Yoga and The New York Times

You might think that I am in heaven.  I own a Pilates Studio, and the New York Times just published an article called, “How Yoga can Wreck Your Body.”  It’s a Pilates Studio’s dream, all of the people who were under the impression that yoga was good for you are going to flock to Pilates classes.  The age old turf war is over…Pilates has won…Let me be clear, sarcasm was intended…In fact I hope that the words above are dripping with thick gooey sarcasm.

I am as frustrated with the article in the New York Times as any Yoga teacher out there, and its not because the article doesn’t have some good ideas.  My problem comes with the fear the article is meant to inspire.  The title of the article is catchy, but inflammatory.  And the New York Times purports itself to be better than that!!!! (which makes me even more furious!) Then along with the title of the article is the photo, which includes Broadway’s Godspell cast “trying” to do advanced yoga poses.  At this point the reader, is going to read an article about how dangerous yoga is with an image of three costumed people making fun of an ancient practice…

The unfortunate thing about this presentation is that in everybody’s busy lives, the title of the article, the photo and the first paragraph may be all that a person reads, and thanks to the New York Times the message is not good…Well I have read the full article, and I do appreciate some of the points it made.  But I think that Yoga is getting blamed for a bigger problem…And injuries can happen in any activity that is not completed with awareness and care. 

The article talks about a certain outward looking yoga practice. A practice in which people are constantly striving for bigger and better poses…To me this is not a problem with Yoga, it is a problem with us.  We are such an accomplishment-oriented world, and yoga is a practice that is intended for internal exploration.  What if writing an article about internal motivations for movement as opposed to accomplishment oriented fitness.  Its not catchy, its not sensationalist, but it is the problem.  How do we measure success?  Is it in an aware practice that involves listening to the messages that our body is giving us? Or, does it include checking off asanas one by one until we have completed them all?  I know many yoga teachers that I am proud to call colleagues and I don’t think any of them would go for the checklist. 

This article does an injustice.  Its presentation is inflammatory and tells the wrong story.  But I guess like all media of the day, the article has done its job…I can’t tell you how many people have mentioned the article to me this week.  The New York Times has its ratings…Oh wait it’s a newspaper…HMMMM    

I've been on my soapbox in this blog...Let me know what you think.  Feel free to send an email, and I am happy to respond

Katrina Hawley

Co-Owner The Pilates Studio