Yoga Will Not Wreck Your Body

How do I know? Because umbrellas don’t cause rain.

If aliens from another planet landed on earth and saw a bunch of people walking around with umbrellas in a thunderstorm, they might assume that the rain falls because of the umbrellas. It’s a classic case of correlation does not equal causation.

Sometimes people fear that yoga is dangerous. They worry they will get hurt in a yoga class. And while you will undoubtedly find people who were injured and who also did yoga poses, yoga didn’t hurt anyone. People get hurt because they have structural or strength imbalances. They push themselves too hard or they don’t listen to their bodies. My own yoga injuries have always resulted from a lack of mindfulness. But I could say the same of almost any injury I’ve sustained.

Last weekend I made the brilliant decision to move my stackable washer/dryer while the lid to the washing machine was open. It fell on my finger causing a lot of pain, bruising, and swelling. Should I determine that doing laundry is too dangerous? I wish!

Yoga will always be beneficial if you slow down & use the practice to get more sensitive to sensation. You will learn what poses make you feel great and which ones to avoid. Yoga will help you become the wise steward of your physical well-being. That’s a skill you can use to keep you safe, on & off the mat.