How Yoga Can Heal Your Body

A recent NY Times article, entitled “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body”, ignited a fire in the international yoga community. And with good reason: William Broad’s commentary is slanderous, and based more in perception, than fact.

Like many yoga instructors, I was extremely disturbed by the irresponsible reporting in the article. The title of the article alone is outrageous. Yoga does not “wreck” our bodies. Just like any other physical pursuit, we wreck our bodies with yoga when we value competition and ego, more than awareness and good intention, on our mat. We can also heal our bodies through yoga, when we embrace the nurturing opportunities of this ancient practice.

My personal journey with yoga began in 1998. Since then (and in stark contrast to Mr. Broad's experience), the art, science and philosophy of yoga have led me to a better life than I ever imagined, and have been my greatest medicine. In the earliest years of my practice, yoga helped heal my body, after a serious car crash that left me with more than a dozen broken bones. Since then, daily practice has helped me cure migraine headaches, insomnia, thyroid disease, and chronic sinus infections. It has also revealed tremendous strength, and deepened my relationship with God. I have watched countless students heal their bodies, and reclaim their power, in my classes. From my perspective, as both student and teacher, yoga is the ultimate platform for personal transformation.

To understand the true purpose of yoga, it is important to note that it was created thousands of years ago, and was never intended to be competitive or aggressive. The original purpose of yoga was to help prepare the body and mind for long periods of meditation, to improve overall health, and to increase longevity. It is a powerful tradition that is accessible to everyone, and can be used in a variety of ways. Because it is a rich practice that is widely open for interpretation, what we receive from yoga is directly correlated to personal intention. If you come to yoga class in search of a sweaty workout, or to show everyone how flexible you are, then that is what you will leave with, and nothing more. Conversely, if you meet your mat with a curious mind, and an open heart, you will learn, incrementally, how to use yoga to create healing, and equanimity, in your life. This, to me, is the promise of yoga, and what brings me back to my mat each day.

Of course, the physical benefits of yoga are undeniable. Regular asana practice will tone your body, and strengthen your core. But body sculpting is not the point. Yoga is so much MORE. The word yoga means “union”, and refers to the uniting of the mind, body and soul. Yoga, in its truest form, is a tool that dissolves the emotional and physical barriers--layers and layers of harm, internalized over a lifetime--that prevent us from realizing our greatest potential. Practiced regularly, yoga balances our body chemistry, reconnects us with our innate joy, and leads us to authentic happiness in life. The asanas (poses) are just part of the process, as is breathing intentionally, quieting the mind, and staying in the moment.

Yoga students (and we are all students, even if we teach) must be vigilant, mentally and physically, to prevent injury. They must seek to understand proper alignment in the poses, and remember that graceful transitions are just as important as the poses. As long as students practice with a teachable heart, good intention, body awareness, and an attitude of ahimsa (non-harming of themselves and others), they are "doing it right", regardless of what their poses look like.

And for the record, the only yoga injury I have ever had, after 13 years of practice, occurred when my ego got the best of me, and I moved into the splits without warming up, and without awareness. It was my fault, and I knew better. I never once blamed it on yoga, and I never will.

As yogis, we must constantly reconcile our asana practice with our intuition, to heal our bodies and prevent injury. In his article, Mr. Broad completely missed the point that, like everything else we do repetitively (standing, running, and typing, for example), there is always a risk of hurting ourselves. Conscientious yoga instructors remind students of this repeatedly. When you examine yoga in it’s totality, and the intention behind it (the union of mind, body and spirit), it is clear that we must embrace internal guidance, more than the suggestions of an instructor. As teachers, we open doors to new possibilities, but the students always cross the thresholds on their own, in their own unique time.

So, if you read Mr. Broad’s article, and are still open to exploring yoga, read Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, and learn to embrace the "yamas" and "niyamas" on your mat. Stay open to the comprehensive value of the practice. Over time, you will learn to stop worrying about what your practice looks like, and what everyone else thinks about it, and focus on HOW IT FEELS. This is the essence of yoga, and nothing in my life has ever served me more than its practice.

Amber Barry is a certified yoga instructor, wellness coach, motivational speaker, public school advocate and founder of Come On, Get Healthy! She lives in Atlanta, GA, with her husband and three daughters, and shares her adventures in wellness on the Come On, Get Healthy! Facebook page (like us!).