To Drink, or not To Drink. That is the Question.

Why oh why am I wading into an online argument in which there is no winning? But here we boldly go.

There was a recent TikTok video in which an angry woman left a New York City studio because the instructor asked her to try and refrain from water until the designated break. The video went viral, yogis went crazy, the instructor was fired.

Before you add on, maybe read to the end first? Plus, there’s a really good joke at the end you won’ t want to miss.

The class in which the student was asked to wait for water was a Bikram class. That style is about the discipline of mind as much as the poses. I practiced it for years with a Bikram teacher.

There is a designated break in the first 20 minutes or so. That is when participants are encouraged to drink if they feel the need, and thereafter if they feel the need. When you become acclimated to the style, it is encouraged that you do not drink.

The purpose is many-fold, to be accustomed to discomfort, to rise above discomfort, to focus the mind on the poses and not the discomfort.

Our minds like to make a meal out of discomfort. One purpose of yoga (if not the ultimate goal) is to quiet the mind. The mind might be screaming at you that you are going to die, but in truth the agony will probably be over in 30 seconds.

Collectively we are facing years of discomfort – no matter which side of the political vortex you fall into. It might be handy to train your mind to rise above it for 30 seconds.

Furthermore, yoga was always traditionally a teacher saying, “Do it this way, or not at all.” It was never, ever a do-what-you-want ABBA dance party.

But most yoga today, particularly western yoga, is not that way. It’s a feel-good format. Everybody gets a trophy. Honestly, that’s fine with me. If it makes you happy, then do it.

BUT PLEASE DON’T TELL THE REST OF US WHAT TO DO.

I have been teaching yoga for nearly 20 years now, and I was trained in both a feel-good fun flowy format and traditional Iyengar styles. I’ve settled on an aligned style, which means we practice yoga slowly with skill and technique.

I show students how to do the pose in a way that best suits their body. It can be humbling. It can be hard. It’s not for everyone. But there are people who like this approach.

Now and then I’ll get a new student who is corrected on a pose, and they tell me they don’t wanna. They don’t wanna lengthen it or use their core. It’s not fun. It’s not flowy. It’s not their individual expression of the pose. Okay, then this class is not for you.

BUT DO NOT ASK ME TO CHANGE THE FORMAT SO YOU CAN HAVE FUN.

Here’s another example. I ride a Peloton bike. Some teachers curse. Common sense would tell you that if you don’t like cursing, then choose a teacher who does not do this. However, the internet is riddled with complaints about teachers who curse. If Peloton bans cursing it will break my little heathen heart.

Back to water-gate (Bwaahaha. I couldn’t help it). Yes, a student should be able to drink if they feel the need. Yes, there is some benefit to ignoring the mind’s incessant whining. Yes, the Bikram-style is nuts and not for everyone. But yes, there are people who love it so please find another class and another teacher that lets you be you.

I don’t think I’m going to win with this blog. With luck, I won’t be canceled. I do think however, that we have become a culture where everything needs to suit everyone all the time, and that’s probably as realistic as asking people not to drink water when they’re thirsty.

Michelle Marchildon is the Yogi Muse. She’s an award-winning writer and the author of four books on yoga. She teaches yoga and mobility in Denver, Colorado.