Why do we need a training like SAFE Yoga?
Next month, I’m running another session of SAFE Yoga- my continuing education program for teachers. Here’s a piece that I wrote a few years ago sharing the inspiration behind this course. . .
When presented with the prospect of a program like SAFE Yoga, whose goal is making yoga classes more inclusive and safer for everyone, you might ask why it would be needed. After all, this is the practice that clears the mind, cultivates flexibility and strength, increases performance, reduces stress, improves memory, heals injuries, reverses aging, and leaves everyone walking out on a cloud of bliss.
The yoga industry in North America has grown exponentially over the past 10 years. Over 36 million people practice yoga in the US, a number that has doubled since 2012. Doctors are recommending yoga for everything from Parkinson's Disease to PTSD, and you don’t have to go far at your next social gathering to hear someone preach about how amazing they feel after their first month of yoga classes.
With the increase in popularity there has come a plethora of options for prospective yogis. For every current yoga teacher, there are two people interested in training to become one. With so many new teachers and studios popping up on every corner, practitioners have more choice than ever. At the same time, yoga is a very broad term for a very complex and varied practice, and it can be hard to know what you’re walking into when you walk into your new neighborhood studio, or even a class taught by a different instructor.
At its heart, the practice of yoga is a practice in meditation, an effort to create more connection between mind, body, and the present moment. In application, the importance our culture places on looks, physical fitness, and youth has pressured many yoga teachers to modify classes so that the physical benefits of the practice are emphasized. With names like CorePower Yoga and teachers encouraging students to ‘push to your edge,’ ‘burn off your Thanksgiving diner,’ and ‘do more, reach further,’ the practice becomes almost unrecognizable. While there’s nothing wrong with taking care of our bodies, making this the primary focus means that practitioners find themselves walking into yet another self-improvement course- one more place where we aren’t good enough, strong enough, flexible enough, or young enough- rather than the mindful, self-compassionate practice that it was originally intended to be.
When a healthy individual goes into a class like this, it can be frustrating but probably won’t have lasting negative effects. They might still receive some level of benefit from the practice, enjoy the movement and breathing, and get a little motivational inspiration. But what about an individual who comes in with an injury, body dysmorphia, or depression? In these cases, asking them to push harder, do better, or burn more calories can actually be dangerous.
Every person that walks into a yoga class is an individual in the truest sense of the word. We all are coming in with a different body type, background, fitness level, and mental or physical health concerns. While it is common for a yoga teacher to make adjustments for visible injuries or limitations, and there are classes available for individuals undergoing cancer treatment or suffering from PTSD, many people will walk into an open class with a concern that is not easily visible. Over 3 million people are diagnosed with a herniated spinal disc every year. 1 in 5 Americans struggles with mental illness annually. At any given time, almost 10% of the U.S. population is dealing with anxiety, major depression, or bipolar disorder, more than 31 million people have or are struggling with Post Traumatic Stress, and between 10-15% of the American population is suffering from an eating disorder.
Even for individuals who aren’t coming into class with an identifiable physical or mental health issue, the Western approach to yoga can have the opposite of its intended effect. Orthopedists have reported an increase in the need for hip replacements on younger patients who are often yoga teachers, and note that it is quite common to see devoted yoga practitioners coming in with chronic pain in their shoulders, elbows, and necks. It’s easy to see how hot yoga, an extremely popular style, can be dangerous when practiced in a 104 degree room, possibly leading to dehydration or overstretched ligaments.
This doesn’t mean that the benefits of yoga aren’t real. Many individuals do experience real healing through yoga. But when practitioners are pushed by their teachers to do things that aren’t appropriate for their circumstances, real damage can be done. Making sure a teacher is well informed on the different mental and physical conditions that may require modifications in the practice is one step to reducing this risk. Of course, it isn’t possible for teachers to be aware of the unique needs of every single practitioner in their group class, nor would it be possible for them to modify the class in a way that works for everyone in it. Therefore, it is essential that teachers learn how to encourage their students in a different way, empowering them to do what is most compassionate for themselves in the moment, and effectively supporting the development of their own personal practice in the process.
If we can make mindful meditation the guiding focus of classes again and recognize the uniqueness of every body and individual, yoga becomes more accessible for populations that can deeply benefit, but may have stayed away or left the practice due to misinformed or insensitive instruction. And isn’t accessibility really the point? Non-harming and compassion for self and others is a core tenet of yoga philosophy. If we want to promote this practice as a source of healing, peace, and strength, we need to do everything possible to make those benefits available to everyone who wants them. It’s my hope that the SAFE yoga program becomes a voice for a different type of yoga- one where we all feel welcome, supported, and celebrated for who we are.