Is Yoga dangerous?

Yoga studios are as commonplace today as McDonalds. It seems like in every strip mall, I see a yoga studio. Let's face it, it is THE fitness thing to be seen doing. Whereas trends like Tae-Bo and Nordic-Track have come and gone, yoga, since the early 90's, has become a mainstay in our society. And hell, why shouldn't it be? It feels good. Spend 90 minutes in a hot room doing poses and your muscles will feel loose and limber. Plus, if you're a female, you get to wear comfy pants that make your ass look good (please stop wearing them like dress pants!). So what could be the danger?

Turns out, a lot.

For those of you who know anything about me, you know I lean right in my politics, and in the election this year, I am a proud ABO voter (Anybody But Obama). But I love reading the Sunday New York Times. The magazine and book review, especially. I was reading it this last Sunday and came across a story about yoga. Since I like yoga, I kept reading, and what I found out startled me. With the rise in popularity of yoga in our society, it turns out that it is sometimes not the safest thing to do.

An experienced yogi, one who has practiced the art of yoga for years and actually has been to India, described how dime-a-dozen yoga studios have popped up everywhere. A lot of these yoga studios have inexperienced teachers whose main concerns are money and pounding in poses that their students have no business doing. He went on to describe some horrific injuries that he has heard about. Things like herniated discs in the back. He continued to say that majority of people have no place practicing yoga; it is not a means of fitness. Yoga, in its purest form, is a way of life. It's a means of achieving spiritual insight.

Last year, I actually went to a meditation class. I found it very relaxing and an interesting journey into the mind. While I can't say it's something I would want to do regularly, it was enjoyable and fascinating. Learning that yoga is a form of meditation and spiritual practice, I want to treat it as such. A journey into the mind and a journey of tough relaxation. Not as an exercise, or something trendy.

What are everyone's thoughts on this?

Check out the article here