McYoga

Many have used the term McYoga in reference to the proliferation of chains of yoga studios. I see a more wide spread and disheartening trend that calls for the same moniker.

It seems to me that most classes are led by exercise instructors, not yoga teachers. And that their classes are about as educational as McDonny's food is nutritional. Most people have at least heard that Mcfood isn't proper food. But imagine someone who was brought up knowing and eating nothing but speedily processed pretend food-like fare. He would have no idea what fresh produce was. No clue what real meat or cheese tastes like. Would never guess that potatoes could be other than drowned in grease. And his body would have grown accustomed to sustaining itself on fake food, even though it would be far happier and healthier if it was fueled by real, fresh, well prepared meals.

So we have many millions of people who have never attended a yoga class where they got anything more than run through the paces and dismissed. And without somewhat of an understanding of anatomy, intelligent alignment and the energetic dynamics that enliven and support the postures, people are more apt to experience pain or injure themselves, and the results of their efforts will be greatly curtailed. And there's more general knowledge that's important to learn about how work with our bodies in such a way that they work with us.

Of course, having eaten only at McArnold's gym, they have no idea what they're missing. Some continue onward, not knowing. Others quit because they found it too challenging or got hurt, and assumed that it was yoga's fault; not that of an unskilled, uneducated or unconscientious teacher. And many teachers are in the same boat - unaware of what they don't bring to the table, because their teachers didn't feed them well.

And I'm only addressing the exercise aspect of yoga here. If I were to bring up those who don't understand and teach to the overall intentions of yoga, the numbers would be far far worse. But just focusing on the physical branch, which is all most people are interested in anyway, ignorance abounds, knowledge is discounted and bodies lose out – not to mention the hit that yoga's reputation takes because of the malnutrition served up by all the McTeachers.