Does Yoga Harm Your Body?

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Even though the physical benefits are undeniable, I feel that a Yoga practice could still lead to repetitive stress injuries, ligament and/or tendon laxity as well as passive tension in the skeletal system (excessive energy in bone tissue). This can happen by repeating similar routines without variation; certain muscle groups get stronger while others don’t, and compensation and asymmetry can creep in over time. Also, stretching into poses for the sake of the destination (what the pose looks like when properly achieved) rather than cultivating the ease and flow to naturally get there (feeling successful even halfway through a pose for deeper body awareness), can lead to an excess of stored tension in the body.            

I feel that at its root, a Yoga practice helps teach ancient wisdom that combines self awareness with a spiritual practice. Yoga then becomes an art form that can be accessed through the use of the physical body to achieve a greater connection with chi, energy or spirit. In this sense, one would practice Yoga for the sake of an inner connection regardless of the outward manifestation of the pose.