The Promise and Perils of More Yoga in the New Year

Last updated on: January 2, 2014 at 8:23 pm by Carl Gregg

The Promise and Perils of More Yoga in the New Year 2014-01-02T20:23:20-05:00 Carl Gregg

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

My primary new year’s resolution for 2014 is “do more yoga.” Periodically over the last decade, I’ve done a fair amount of yoga, primary Ashtanga, which is one of the more athletic forms of yoga, usually done in heated room, and (to oversimplify) keeps a flow by inserting sun salutations in between poses. Part of why I’m drawn to yoga is that it is a both a meditative exercise and an embodied spirituality that gets me out of my head. It is also a great counterbalance to my running routine.

Over the holidays, as preparation for an increase in my commitment to yoga, I read William Broad’s excellent book The Science of Yoga: The Risks and the Rewards. Broad,

has practiced yoga since 1970. A bestselling author and senior writer at The New York Times, he has won every major award in print and television during more than thirty years as a science journalist. With New York Times colleagues, he has twice won the Pulitzer Prize, as well as an Emmy and a DuPont. He is the author or coauthor of seven books.

I discovered his yoga book through three related articles he published in The New York Times over the past year or so: “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body,” “Wounded Warrior Pose: The Perils of Yoga for Men,” and “Women’s Flexibility Is a Liability (in Yoga).” Don’t get the wrong idea from the headlines. He (as well as myself) are big fans of yoga. The lesson is simply to proceed slowly and with caution.

My biggest takeaway from the book is that I no longer have any aspirations to advanced yoga practice — of being able to fully contort my body into some of the extreme poses I have seen some yoga instructors do. After all, regarding Hatha Yoga (the basis of yoga as we know it today) “The Sanskrit root of Hatha is hath — ‘to treat with violence,’ presumably in reference to the intensity that is necessary for the most advanced poses (17). I’m content with the many benefits and much less risk of intermediate practice. And Broad’s Chapter Four on “Risk of Injury” is clear that yogis are well advised to be protective especially of their backs and necks.

I’m also clear from reading the book that yoga is wonderful in many way, but it is not a replacement for cardio:

scientists concluded that the yoga session failed to meet minimal aerobic recommendations of the world’s health bodies. Its oxygen demands, they reported, “represent low levels of physical activity similar to walking on the treadmill at a slow pace or taking a leisurely stroll….” Decades of uncertainty ended as a consensus emerged that yoga did much for the body and mind but little or nothing for aerobic conditioning. (72)

That being said, yoga also

equaled or surpassed exercise in such things as improving balance, reducing fatigue, decreasing anxiety, cutting stress, lifting moods, improving sleep, reducing pain, lowering cholesterol, and more generally in raising the quality of life for yogis, both socially and on the job. (72-3)

I went to my first yoga class of the new year this morning, and loved it. Whatever your resolutions, may this new year be a good one for you and yours.

The Rev. Dr. Carl Gregg is a trained spiritual director, a D.Min. graduate of San Francisco Theological Seminary, and the minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick, Maryland. Follow him on Facebook (facebook.com/carlgregg) and Twitter (@carlgregg).

Learn more about Unitarian Universalism:
http://www.uua.org/beliefs/principles

Uncategorized

Previous Post

December 23, 2013

Slowing Down for the Holidays

Next Post

January 6, 2014 What Is Yours (Not) To Do?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Anti-Racism Archaeology Atheism Baptism Best of the Year List Book Reviews Buddhism Catholicism Christian Education Church and State Church Planting Climate Change Conscientious Objection to War Creation Spirituality Death Penalty Didache Disability Rights Discernment Easter Ecology Emergent Church Movement Empire-Critical Ethics Evolution Feminist Theology Film Reviews Gandhi Gospel of Mark Gun Control Hinduism Immigration Reform Interfaith Islam JFK Judaism Jungian Spirituality Lectionary Commentary Lent Letters to the Editor LGBT Marriage MLK Multiculturalism Mysticism Nonviolent Activism Occupy Paganism (Earth-centered Religions) Parables Paul Pluralism Politics Process Theology Quantum Physics Requiescat In Pace Seminary and Divinity School Sermon Series Retrospective Sermons Spiritual Direction Spiritual Practices Stewardship (Fundraising) The Book of J The Wheel of the Year (Paganism) Theoblogger Challenge Triathlon Uncategorized Unitarian Universalism Worship Resources Youth Ministry

Select a Month July 2026 May 2026 March 2026 November 2025 October 2025 August 2025 February 2025 December 2024 October 2024 March 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 August 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 August 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 July 2019 June 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 August 2009 July 2009 May 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did God create on the second day?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Fish Sun Sky Trees