Yoga–past, present, future

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In continuation with my last post, I’d like to chit chat about a couple of articles I read recently on the Huff Post written by Ira Israel questioning: (1) The Future of Yoga in America, and (2)What is yoga?

The definition of yoga has, in the past few decades, been transformed from a spiritual practice to a physical exercise that can give you a toned, bendy body. As Israel stated, yoga asanas did not become popularized till the recent century, when Krishnamacharya compiled a sequence of asanas based on the Yoga Korunta, and his disciples–Sri K Pattabhi Jois, B.K.S. Iyengar, Indra Devi, and Desikachar (Krishnamacharya’s son)–helped spread yoga to the west.

“What has yoga become under the highly-competitive American cultural paradigm known as ‘late capitalism?’” When yoga consisted of five naked men standing around a fire screaming primordial sounds in an effort to unite with the divine, women were not made to feel welcome. Now, 5,000 years later it is bendy, athletic women who are making the men feel unwelcome. Source

In “What is Yoga,” Israel told the story of the two college-aged men, who obviously were first-timers to yoga, that he had class with in a more advanced yoga class. A few minutes into class, the teacher was yelling at them for coming to a level 2/3 class as beginners.

Rest be assured that the two young men will never go to another yoga class.

Yoga has been glammed up. Many people, men and women alike, have often come up to me and asked if they can do yoga even if they’re inflexible. The society today sees yoga as an exercise for young, attractive women with superhuman flexibility. Just the other day, a random woman on the street came up to me and asked me where I got my adorable boots. She was very chatty, and she eventually got around to the question of what I do. When I told her I teach yoga, her first question was, “Can you put your leg behind your leg?”, and then secondly, “Is it true that yoga can help you lose weight?” I didn’t know what to say, and I can’t blame her for her ignorance because nowadays we see commercials or workout videos flashing the words “Blast fat with yoga!”, “Yoga to tone your problem areas“, or “Cardioblast yoga.”

I shudder.

Yoga is not about whether you can put your legs behind your head, or how much calories you can burn, it’s preparing your body for meditation. In other words, you are ridding your body of toxins and clearing up your energy channels to help you ease into the ultimate spiritual state with a clear mind and a pure heart.

As Krishnamacharya, considered the father of modern yoga, said: “If you can breathe, then you can do yoga.”

“Yogas citta-vrtti nirodhah” (Yoga Sutras I.2) — Yoga is the channeling of the behavior of your mental frame. Yoga is about channeling and controlling the subtle energies within your body. And since breath is the primary association of the mind, the first step to controlling the mind can be accomplished by controlling your breath. Unfortunately, this definition has been buried beneath the more glamorous commercialization of yoga (hello, Lululemon!).

The future of yoga in America, actually in any part of the world that is involved in yoga, is pretty much heading down this road that Israel described.

…the problem is that high rents have caused yoga studios to pump out a plethora of under-experienced teachers. Many of these are the same teachers — who are all in competition for a limited number of jobs and students — are the ones “wrecking the bodies” of students — according to the New York Times — because they don’t understand that yoga is primarily a spiritual tool, not a physical exercise practice to make you look better. Unfortunately, aside from a little “spiritual stuff at the end,” those exercise regimes have nothing to do with yoga, uniting with the divine. Source

Unfortunately, the ancient science of yoga has become the victim of capitalism. The yoga “industry” is a big money maker, and when money is involved, the quality of the product matters less (think fast food chains).

To make his point, Israel ended with the big question: “At what point will yoga teachers organize and decide what is yoga and what is not, or will we just wait and let the government define it for us?“

Hmm…food for thought?

Why yoga can be dangerous

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The not-so-recent NYT article has caused alot of debate and storm amongst the yoga community both online and offline. My initial reactions were of shock first, then disbelief, followed by confusement, and relief after reading a few teachers’ and bloggers’ inputs on the issues. I’ve now finally matured on this subject and can finally talk about it, logically.

Yes, I believe yoga can be dangerous, IF done incorrectly, without proper coordination of breath of movement, and without awareness. Having been injured myself on multiple accounts from yoga, I can attest that yoga asanas do come with risk, as are all things we do in life. Nothing in life comes in a package with no risk, though some might contain more and others less. In fact, anything done without awareness is potential harm–car accidents happen because the drivers are not paying attention, we might accidentally cut ourselves while chopping vegetables in the kitchen because we are distracted by a conversation, or slip and fall in a puddle of water because we aren’t watching our steps–etc etc.

But my injuries have healed and have allowed me to go even deeper into my practice. They are now my greatest teachers, because they have taught me the mechanics of the wrist position in chaturangas, how the hamstring stretches without being overstretched, and how to extend the back instead of compressing in backbends. My injuries have taught me that awareness and breath cannot be lacking any second during the practice.

I’ve recently came across an article from CNN discussing the validity of yoga teachers nowadays. It stresses the importance of having a teacher to lower the risk of injuries, and it is best that the teachers has trained under the Yoga Alliance approved basic 200-Hr Teacher Training.

I disagree.

While the 200-Hr training is a good foundation, the teachers that graduate from the program vary in experience and expertise. Some of my friends who did TT had mentioned that a couple of students in their TT group actually came without much prior experience or background in yoga. They received their 200-hr certificates, but it makes me shudder to think that they might be teaching yoga classes now.

In Ashtanga, it is said that one should devote at least 10 years of practice before teaching. And even when teaching, one should continue practicing. There is never an “end” to learning in yoga. Everyday you experience something new, a new day might mean a new revelation.

Ultimately, yoga is a lifelong practice, it is a way of life. Be smart when practicing, learning, and teaching–that way you can reduce the risk of injuring yourself or your students.

Eka Pada Sirsasana–or how ridiculous I felt with one leg behind my head

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Never in a million years do I see myself going into Eka pada sirsasana. I thought I was forever stuck at Ardha matsyendrasana. I have the tightest groins anyone can have, and even now, I’m still unable to touch my belly to my feet and go forward in baddha konasana (fair enough, I had a few strains in my SI joints) nor can I completely go down in upavishtha konasana.

Surprisingly, last week my teacher came to me after I did ardha matsyendrasana and told me to do the prep work for eka pada. On the outside, I played it cool, but inside, I was panicking. Oh gosh, I’m going to make the biggest fool of myself trying to get into this one.

WEEK ONE
I did some fire logs to open up my hips, then surprisingly hooked my knee over my shoulder (I am capable of that?!). I used my other hand to help straighten the leg that was over my shoulder to help open up the hips and groin regions. As someone who’s had their fair share of hamstring strains, I was extra careful when I felt the intense hamstring stretch as well.

WEEK TWO
My teacher had told me to take this asana slowly, so I wasn’t expecting it when he came over the second week and said he’d help me into the posture. He emphasized on the outward rotation of the femur, and before I knew it, I felt my right foot at the back of my head. It was like one of those moments when you went into your first backbend or headstand, and the world is upset down and you seemed to have lost your sense of orientation. My foot, which I usually see in front and below of me, is suddenly above and behind me. What were left was my left foot and the back side of my right hip. I’m sure my hunched back that was struggling to keep that foot in place would bring about the deepest scorns on all yogis’ faces. My foot had to be held firmly, and just barely, over my head, to keep it there. It was the most intense hip stretch I’ve ever felt. Sweet pain, as my teacher loves to say.

WEEK THREE
So I’ve actually only had my feet behind my head once before my teacher had me try the full posture.

Wait what? Are you sure?
I guess my teacher was, and I awkwardly reached for my straight foot today with my other foot bound behind my head.

Needless to say, I left the class with sore hips. I guess it’s better than knee pains!