Now I have seen it all.
Today’s Yoga news, tells the story of a Yogi living in flood plains, inventing and perfecting water Yoga. The man says he is happy with the success of becoming famous in his village as people come to spectate his water Yoga performances. He hope to someday be world famous through his Yoga practice. Fans hope one day he will walk on water. Read it here, if you dare.
The West is often criticized for capitalizing on Yoga and turning it into another business machine with chain studios popping up coast to coast, materializing a spiritual practice. Instructors now get quickie certifications and teach asana (postures) as fitness with little regard to the sutras (scriptures) much less breath awareness as a result more students than ever are suffering injuries on their path to not enlightenment but the perfect butt clad in the hottest Lulu Yoga pant. Criticism and concern is valid in this regard.
Meanwhile, some bizarre Yoga news comes out of India more and more frequently. Last year, famed cricket player, Sachin Tendulkar was caught on camera being forced into dangerous positions by his personal ‘guru’ (an ‘expert’ from Thailand) after his team trainings.
Or even Bikram Choudhury, native of India, placing patent on his posture flows and birthing Yoga competitions, awarding prizes for ‘perfection’.
The lesson here? A lesson I learned at Kripalu during teacher training. Practice and maintain discernment. If it is Eastern it is not necessarily ‘authentic’ and if it is Western it is not necessarily driven by capitalism. Take your Yoga with eye’s, heart and mind open on every part of the planet.
p.s. Aqua Yoga has also been developed in the U.S. with the intent to offer therapeutics for various ailments. It should be noted that for some practitioners with respiratory or heart ailments that the added pressure of water on the body makes this a questionable practice.
If the body is our temple, treat is wisely and lovingly, keep your eyes and mind open, do a little research before blindly diving in to any practice.
Jen,
thanks for the insight that not everything Eastern is authentic. There’s intolerance and genocide there too, so they can go to the unenlightened place as easily as anyone here! But thankfully they also developed yoga.
Joan Boryshenko said it best — yes, have an open mind, but don’t let your brain fall out!
Yes, I love it – don’t let your brain fall out
well said. Thanks for opening up comments on this post, perhaps a discussion can be born.
Anyone else have thoughts on this?