As a yoga therapist it's my job to help people feel better and teach people all the ways in which yoga heals. The yoga world is surrounded in mystery, and for many that is part of it's allure. We know that ultimately we feel better after our practice but can't always say why that is. Many in the yoga world tout yoga as being the ultimate health practice, safe for everyone. In fact, many people including myself, turn to yoga for all of it's health benefits and healing capabilities. While yoga is capable of many health benefits and healing aspects, the truth is that yoga can also hurt people. Many people get injured doing yoga asanas (poses). As a community most teachers and practitioners choose to overlook or downplay this fact because of our love for the practice and all the benefits we get from our practice. Part spiritual, part physical, and part emotional the love for the practice runs deep. Though we might not be able to explain exactly how it works we know that something amazing is happening. Yoga changes a person, from the inside out. It's because of this that yoga injuries most often go unmentioned.
It's not that the practice in and of itself is extremely dangerous, although like anything it can be if done improperly or inappropriately. In fact there are many reasons why yoga injuries are on the rise. As a yoga community we have lost our way. Actually with the gain in popularity the tendency is to puff up it's benefits and down play it's dangers.
What we have largely failed to grasp, especially in the West, is like anything there is a process. Have you ever watched and old kung fu movie? Almost always there is a young student who begs the old wise kung fu master to be his student. The old master will refuse him many times before he even accepts the youngster as a student. Then when he is accepted you see him washing the floor or holding two buckets full of water for hours on end, or doing some menial task and not doing any kung fu fighting at all. Why is that? The master is building a foundation. The young eager student can't just start fighting with advanced techniques and technicality without having a foundation in the practice. Why is it in yoga you can learn the basic flow of a sun salutation within 2-3 classes then be in and intermediate to advanced class without any other foundation? You wouldn't take one French lesson and say you spoke fluent French. That would seem ridiculous. Yet we apply that same principle to yoga all the time!
Therein lies the disconnect. Yoga is ultimately a practice of awareness. If you were to do nothing but sit on your mat for and hour concentrating on your breath you would be doing an advanced yoga practice. But most people think, where's the fun in that? As Westerners we are goal oriented folks. We like to push our limits, show our strength, perform, succeed and compete with ourselves and with others. Ultimately that is what we bring to the mat. And unfortunately, this is one of the root causes of yoga injuries- Ego and Obsession. As Glen Black is quoted in the book The Science of Yoga, by William J. Broad, "You have to set your ego aside and not become obsessive. You have to get a different perspective to see if what you are doing is going to eventually be bad for you." In general most yoga poses are safe when practiced safely but often times ego and obsession take over the practice and safety flies off the mat.
Another factor that contributes to a vast majority of yoga injuries is what I call physical deficiencies. As a nation, Americans are overfed and under nourished. This malnourishment leads to being physical depleted and can cause serious weaknesses. In general we live sedentary lifestyles and for some the only activity they may get is on the yoga mat. Layered with being stressed out and sleep deprived. Then on top of it all, add the fact that most Westerners don't begin their yoga practice until they are well into adulthood. Many people take up yoga because they are already stiff. Combine all these elements together plus our obsessive perfectionist culture and that is just a recipe for disaster. A yoga teacher can't necessarily tell if their student has high or low blood pressure, or if they are diabetic, or fatigued. In truth most students either deny, evade, or simply don't know their own health issues.
Many yoga asanas are a practice for the healthy individual who has built a foundation, gone through the steps, and cultivated mind-body-breath awareness and practiced all of these elements for some time. They also live their yoga off the mat. A true yoga practice is not finished when you say Namaste. In truth physical asanas should not be the focus of your yoga practice. Instead they are a tool to help cultivate the true practice of awareness. Most people think we use our bodies to get into a yoga posture but in reality we use the yoga postures to get into our bodies.
Obviously, this is a big topic and I have a lot to cover. There is no doubt that the safety of a student is both the responsibility of the teacher and of the student. Following is a list of 10 simple things you can do to help increase the safety of your own practice.
1) The Power of Awareness. Have you ever noticed that an accident or injury doesn't happen when you are very concentrated and in the moment, they happen when you are not paying attention or lost in your thoughts. By cultivating a practice that is focused on awareness and being in the the moment rather than physical accomplishment you are more likely to protect yourself in your poses.
