Are You Harming Your body with Yoga?

It's true - Yoga can seriously wreck ya!

I have been practicing on and off for 15 years. My back is not trashed, but it's not as solid as it should be.

In Chicago I practiced with various teachers 3-5 times per week for 18 months.

Now that I'm in Rochester, I'm taking with Francois Raoult at Open Sky and I am realizing how poorly my practice has been affecting my body due to a lack of TRUE understanding about how the body works and what certain poses are intended to stretch.

Doing anything improperly over a period of time is deleterious to our health. Smoking and drinking are a good example. Have a smoke, have a drink... it won't kill ya. Smoke & drink a pack a day and you will see steep declines in health, energy and self-esteem. Eventually, it will rot you out.

While a well-informed yoga practice is one of the best things you can do on a regular basis for health, longevity and well-being, all yoga teachers are NOT the same. In fact, most yoga teachers suck (there, I said it) and you should NOT trust them with your body.

Taking a weekend-long "yoga fit" certification does not a teacher make. Even dedicated practitioners with decades of experience could steer you wrong, or leave you hanging. It's true of any teacher, mentor or professional.

The reason I trust Francois is because he CLEARLY understands anatomy, physiology, energy, meditation and how poses can help or hurt the body depending on minute nuances that most teachers are ignorant of.

He is currently training a batch of students - some of whom have traveled from across the country to spend 6 months with him. We've had several conversations about their shock, awe and excitement about how their understanding is deepening. Who knew???

So, the question is: How do you know when your teachers are truly serving you, or hindering you from true health, wealth and connection?

It's critical. Especially for our children. I know I've had many guitar teachers in my youth that ruined me as a musician. Not because they made me "worse" but because when I was young and unfettered by responsibility and had all the time in the world to practice they failed to challenge me, inform my mind and body with truly worthwhile training and inspiration, and in general just sucked.

Here's the deal:

1.) Interview 5-10 local teachers for yourself or your child.
2.) Ask them about their philosophy, teaching style and experience.
3.) Ask them who THEY would take lessons from.
4.) Call the 1-3 people whose name keeps coming up.
5.) Don't skimp on price or distance.

If you have to, take fewer, higher quality lessons with the best teachers you can find. Teachers who, as Emerson admonishes, "will inspire us to be what we know we could be."

Cheers,

Craig

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