Category Archives: Yoga Myth

When The Real Party Begins

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I’ve been reading Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice, by Mark Singleton, and it is nothing short of mind-blowing. It’s clear Mark has done extensive research and found substantial evidence to show that the physical yoga practice as we know it today is not exclusively “Indian”, and not all of it came printed on a leaf from 5,000 years ago.

This newfound knowledge challenges me in a number of ways, such as the concept of “real yoga” or “traditional yoga”. I learned that the physical aspect of yoga is a synthesis of numerous Movement practices. As Mark wrote:

The history of modern physical culture overlaps and intersects with the histories of para-religious, “unchurched” spirituality; Western esotericism; medicine, health, and hygiene; chiropractic, osteopathy, and bodywork; body-centered psychotherapy; the modern revival of Hinduism; and the sociopolitical demands of the emergent modern Indian nation (to name but a few).

(He’s an academic researcher, if you can’t tell :) )

I’m reminded of works like Reggie Ray’s Touching Enlightenment: Finding Realizations in the Body, and realized that humans have always had a complex relationship with our physical selves. We seek pleasure with it and we mortify it in hope of finding paradise. We glorify it and we detest it, sometimes in the same breath.

With the way most of us live now, attached to a chair and a desk or a wheel, the body is paying a prize. Naturally, physical fitness is the first thing that needs some TLC. You can’t get to Bliss without going through the physical layer, the Annamaya kosha. I suspect this is why yoga has gotten so bodily focused, certainly to extreme degrees in some cases, but hey, it goes back to that addiction thing.

I had always been vaguely aware that a part of a yogasana practice is the innovation of the practitioner, and teacher. How could a craft that’s mainly experiential not be influenced by the people who must experience it intimately in their own body first? Now I know for sure, that for yoga to work, it cannot be packaged and frozen in time. It cannot be merely recited and regurgitated. Its context must be understood.

The tradition of yoga is to adapt and evolve.

And so, with the understanding that yogasana is influenced by a multitude of factors, like people, culture, sociopolitical trends, etc, I’m reminded of a postcard I bought at a coffee shop.

Let me explain.

I used to frequent Cherry Street Coffee House in downtown Seattle, and one day, I met Ali, the owner. He exuded this other-worldly vibe that I couldn’t quite pinpoint, but I was mesmerized. Shortly thereafter, I saw a collection of postcards made by Ali, and I understood. When I read cards like this, and this, I smiled. Here is a man that doesn’t need no stinkin’ yoga! He already understands what it’s all about.

My favorite Ali card of all, the one that I bought many moons ago and have carried it with me to all corners of the world as I moved east, west, north, and south, is one that says: “The party begins when what you want for yourself you want for everyone else. It doesn’t matter which book you are reading.” I see this portrayed by an image of Egyptian Christians protecting their Muslim countrymen while they pray. This image has gotten 1300+ comments on Reddit, including this one:

“I was there! they placed newspapers and towels on the floor so we wouldn’t pray on the hot asphalt, I love Egyptian Christians and although I am Muslim I would die defending any one of them.” – Reddit user sayyeddy.

Egyptian Christians protecting their Muslim countrymen while they pray during protests in Egypt. Image via Reddit http://imgur.com/NhC4m.

Egyptian Christians protecting their Muslim countrymen while they pray during protests in Egypt. Image via Reddit http://imgur.com/NhC4m.

And with credit to Ali, I say, “The party begins when what you want for yourself, you want for everyone else. It doesn’t matter which yoga style you’re practicing.”

Ali Ghambari reminding me of the Big Picture.

Ali Ghambari reminding me of the Big Picture.

10 Things Your Yoga Instructor *Will* Tell You, Part I

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I recently read an article titled 10 Things Your Yoga Instructor Won’t Tell You from Smart Money Mag, and naturally have a thing or two to say. (Let’s forget for a moment the blind cowboy “buy now” advice, and that not everyone heeds their words, but I digress big time.)

(Caution, long post ahead, brew some tea :) )

Long road ahead

Long road ahead

1. “I just started doing yoga myself!”

The problem is that there’s no real standard for how much teacher training is required of instructors, so almost anyone can lead a yoga class. Yes, there are plenty of certification programs around, but they run the gamut from thorough training—like that offered at the Advanced Studies Program at the Yoga Room in Berkeley, Calif., which requires 500 hours of classwork covering such subjects as philosophy and anatomy—to mere weekend workshops.

