After months of deliberation, I have finally decided to speak out against extremism in the yoga world.

If you are reading this, then my message has successfully made it to the internet. Tonight, I will be going underground and living out of an unmarked Volkswagen bus in the Pacific Northwest.

I hope my message will empower some of you to speak out against the obsessive and excessive forms of yoga that threaten to destroy our unity and peace.

The Terrible Toos

Yoga extremists see the world as black and white, or sometimes just black or white. This can show up as:

  • too much yoga
  • too little reliance on your own intuition
  • too much heat during class
  • too much vigorous activity
  • too little rest when needed
  • too much reliance on the teacher
  • too little work on focusing the mind
  • too much pretension

If It Ain’t Broke, Then Don’t Fixate

woman practicing yoga in a cave (by fineartamerica)Habits can be good or bad; but replacing one obsession with a “healthy” one does little to improve your life. Beware of the following:

  • Spending so much time doing or talking about yoga that your relationships are negatively affected (I’m talking about relationships with real people, not your yoga mat)
  • Dressing like and/or talking like a yoga person just so you can fit the yoga ideal
  • Pushing yourself beyond your body’s limits in order to accomplish a yoga pose that someone next to you can do
  • Believing that your hamstrings are the root of all evil

Ignorance Is Bliss, But It’s Also Pain

Your mind is one of the most useful props in yoga. To fight off your own extreme tendencies, remember the following:

  • You are in charge of your body. The teacher won’t tell you when your knee hurts, that’s your responsibility.
  • The teacher is a guide, not your parent or your spouse. Listen to their advice, but use your own common sense and intuition.
  • There is no “perfect” form of yoga. It’s like buying a car, you have to find one that fits your current needs.
  • You may never do a headstand, crazy pretzel pose, or stop your heart using your diaphragm. That’s okay.
  • There is more to yoga than the poses. If you still feel agitated even after doing yoga, it’s time to rethink your plan.
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Photo: Printscapes.com