2) Breathe! The breath is the language of the body communicating with the mind. When the teacher is queing breath really check in with your breathing and be aware. Often times it is easy to let the breath and queing of the breath become mechanical without any awareness. Also, if you are holding your breath or struggling for a breath more than likely your are either not present in what is happening in the body or you have gone too deep and need to back out.
3) Less is more. Try practicing restraint vs. accomplishment. This can become a beautiful practice of awareness in itself. Sure you can go deep but can you also back off and play your edge?
4) Trust yourself. Listen to the teacher within. A teacher can only que proper alignment. They do not have an x-ray machine to see if everything is lining up exactly or pushing beyond it's limit. But you do. It's your internal knowing that you tap into with your breath and awareness. If you can safely close your eyes and go in, often times you naturally align yourself just by checking in.
5) Trust your instincts. This works on many levels. If you don't feel safe you probably are not. If you don't trust the teacher, trust yourself and either find another teacher or do a posture you feel comfortable with even if that is not what the rest of the class is doing.
Often times we give others way too much authority. Sure it is important to respect one another including the teacher, but more often than not the teacher is your neighbor not your guru.
6) Your ego is not your amigo, especially in yoga class. Kick that ego to the curb. That goes for obsession as well. In yoga we use a term called Santosha- contentment. Be content with your practice and your body. Be kind and gentle with yourself.
7) Take your practice off your mat. Practice awareness in your daily life. Simple things can include meditation, breathing exercises (pranayama), and mindfulness during your daily activities. For example, practice Ujjayi pranayama for the entire time you are cooking diner or any specific activity. Or be completely mindful while eating an apple. Think of how you can take the lessons you learn on the mat into your daily life and ultimately this will come full circle back to the mat.
8) Honor the process. Build your foundation. The alphabet has 26 letters not just 2. Most of us want to get from a to z without going through all the other steps. Though a teacher might offer various stages of a posture that doesn't mean you have to take it to the farthest point.
9) Be honest- with yourself and the teacher. If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, are pregnant, stenosis of the neck, a torn rotators cuff, or a bum knee (to name a few) - these are all things a teacher should know about. Even if the injury is old it is helpful that the teacher be informed. If you feel uncomfortable about mentioning this in class simply tell your teacher one-on-one before class starts.
10.) Be proactive. If you know you have a particular aliment, injury or health concern look it up yourself. The internet is a wealth of knowledge. For instance you can google, "contraindicated yoga poses for _________" Also, if you are uncertain about something don't be afraid to ask or sit something out. Learn your limits. Yoga is a practice of self-discipline.
It's not that the practice in and of itself is extremely dangerous, although like anything it can be if done improperly or inappropriately. In fact there are many reasons why yoga injuries are on the rise. As a yoga community we have lost our way. Actually with the gain in popularity the tendency is to puff up it's benefits and down play it's dangers.
What we have largely failed to grasp, especially in the West, is like anything there is a process. Have you ever watched and old kung fu movie? Almost always there is a young student who begs the old wise kung fu master to be his student. The old master will refuse him many times before he even accepts the youngster as a student. Then when he is accepted you see him washing the floor or holding two buckets full of water for hours on end, or doing some menial task and not doing any kung fu fighting at all. Why is that? The master is building a foundation. The young eager student can't just start fighting with advanced techniques and technicality without having a foundation in the practice. Why is it in yoga you can learn the basic flow of a sun salutation within 2-3 classes then be in and intermediate to advanced class without any other foundation? You wouldn't take one French lesson and say you spoke fluent French. That would seem ridiculous. Yet we apply that same principle to yoga all the time!
Therein lies the disconnect. Yoga is ultimately a practice of awareness. If you were to do nothing but sit on your mat for and hour concentrating on your breath you would be doing an advanced yoga practice. But most people think, where's the fun in that? As Westerners we are goal oriented folks. We like to push our limits, show our strength, perform, succeed and compete with ourselves and with others. Ultimately that is what we bring to the mat. And unfortunately, this is one of the root causes of yoga injuries- Ego and Obsession. As Glen Black is quoted in the book The Science of Yoga, by William J. Broad, "You have to set your ego aside and not become obsessive. You have to get a different perspective to see if what you are doing is going to eventually be bad for you." In general most yoga poses are safe when practiced safely but often times ego and obsession take over the practice and safety flies off the mat.