How, then, to avoid un- or underqualified instructors? Check with the Yoga Alliance, a national education and support organization. Although joining the group is voluntary and many perfectly good teachers haven’t signed up for its instructor registry, you can check to see if yours has at least attended a YA-approved program, which must require a minimum of 200 hours of teacher training

First off, Hallelujah! Since yoga is “so hot right now”, more and more of us are foraying into teaching. It’s right on the money (har) to call out the lack of standard in yoga teacher training, which then leads to a wide array of qualified teacher. Let me be super clear that I’m totally onboard with the Twainian philosophy of not letting schooling interfere with education. Could a teacher *with* a certificate lead someone to harm? Yup! Could a teacher *without* a certificate offer a great yoga class? Absolutely. The issue of certification and experience versus education is complex and deserves its own post, or even book, so I won’t go into it here.

I want to focus on the fact that since there are no “real” standards, and the implications for yoga teachers and students.

1) If you are contemplating becoming a yoga teacher, do a lot of research on training programs since they are not created equal. It may be more expensive, it may take more time, but because we are working with people’s emotional, mental, and physical states, in my humble opinion, it is more than worth it. In fact, if teaching yoga turns out to be your calling, I bet that you will end up doing many, many trainings for the rest of your life. (You can read up on my experience of finding a quality yoga teacher training program)

2) If you are a yoga student, just like you would check out your car mechanic, realtor, physical therapist, it follows that you’d want to check out your yoga teacher as well. As Smart Money mentioned, you can check out if your teacher received any certification by *either* checking out if they are listed in the Yoga Alliance registry *or* if the school they graduated from is registered as a certified teaching program.

The minimum is a 200-hour (pdf) level standard set by the Yoga Alliance, and subsequently a 500-hour (pdf) level. In some styles of yoga, you merely need to go to a weekend training or a boot camp. In contrast, in traditions like Iyengar or Anusara, there is a different certification process, which require the teacher many years of studying, practicing *and* teaching in the classroom. (The issue of why some teachers don’t register with the Yoga Alliance is political and financial-based, but here’s more on choosing a yoga teacher.)

As a side note, Donald Moyer, the Founding Director of the Yoga Room mentioned above will be in Seattle at Two Dog Yoga in two weeks! I’ll be there, and say hi if you see me!

2. “Sure, we have mats you can borrow—how about a case of athlete’s foot, too?”

Though some facilities do try to wash or disinfect their mats regularly, most don’t get sprayed on both sides… With 30 people sweating for 90 minutes, the room’s a petri dish. Our advice: Spend the $20 on your own mat—or go without.

If you get your own mat, and if turns out to cost more than $20, it might be worth it. “It’s just a mat, what’s the big deal?” You might say. I spend a lot of time on yoga mats, and mats to me is like Bentleys to Bikram Choudhury, so I’ve sampled quite a few of them. I will say that from a safety and injury standpoint (not brand name, status symbol, aesthetic, etc.), be sure to look for a mat that’s sticky enough, and has enough padding, especially if you just started out. Slipping and sliding on your mat distracts you from learning other things.

Okay, I don’t normally endorse anything, but I’m going to break my rule slightly here. Um… okay, maybe not publicly. Email me, and I’ll tell you the pros and cons of the mats I’ve tried, and my favorite (which may or may not be yours).

3. “You’re not ready for this class . . .”

Yoga classes tend to be rated by level of expertise—typically beginner, intermediate, and advanced. But if you say you’re ready for an advanced class, chances are no one at the sign-in desk will question you. It’s not a bad idea to call the studio ahead of time and ask them which class is most appropriate. And be honest about your abilities. After all, you won’t learn much if you’re in over your head and become too discouraged to continue.

Once during a training, Judith Lasater asked, “Do you guys want to know a secret to getting your students to try something?” Our ears perked up with anticipation, as she mischievously smiled, “Tell them this is the advanced version.” We broke out in chuckles, realizing a certain truth in her joke.

For a very long time, I had it in my head that I was much more “advanced” than I really was. I came to a level 2-3 Iyengar intensive thinking I was more 3 than 2, and after one month, realized that I was more like 0. I wasn’t necessarily overconfident or full of myself. I had made the classic mistake of equating time = experience. I had spent soo much time doing yoga, what reason was there to think that I was a beginner? The thing is, I was in classes where there was little time alloted for instruction and correction. I was mostly going from one pose to the next, without really thinking about where I was going.

I believe this stems from our desire to get a “good workout” from yoga, to burn calories and to sweat. This too, deserves its own post, so I’ll direct you to something I wrote about the Yoga Teacher Dilemma, and leave this topic at that for now.

4. “. . . and you could really hurt yourself.”

Some yoga poses are universally acknowledged to be risky—in particular, inversions such as shoulder stands and headstands. Since they cause blood to rush to the head and can raise blood pressure, these poses are potentially dangerous for anyone being treated for glaucoma or chronic headaches, or anyone who’s recently had a stroke; they’re also not recommended for anyone who’s more than 30 pounds overweight, since they compress the vertebrae in the neck. Good yoga instructors will caution a class before going into inversions and will keep a careful eye out for anyone doing the pose improperly.

