Stephanie wrote:

"For me personally, one of the big problems is that our concerns and responses will probably try to reply to the "injurious" claims of the NYT article . . . . but infact asana/yoga goes way beyond the attainment of simple health and happiness, it is meant to be a tool that can transform the consciousness.

In the beginning of asana practice it may very well give rise to and reveal problems, especially when done injudiciously and with inexperienced guidance, too often by teachers only slighty more experienced than the students. You see, really on the yoga-path there really are no guarantees. People step onto it, often with great enthusiasm and zeal, but they are wanting transformation with assurances!!! But until we are evolved, we dont know what karma's are yet to ripen - but the Yoga Sutras tells us that they definately will see Y.S. II.12 to 16). We are the klesas trying to deal with the klesas. So it is odd to think of a path of transformation and at the same time a guarantee that nothing will happen or change.

Doing from ego - it is going to be done from ego in the beginning - avidya and asmita are so entwined and klesa karma nivrtti is far far ahead of us, so consequences will be there. . . . . . So it is vitally important that teachers are thoroughly trained. That they themselves are dedicated and importantly that they have investigated and worked themselves to solve their own problems, not just ready to entertain and dazell the students . . ."

I am disturbed by the official IYNAUS reply to the NYT article. " If yoga hurts, it is not yoga."  While I as a teacher do not feel qualified to move students through pain to health intentionally, it certainly is an important part of the method in the right hands and circumatances.  Are we underestmating the intelligence of our audience? The NYT article certainly did.

More than once I have heard Geeta say that often one needs to go through pain in yoga to arrive at health through yoga. I have eperienced it myself.
I certainly have witnessed (many times) BKS iyengar push a student: I hear a blood curdling scream and by the time I can turn my head to see the student, all I see is a beatific smile. Such deep healing.
Why do we insist on countering harmful overdrawn claims with our own overdrawn claim?  It is destructive of trust and truth. Not all pain in yoga is ego, some of it can be proper and healing. And it is tricky business.  The important point to me is: Iyengar teachers are trained in how tricky and complex this is and trained to be sensitve to know our own limitations, to respect our own level of ignorance, and to help and protect our students as best one can. 

Caveat: If by "hurt" in the first sentence is meant "harm", then my reply is based on a misunderstanding, but one that I am sure is not unique.

Dear Chris, 

I am a senior Iyengar Yoga teacher in Canada and am writing to you about the New York Times article: How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body. I was first alerted to this article by my daughter who lives in Ithaca, New York state. My husband and I also subscribe to the Sunday New York Times (which arrives here in Victoria BC on Mondays). Like most of Guruji's students I was appalled by the wild accusations and inflammatory tone of this article as well as the errors it contained. My husband Derek, a physician, came into yoga because of a back injury (from playing soccer with our children). Facing the possibility of back surgery, instead he began to practise Iyengar Yoga which I had started six months before. This was more than forty years ago and today, at age 80 he still practices yoga regularly and is fit, active and healthy. 

The offending article has made its rounds across the vastness of Canada and I have had many enquiries about it. At the Iyengar Yoga Centre of Victoria we are doing some damage control and endeavouring, as you are, to get more balanced truthful information out there. Of course this is nothing new in today's yoga world when outrageous claims and accusations abound. 

I was curious how you and the US association would respond and today someone alerted me to your excellent letter. I am a writer and editor as well as a yoga teacher and I really admire the way you have managed to say all that needed to be said in a clear and truthful manner without inflaming matters. I am an associate member of IYNAUS primarily to get news and your newsletter Yoga Samachar, the last issue of which is really outstanding. 

Please know that your work on Guruji's behalf is respected and appreciated by your northern neighbours. 

In the Light of Guruji's work, 
Shirley Daventry French 
Victoria, BC Canada 

Hi,  Here is a comment made by an Iyengar student regarding the controversy of the article by William Broad called, "How Yoga Can Wreck your Body."

We read now about yoga being injury prone. The fact is that some who participate may over estimate their ability to perform the poses. And feel this is an easy form of "exercise". Every activity has parameters and may be a risk for harm without care. This includes walking across an intersection. The point is, learn to care for yourself

This is a good time for yoga. I love to read the stories from every teacher and student re "how yoga saved my quality of life". I began yoga at 60 years of age. I was told I needed a total right knee. I could not walk far nor sleep well. Working in the kitchen standing was the most painful. The first class was very challenging. Just getting up from a floor pose was an experience. I stayed with it because of the teacher who saw some hope and was patient enough to let me move along at a snails pace. I'm 70 in April and I walk pain free for miles. I have class every week and occasionally practice. I did not get a knee replacement although the md recommended it. I take no pain medication and my personal limitation is r knee arthritis which inhibits a squat. In 10 years I have also lost weight and increased my stamina. Everyone I meet at yoga classes (I take classes when I'm out of town) have a story about yoga benefits. I encourage each individual to choose a yoga instructor that is credentialed. If a pre existing problem is present check out therapeutic instructors. I also recommend you do the same search for a doctor..

Winnie Dollear - Chicago, IL