About the time I was both finishing my formal yoga teacher training and completing my bachelor’s degree, I wondered whether I should proceed to train as a physical therapist, a chiropractor or even a doctor.  By my early thirties I’d seen enough people in my private bodywork practice to know that few got better from the passive interventions offered them through “being adjusted” regularly at clinics, or even through what I could offer them on a bodywork table.  But the people who attended my yoga classes often did see improvements, especially regular students who were also practicing at home. 

With all due respect to the skilful work that physical therapists offer to their clients, and to osteopaths and chiropractors who may give us help when we need it, I’ve rarely seen any of these professions offer what I would call “active intervention” strategies.  That is, educating people about how they can help themselves and building internal resources for self-care.  It’s hard to offer the kind of in-depth education and guidance that is needed to accomplish real change in a 15-minute appointment, which is why it’s no surprise to me that so many of my colleagues who initially trained as physical therapists now mostly teach specialized yoga classes.  They know that people get better through a perspective that recognizes the wholistic nature of the body and the deep interconnections between the physical, energetic, emotional and mental layers of self. What defines the difference between so many of our Western medical approaches to dis-ease and Yoga is the active involvement of the person.  Your chiropractor can’t strengthen your back for you.  Your physical therapist can’t do the daily practices that move you toward stability, motor coordination and balance.  They can’t get out of bed for you and show the self-determination to generate well-being. 

And of course, there’s a time and place for medical intervention whether it be from a Western allopathic doctor or an alternative health practitioner.  But what yoga teachers offer is simply irreplaceable, which is why I continue to do what I do.  Where else might someone get 90-minutes of carefully sequenced, intelligent instruction that incorporates breath awareness, body connectivity and increased mindfulness?   

If you are a yoga teacher, I hope you set aside a moment today to recognize the incredible value that you bring to your students and to your community.  If you’re a student, I hope the next time you attend a class you take a moment to thank your teacher or to express how their work has made a difference to your life.   

With deep respect to you all, 

Donna