Ah, yes, my favorite: pain and injuries. If your yoga teacher won’t say it, I will, loud and clear, “Yoga doesn’t have to hurt. But it can, has, does, and will.” If we can hurt ourselves getting out of bed, picking up a kitten, then we can certainly hurt ourselves in yoga. No one is immune to pain, and no activity is exempt as a source of pain.

And yet, and yet, I’ve seen teachers too zealous and hasty with putting students in poses like headstand and handstand. I remember a time when I went through rounds and rounds of chaturanga with elbows wide as Shaquille O’Neal’s coat hanger, inflaming my wrist and shoulders. I can’t recount how many times I was told to “push and push and push” in a camel pose when all I was doing was dumping in my lumbar and sacroiliac.

I’m pretty sure people have hurt themselves or gotten hurt in a yoga class for a long time, but this is becoming more and more at the forefront of our collective consciousness, notably with the most recent lawsuit against Richard Freeman’s studio in Boulder. As students, there is no surefire guarantee to safeguard ourselves against any kind of pain. The teacher may be top-notch in the field, we can take every pre-caution possible, and one day, some mysterious pain will still show up. It is part of having a human body that’s subject to breakdown and eventual disintegration.

Knowing this, the awareness of pain is perhaps our most trusted ally. Being aware of our body’s susceptibility to injuries and the inevitable pain that comes keeps us vigilant. When I climb on a rock wall, being off the ground constantly reminds me that I can fall. That acknowledgement doesn’t stop me from falling, but it reduces the chances of me seriously injuring myself.

This could hurt you more than it hurts me

This could hurt you more than it hurts me

To be continued, with other riveting things your yoga instructor will or won’t tell you :)

Why We Need Yoga Teachers

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My boyfriend sometimes asks me why I go to yoga class when I’m a yoga teacher myself. The easy answer is that I’m a student first, and there is *always* something more to learn in yoga, it’s a lifetime’s work. Another reason is I cannot see myself when I practice, and the brain sometimes has a funny way of getting confused when it comes to the body. How many of us have turned right when told to turn left?

I’ve been reading Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall, and this quote reminded me of how running is similar to yoga, where in some yoga classes, new students are told to watch someone else and follow along.

It’s a misconception that you can effectively learn yoga this way, and it’s a great disservice to the learning process.

“Everyone thinks they know how to run, but it’s really as nuanced as any other activity,” Eric told me. “Ask most people, and they’ll say, people just run the way they run, that’s ridiculous, does everyone just swim the way they swim?

For every other sport, lessons are fundamental. You don’t just go out and start slashing away with a golf club or sliding down a mountain on skis until someone takes you through the steps and teaches you proper form. If not, inefficiency is guaranteed and injury is inevitable. Running is the same way, learn it wrong, and you’ll never know how good it can feel.” - Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen, Christopher McDougall

MythBuster: Yoga is for Pretzels

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Perhaps the one single biggest myth about yoga is that it’s for Cirque du Soleil retirees. “But I’m not flexible”, is usually the first thing I hear when people explain why they don’t do yoga.

True, with time and dedication, yoga can and will help you become more flexible. It will also help you gain more strength, and this is often an overlooked component and benefit of yoga.

Be Aware of The Unprotected Stretch

Do you know someone in your life who is extremely flexible, who can contort in all sorts of out-of-this-world positions, but would probably get swept away if the wind blew by? My mom is like this. She can get into Lotus Pose with no problems. She doesn’t even really need to warm up. Me? I have to do 4 hours of hips and hamstrings and quads work, just to maybe get in 20 seconds of Lotus. When it comes to strength, however, that’s where I get my revenge.

I did Muay Thai kickboxing and competitive running all through high school and part of college, and I have been rock climbing for 8 years. I’m much stronger than my mom, but I’m always tight somewhere, if not my hamstrings, then my shoulders, or hips, or lower back. I have definitely felt the pressure to be a human Play Doh, especially when there’s that really annoyingly flexible person next to me in yoga class.

Imagine my relief when I learned this axiom:

The area where you’re creating the greatest mobility is also the area where you must be creating the greatest stability

- Theresa Elliott

In other words, you don’t want *only* flexibility. In fact, you have a greater chance of going in your ligaments if you stretch without any muscular strength.

Show them You’re the Boss

Britney Spears had it all wrong, you’re the boss, not the slave. You don’t need to prove how strong you are or how flexible you are by doing yoga. The yoga poses are meant to reveal to ourselves what’s really going on with our body. Where is it strong? Where is it flexible? Where does it need more work? Where does it need to be refrained? If you are a pretzel, yoga can be just as useful to you as it would be for a bodybuilder, and vice versa.

So, on your list of  Good Things that Go Together, mac ‘n cheese, peanut butter and honey, chips and salsa, please welcome this fabulous couple: Mobility and Stability.