Comments for DC Yoga classes: Bethesda, Woodley Park, Arlington VA

Comment on Teaching yoga because you love it by Joseph

Joseph — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:09:15 +0000

Great blog post John.
What a shame if the customer is always right mentality has entered into the “yoga scene.”
I hate to say this and I know it would not be good for yoga teachers or those changing “careers” but sometimes I wish we could just quietly practice yoga without it being Everywhere!
Fortunately I have only had the experience of working with the most dedicated Iyengar teachers who I believe teach from the most authentic place. Wherever my path takes me I owe a debt to their/your dedication of keeping the tradition from getting diluted and helping me not just loosen up my hamstrings but expand my (sometimes rigid) mind.
Namaste

Comment on Teaching yoga because you love it by Lisa Dawn

Lisa Dawn — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:42:07 +0000

amen! here in NYC I have seen the number of teachers increase exponentially but with little training and experience. they’re marketing and beanding themselves and it is turning me off to the whole yoga scene. I makes me want to stay home and practice. thank you for your honesty!

Comment on Teaching yoga because you love it by Mary

Mary — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:20:40 +0000

Dear John:
Thanks for this–I am an Iyengar yoga teacher and sometimes I wonder why I do it–it is stressful, you are constantly putting yourself out there about something you love and are so vulnerable to rejection by students. All the stresses of any job are there; it is no different because the subject is yoga.
I became a teacher for the reason you state at the end of this blog–it is good to hear you say this is enough. Lately for some reason I have been wanting a greater reason, but hearing you say it, it confirms for me that this is enough reason if not a substantial reason.
thanks.

Comment on Teaching yoga because you love it by Virginia Williamson

Virginia Williamson — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:28:12 +0000

Amen!

Comment on A Response to “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body” by Jean

Jean — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:48:13 +0000

I am a yoga practioner AND a newspaper editor. I have no problem with the New York Times trying to sell newspapers, or with William Broad trying to sell books. The Times is probably the best newspaper in the world. Long may it thrive. I think a terrific result of this blatantly attention-seeking excerpt has been to generate discussion about important issues in the world of yoga, on and off the mat. Interested readers will learn about diverse perspectives, the importance of choosing a well-trained teacher, how to avoid injury, and on and on. I’m sure Broad’s book is more balanced than this one excerpt suggests. In any case, it’s really great that people are so passionate about yoga. I think the discussion is what’s important, and if the Times excerpt gets people thinking….Well, that’s what a good newspaper is supposed to do!

Comment on A Response to “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body” by The Yoga World Gets Judgmental | elephant journal

The Yoga World Gets Judgmental | elephant journal — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:52:56 +0000

[...] who had back surgery after “decades of extreme backbends and twists.” As one blogger [John Schumacher] said, learning from Black’s yoga experience is “akin to receiving advice on the advisability [...]

Comment on A Response to “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body” by The Yoga World Gets Judgmental | The Psychology of Wellbeing

The Yoga World Gets Judgmental | The Psychology of Wellbeing — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:52:27 +0000

Comment on A Response to “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body” by Katharine Norris

Katharine Norris — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:48:14 +0000

Thank you for your thoughtful, beautifully written response. The NYT has been publishing far too many of this type of articles(trendy, sensationalist, poorly anecdotal) recently. I’m very proud of my yoga studio but very disappointed with my newspaper!

Comment on A Response to “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body” by Stephanie Evans

Stephanie Evans — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:44:15 +0000

Thank you John for writing this response! Like many yoga students, I have had to learn (and am still learning) my limits and becoming aware of my own ego. I’ve always appreciated how Unity Woods and the Iyengar method in general encourages students to practice within their own safe zone. I hope to attend the talk on Saturday night in response to the NYT piece!

Comment on A Response to “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body” by Margaret Roach

Margaret Roach — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:16:34 +0000

A teacher I studied with years ago used to remind us in class: “If it hurts, it’s not yoga.” To pull back from painful places and not overdo it, since it’s a moving meditation, not Marine calisthenics or some kind of showoff competition, some “can you top this?”