A few years ago an article by the journalist Federico Rampini had a great echo where he stressed that yoga could represent a real danger if practiced superficially or with teachers unprepared.
His statement was supported by reliable data and numbers as well as by common sense that rarely abandons this writer.
Yet a real uproar broke out on the part of the whole yogic community, which felt itself to be alive and deeply questioned.
For intellectual honesty it is my duty to make known, as some of it has probably already emerged, my esteem for the aforementioned intellectual, an acute observer of our times, a talented journalist as well as a skilled writer.
Profound knowledge of the East, especially in the Far East, is part of what he himself calls the "tribe of yogis", being a convinced and long-time practitioner. We are therefore very far from any form of preconception towards the discipline as well as from the need for sensationalism: let us take up his words and deepen them to understand if they can say something useful to us too!
The risks of yoga: an issue with many facets
First of all I would begin to consider the piece with greater availability than many readers: Rampini reported a real and documented fact, therefore the accusations should fall immediately on him about wanting to denigrate yoga tout court or to be an ignorant on the subject (which, if yes it follows the character, we know that it is not for nothing).
We analyze the fact without condemning those who have made this known: yoga in America has caused a lot of injuries so much that it requires transport by ambulance from the yoga class directly to the emergency room. So the question: is yoga, always considered a discipline with multiple virtues, does it hurt or can it hurt? What are the risks involved and what are they generated from?
Very briefly, in my opinion, to give a minimally exhaustive answer there are two cornerstones of the reflection to be considered, one of a "technical" nature the other of a "cultural" nature.
First of all, talking about numbers in this context is very difficult and quantifying almost impossible since the authors of the researches deny themselves and contradict each other.
In addition to this, we generally speak of yoga but, as we have often shown, there are so many varieties of yoga that are very far from each other and with very different risks (see acroyoga for example).
Another element that participates in the picture is the one constituted by the practitioner : age, physical form, health, small or large pathologies are variables that enormously condition "safety" and of these the yogi must have awareness when an asana is proposed.
To all this discourse that invests precise coordinates, another, if we want, more subtle should be added and added to it. Unfortunately, an unwelcome guest of yoga classes is competition, not only among students, but also with themselves. This leads the practitioner, very often, not to accept the limits that the body places at that moment and to force them to overcome them by facing potential injuries.
The body sends signs of discomfort to which one remains indifferent until they force one to stop, but then, in most cases, it is late.
Now, can yoga be blamed for an accident or should the inattention and superficiality of the yogi be called into question ?
What are stereotypes and mystifications of yoga practice?
Some advice to avoid risks so that the practice is in complete safety
Now aware that yoga, like any activity in life, involves risks to be taken into account, how can we minimize them in our practice?
Here are some tips:
- Listening: no one, no one at all, can know if a particular position is right for you or not. The teacher, however experienced and prepared, does not feel inside your body, therefore he can suggest and advise, but not replace your awareness .
- Prudence: it is very complicated to talk about "easy" positions and "difficult" positions because everyone is different and what is easy for A can be very difficult for B. Therefore we do not underestimate an asana because it "seems" easy and we always assume it with awareness and listening the indications of the master, especially with regard to the upside down positions.
- Attention to comparisons: as I anticipated in the previous paragraph, often the specter of competition hovers in the classes of yoga inducing the student to want to overcome his own limits in order to feel "good" as much as another. Now, the right motivation for improvement is fine, but the purpose of yoga - we will never tire of repeating it - is not contortionism, nor is acrobatic gymnastics and it is not mastering and possessing the asana : it is working on oneself, be aware of the here and now, doze off the mental chatter: all things not visible, but much more important than being able to do sirsasana.
In the average of activities, yoga is a more than safe practice where the benefits are many times greater than the risks involved .
This does not mean that it should be taken lightly or sufficiently, but the few tips we've given you to reduce almost any danger to zero are enough.
Debates and contributions to make yoga a discipline with zero (or almost) risk
The article by Federico Rampini brought a theme to Italy that has been popular in the US for a long time. The observations made are just a few reflections on a vast and exciting controversy between masters, doctors, professionals, journalists.
To quote you the immense amount of material by the way would be dispersive, so we limit ourselves to a single document: Understanding and preventing yoga injuries .
You will have an overall view that nothing prevents you from delving into and plunging yourself into this debate.
