I had a riveting conversation with two yoga teachers that I respect very much. We were discussing the potential for harm in the way yoga teachers speak to their students. Often we hear yoga teachers say things like, “Pain is weakness leaving the body” or “How far can you push yourself here?” or “We grow in discomfort” or “XYZ type of yoga is the only real yoga” or many other harmful sentiments that have become the norm in the yogaverse.
And where I stand on this is that it is the yoga teacher’s responsibility to ensure their students feel safe, seen and cared for.
A wise person once told me that we are the sum of our experiences and the people we’ve met along the way…. I am an abuse survivor and I get real mad and real loud when I hear a teacher tell a student to close their eyes and be still -but not give them the option to open their eyes and move if they need to. Yeah, I’m going to get angry and I’m going to shout from the rooftops if there is a teacher that is telling students that the only way you can be a yoga student or a yoga teacher is if you eat vegan or on the other end of that if you only consume raw milk and organic blueberries. And believe me, you don’t want to be around if I witness a teacher touching or taking photos without consent consent consent. Yeah, I’m going to fucking say something if your yoga retreat or your yoga teacher training doesn’t offer sliding scare. Therefore, gatekeeping ancient knowledge that doesn’t belong to you for those that have money in the elite. Language is important. Verbal and physical. Real harm can be done by teachers who don’t respect boundaries or ethics. Unfortunately we’ve seen this play out many times in yoga history; Bikram Choudhury, Pattabhi Jois, Yogi Bahjan, BKS Iyengar and so on and so on and so on…
Am I anyone special? And do I have the answers? Absolutely. Fucking not.
However, someone much greater than me said be kind and do no harm. I believe in this mantra. I’m all for letting you live your life and teach/practice in a way that feels authentic to you. Until it comes to harming other people. Then it’s a problem.This goes for lawmakers and politicians and the president and churches and teachers and parents and the everyday person. And myself. And the entirety of the yogaverse. Yeah, it’s your responsibility as a teacher to ensure that your students feel respected.
So what do we do about it? First I think we demand better. Understand that your practice, your body, and your spirit is your own. You do not have to give control to anyone else. If you are in a yoga class and the teacher says something/does something that feels wrong, off, or flat out offends you – you do not have to stay OR go back. Second,Yoga Alliance requires all certified teachers sign a Code of Conduct and Ethics agreement. If a teacher goes against these ethics, you can report them. Chances are that if you felt uncomfortable, so did another student. See something, say something. Third, know that there is another way. Whether you are a teacher or a student, know that yoga in 2025 is adaptive and personal. There is a practice and teacher for everyone. It’s ok to keep looking until you find what resonates with you. It’s ok to change course. It’s ok to be self reflective.
To my yoga teacher friends- Teaching yoga is a huge responsibility. Truthfully, are you causing harm or creating safe spaces for students to explore personal evolution?
Black Cat YOGA 
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