Ten days ago, the New York Times published an opinion piece by senior science writer William J. Broad entitled “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body”. The responses to this article have numbered in the tens, possibly in the hundreds. Yoga practitioners are miffed—and for good reason. Read More »»
Regular Posts
Yoga, Injuries, and William J. Broad’s Trainwreck
Posted on January 15th, 2012 by Karen Macklin — Write a commentDo Yogis Have to Be Vegetarian?
Posted on January 3rd, 2012 by Karen Macklin — Write a comment
It’s one of the most controversial topics in the yoga world: vegetarianism. Some say you’re not truly practicing yoga if you eat meat; others say that not all body types can thrive on purely vegetarian diets. Is there a definitive answer? Read More »»
Should Yoga Traditions be Copyrighted?
Posted on December 19th, 2011 by Karen Macklin — Write a comment
Yoga’s back in court again! In 2003, Bikram Choudhury obtained a copyright for the sequence of poses he developed for his namesake practice, Bikram Yoga. Since then, he hasn’t hesitated to sue those who violate that copyright. Now, in a new turn of events, his copyright is being deemed illegal. Read More »»
Does Yoga Mix with Non-Hindu Religions?
Posted on December 5th, 2011 by Karen Macklin — Write a comment
As the world gets smaller each day through the mixing and mingling that happens online, via air travel, and through immigration, our cultures and traditions keep getting more and more mushed together. I’m typically in favor of cultural mushing, but it can get a bit complicated, especially when it comes to religion. For those who want to stay within lines of tradition, how does yoga fit in? Read More »»
Should Men Have Their Own Yoga Classes?
Posted on November 18th, 2011 by Karen Macklin — Write a comment
Even after the yoga revolution of recent years, women still dominate the yoga scene. We’re the majority in the classrooms, we’re on the covers of the yoga magazines, and we make up the bulk of the teacher trainings. Yoga has become known as a woman’s activity. And some people have been trying to change that. Read More »»
Does Politics Belong in Yoga?
Posted on October 31st, 2011 by Karen Macklin — Write a comment
You’re in a yoga class. The teacher mentions something about ahimsa and strongly states his opinion about all the damage the US is doing in Afghanistan. Several of the students nod their heads in agreement. One picks up her yoga mat and walks out, never to return again. Her son is a US soldier in Afghanistan. Read More »»
What Does It Mean to Live Your Dharma?
Posted on October 16th, 2011 by Karen Macklin — Write a comment
Everywhere I go, I meet another person who is quitting a job to start a new business, pursue a passion, or launch forth into the world to create change, achieve a vision, and spark transformation. Despite (or maybe because of) the economic collapse, the hum of war, and our ecological woes, people are feeling more urgency to create a life that is meaningful to them—and to others. I think of it as a sort of dharmic revolution. Read More »»
Do Yoga and Alcohol Mix?
Posted on October 2nd, 2011 by Karen Macklin — Write a comment
I gave up drinking within about a year of starting to do yoga. It wasn’t a moral issue. But with regular asana practice, I simply began to see more clearly what the alcohol was doing to my body. And it wasn’t pretty. Read More »»
Do You Have (or have something against) Yoga Fashion?
Posted on September 14th, 2011 by Karen Macklin — Write a comment
I spent this past weekend again at the incredible Bhakti Fest in Joshua Tree: Four days of chanting, yoga-ing, and dancing in the desert. It was an amazing, loving, exuberant, and healthy atmosphere. But it was also, like many large yoga events these days, a bit of a fashion show. Read More »»
Does Your Yoga Tradition Matter?
Posted on September 1st, 2011 by Karen Macklin — Write a comment
In modern culture, choosing a style of yoga is akin to strolling through the ice cream section at the local co-op natural foods grocer. The choices are many and everything looks good. But why are there so many styles of asana these days? And does it truly matter which one you do? Read More »»
