Hi, yogi friends!
It's me, Jessica! Misty asked me if I would revive this blog and, being the word nerd that I am, I am SO EXCITED to share some thoughts with you guys every now and then!
I thought a good (and relevant) place to start would be with an article you have probably seen floating around the yoga world: How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body by the New York Times.
As a journalist, I see a title like that and cringe – biased much? But upon further reflection, I actually think this article has some good points and it discusses a few things we should definitely be mindful of.
First of all, I think we've ALL heard that “you are your own teacher” and you should “listen to your own body.” These things sound really nice – in fact, I love to say them to my classes because I think it takes a bit of the pressure off students. However, because we can (usually) never leave ego completely out of the mix, sometimes we hurt ourselves by going too far or too deep in a pose. Am I right?
I know I've been there. My vice is often chaturanga; I struggle to do them correctly and, if I'm not careful, can end up with sore shoulders and an aching lower back.
So, I've had to learn to back off sometimes. I've had to check my ego on the mat and ask myself WHY I feel the need to cycle through each and every chaturanga. Is it because I want to simply power through and do it because everyone else is doing it – which is not yoga – or is it because it would feel nice and my body would enjoy the movement?
All this to say – yeah, your asana practice can be a dangerous thing if you're not listening extremely closely.
Obviously, any physical activity one attempts can lead to injury if not performed safely and with care. That's why alignment is so important in an asana practice, as well as serious attention to the breath. If the breath is becoming ragged and you're exhausted, why in the world would you go for another chaturanga (speaking to myself here too, y'all)!
Back the article itself: it talks about “master” yoga teachers who have suffered serious injuries after years of practicing and who have required surgery to fix their ailments, and also discusses a student who experienced a stroke while in wheel – and that's just a small portion of the horrors described.
Scary stuff, yes?
Certainly. But it doesn't mean we can't or shouldn't continue to enjoy our asana practices.
I think, if nothing else, this article can help us cultivate a healthy sense of awareness for the practice we love so much, and maybe help us keep that ego in check. I don't believe that it should scare us off the mat or make us afraid of certain poses – but instead of just throwing our bodies into the pose, let's remain mindful of both the benefits and dangers. Knowledge is power, right?
I could ramble on and on about this, so I'm cutting myself off (much like I have to do at Rosepepper... oh, wait...) – now it's your turn to sound off about this controversial article. What do you think? Have you ever hurt yourself during an asana practice? Share your story in the comments section!
Namaste,
Jessica
