ego is driving the car and if it's heading for a cliff.  Yoga is such a healing practice.....and if all you are seeking are the healing benefits of yoga, there is no need to make it advanced.  Gentle yoga, basics classes or any myriad of the gentler forms of Hatha yoga are are all good options for healing the body.  But if advancing your practice is something you are interested in, you must consult a knowledgeable teacher and work with them to ensure a safe advancement in your practice.  It's just common sense.

Thank you for reading.

May joy coarse through your veins as you explore and experience a deeper sense of yourself through your practice.

Namaste!

Kristen