A Look Down The Road...

So, this week, I'm studying with Judith Lasater. It's an amazing experience. For anyone who's not familiar with her work, she teaches a restorative style and is also extremely knowledgeable in regards to anatomy and kinesiology. She is in fact trained as a physical therapist. This is an amazing woman who's been teaching yoga for 40 years. And here's what she said (paraphrasing of course!): As a yoga community, in general, we are OVER stretching. We're pushing our ligaments too hard. Eventually, over time, we will end up with VERY loose ligaments. And what's the point of a ligament? To connect bones to each other. So, when your ligaments are too loose, you end up with some ugly problems.

When she said this, it reminded me of a conversation I had with Rod Stryker (another amazing yogi) back in September. I asked him, "With so many different teachers each telling us a different thing about how we're supposed to live or how we're supposed to practice, how can we know what's really true?" To paraphrase Rod, he said that we need to carefully look at the lives and the practice of the teacher we wish to emulate. What is their practice like? Do they live in a way that feels authentic to us? If so, then that's great. But if there's something that doesn't seem right for you, then don't try to emulate that person or do exactly what they say. Rod then went on to talk about how many senior teachers he knew that had received hip replacements in the past year. He said, if that's what you want, go for it. THIS is what Judith reminded me of. (trying to tie this all back together for you!) If over several years we have loosened our ligaments to the point where our bones can't hold together, we end up with these issues. Some senior teachers are open and honest with these issues (Dharma Mittra just had a hip replacement) but others are not. I quite literally think that hip replacements are becoming the face lift of the yoga world!

So, when I look down the road, 30 years from now, do I want a hip replacement or any other surgical procedure? No. Do I want to continue to grow in my asana practice? Of course! But, maybe I'll think more on the words of Judith Lasater and Rod Stryker. Be careful who you choose to emulate. Stay with what's authentic for you. Listen to what your body's telling you, don't tell your body what to do. In the end, you'll thank yourself for it.