Opening quote:
“ There is no subject which is so wrapped up in mystery and on which one can write whatever one likes without any risk of being proved wrong.”
-- I.K. Taimini, Indian scholar and chemist on the obscurity of yoga.
Prologue
Yoga has become so mainstream these days. It seems like everyone is doing it: from babies in the womb during their mother’s pre-natal yoga classes all the way up through senior citizens living in assisted living facilities and everyone in between. It has become so popular here in the west that it has even included in the annual Easter Egg Roll at the Whitehouse since 2009.
In his book, William Broad, a lifelong yoga practitioner, sorts out the myth and the hyperbole from the traditions and what we really know about the history and practice of yoga. People have made many claims about what yoga can do for our health and well-being over the years. Science supports some of these claims, but many aspects of yoga’s famous healing powers come from story and legend rather than scientific fact. This is partly due to the fact that a lot of research done on yoga was often a hobby or a sideline. There is not a lot of money for research in something that cannot be turned into an expensive pill or medical device.
As Mr. Broad dove into the scientific research that had been done on yoga, he ran into my teacher Mel Robin. As a scientist for Bell Labs for 30 years, Mel also turned his keen scientific eye towards yoga. He has written three books on the science behind the practice of yoga. Mel is listed in the Who’s Who of yoga at the beginning of this book and Mr. Broad quotes his research throughout the book.
One of the reviews on the book’s jacket warns us: “The Science of Yoga is a wonderful read that any yoga practitioner thirsting for authenticity should study carefully before suiting up” --David Gordon White, author of Kiss of the Yogini
One important fact that Mr. Broad points out is that yoga has no governing body. There’s no hierarchy of officials or organizations meant to ensure purity and adherence to agreed upon sets of facts poses, rules and procedures, outcomes and benefits. There is also no government oversight, no Safety Commission or Administration to ensure that yoga lives up to its promises. This can be very confusing for the beginner and even for seasoned yogis. You never really know if what you've read or been taught is something that is truly coming from the history of yoga, or if it is just what someone made up to suit their purposes. This happens a lot and is not necessarily a bad thing. Personally, I like studying within the Iyengar lineage. They have a long history of tradition, practice and they also have a research institute to study the effects of yoga.
All yoga is basically Hatha Yoga which is a practice that centers on postures and breathing meant to strengthen the body and mind. Separate from the practice of physical postures is the ethical and philosophical side of yoga and the religious aspect of Hinduism.
Yoga differs from most other forms of exercise in that it goes slow rather than fast emphasizing static postures and fluid motions. Its low-impact nature puts less strain on the body than traditional sports making it appealing for a wide variety of ages. The greatest emphasis is on regulating the breath and creating an awareness of the body position in space. Advanced yoga encourages concentration on subtle energy flows. Overall, compared to sports and other forms of Western exercise, yoga seems safer and the focus is not just on the physical; the practice also draws the attention inward.
The book is organized into the following chapters which follows the development of scientific interest over the decades:
Health
Fitness
Moods
Risk of Injury
Healing
Sex
Inspiration
So, read along with me as Mr. Broad sheds light on the risks and rewards of yoga.