Another factor that contributes to a vast majority of yoga injuries is what I call physical deficiencies. As a nation, Americans are overfed and under nourished. This malnourishment leads to being physical depleted and can cause serious weaknesses. In general we live sedentary lifestyles and for some the only activity they may get is on the yoga mat. Layered with being stressed out and sleep deprived. Then on top of it all, add the fact that most Westerners don't begin their yoga practice until they are well into adulthood. Many people take up yoga because they are already stiff. Combine all these elements together plus our obsessive perfectionist culture and that is just a recipe for disaster. A yoga teacher can't necessarily tell if their student has high or low blood pressure, or if they are diabetic, or fatigued. In truth most students either deny, evade, or simply don't know their own health issues.
Many yoga asanas are a practice for the healthy individual who has built a foundation, gone through the steps, and cultivated mind-body-breath awareness and practiced all of these elements for some time. They also live their yoga off the mat. A true yoga practice is not finished when you say Namaste. In truth physical asanas should not be the focus of your yoga practice. Instead they are a tool to help cultivate the true practice of awareness. Most people think we use our bodies to get into a yoga posture but in reality we use the yoga postures to get into our bodies.
Obviously, this is a big topic and I have a lot to cover. There is no doubt that the safety of a student is both the responsibility of the teacher and of the student. Following is a list of 10 simple things you can do to help increase the safety of your own practice.
1) The Power of Awareness. Have you ever noticed that an accident or injury doesn't happen when you are very concentrated and in the moment, they happen when you are not paying attention or lost in your thoughts. By cultivating a practice that is focused on awareness and being in the the moment rather than physical accomplishment you are more likely to protect yourself in your poses.
2) Breathe! The breath is the language of the body communicating with the mind. When the teacher is queing breath really check in with your breathing and be aware. Often times it is easy to let the breath and queing of the breath become mechanical without any awareness. Also, if you are holding your breath or struggling for a breath more than likely your are either not present in what is happening in the body or you have gone too deep and need to back out.
3) Less is more. Try practicing restraint vs. accomplishment. This can become a beautiful practice of awareness in itself. Sure you can go deep but can you also back off and play your edge?
4) Trust yourself. Listen to the teacher within. A teacher can only que proper alignment. They do not have an x-ray machine to see if everything is lining up exactly or pushing beyond it's limit. But you do. It's your internal knowing that you tap into with your breath and awareness. If you can safely close your eyes and go in, often times you naturally align yourself just by checking in.
5) Trust your instincts. This works on many levels. If you don't feel safe you probably are not. If you don't trust the teacher, trust yourself and either find another teacher or do a posture you feel comfortable with even if that is not what the rest of the class is doing.
Often times we give others way too much authority. Sure it is important to respect one another including the teacher, but more often than not the teacher is your neighbor not your guru.
6) Your ego is not your amigo, especially in yoga class. Kick that ego to the curb. That goes for obsession as well. In yoga we use a term called Santosha- contentment. Be content with your practice and your body. Be kind and gentle with yourself.
7) Take your practice off your mat. Practice awareness in your daily life. Simple things can include meditation, breathing exercises (pranayama), and mindfulness during your daily activities. For example, practice Ujjayi pranayama for the entire time you are cooking diner or any specific activity. Or be completely mindful while eating an apple. Think of how you can take the lessons you learn on the mat into your daily life and ultimately this will come full circle back to the mat.
8) Honor the process. Build your foundation. The alphabet has 26 letters not just 2. Most of us want to get from a to z without going through all the other steps. Though a teacher might offer various stages of a posture that doesn't mean you have to take it to the farthest point.
9) Be honest- with yourself and the teacher. If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, are pregnant, stenosis of the neck, a torn rotators cuff, or a bum knee (to name a few) - these are all things a teacher should know about. Even if the injury is old it is helpful that the teacher be informed. If you feel uncomfortable about mentioning this in class simply tell your teacher one-on-one before class starts.
10.) Be proactive. If you know you have a particular aliment, injury or health concern look it up yourself. The internet is a wealth of knowledge. For instance you can google, "contraindicated yoga poses for _________" Also, if you are uncertain about something don't be afraid to ask or sit something out. Learn your limits. Yoga is a practice of self-discipline.
