| Most Yoga teachers follow the lineage, which was | | | | that becomes obvious to all of us. No two bodies are |
| designed before them. This is an excellent path to | | | | alike. Even identical twins will have differences over |
| take, as our colleagues share collective thoughts within | | | | the course of a lifetime. |
| the "think tank" of a specific style. We have been told, | | | | It is true that identical twins will share the same |
| "If we follow the traditional path of our Guru and | | | | genetics, but the conditions will be different. Identical |
| colleagues, we cannot go wrong." | | | | twins do not share the same exact footsteps, jobs, |
| For the most part, this is true. However, life may throw | | | | injuries, repetitive motion, emotional turmoil, and daily |
| us a few curves. What if our Guru passes away, or | | | | activities - over a lifetime. |
| we live on the opposite side of the world? What if we | | | | With this in mind, many Yoga teachers pursue |
| have fallen out of political favor within our style? What | | | | continuing education courses, to tap into a larger |
| if we discover that some parts of our traditional | | | | collective consciousness of teachers from diversified |
| practice put our students at risk of injury? | | | | styles. One misconception among some Yoga |
| There are many "what ifs." Some Hatha Yoga | | | | instructors is that we must blindly follow ideas that |
| sub-styles may not be designed for all of our students. | | | | were laid down by others - even if we have a new, |
| Will your knowledge help a person in a wheelchair, a | | | | creative idea that will prevent hundreds of injuries in |
| child, a pregnant student, or someone else who needs | | | | the future. |
| special attention? If your answer is "no," you may want | | | | Why rock the boat? This mindset leads to a feeling of |
| to network with other teachers or take specialized | | | | helplessness, and it prevents creative ideas. The |
| Yoga teacher training courses. | | | | average workplace runs in this same way. The |
| Yoga has always been evolving, but has now begun | | | | decision makers are a small group at the top. We |
| to advance at a rapid pace because of networking | | | | could blame our style, Guru, politics, or something else, |
| and technology. Add to this that Yoga teachers often | | | | because our creativity is being stifled by others. In truth, |
| network with medical professionals. This symbiotic | | | | we give permission to those who tell us to be quiet. |
| relationship, between Yoga and all forms of medicine, | | | | The solution is to constantly work on the improvement |
| is one of the many reasons why teachers take | | | | of our education, personal practice, and teaching |
| anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, and sports medicine | | | | techniques. We can point our energy toward a positive |
| courses. | | | | cause by helping, discovering, and creating new |
| While it is easy for some to say that Yoga teachers | | | | methods for our students - one day at a time. |
| need not worry about anatomy, there is one matter | | | | |