Pages

Thursday, August 5, 2010

The Death and Resurrection of Yoga

Several important events occurred during the last couple of weeks. First, Yoga teacher Judith Lasater, who launched Yoga Journal in 1975, sent a letter to the editor and protested (very politely) the increasing sexualization of the magazine’s content. I’d say It’s just the tip of a very large and insalubrious iceberg of problems.

Then there was also the really extensive and controversial article about Anusara Yoga creator John Friend in New York Times Magazine. John responded to it skillfully and measuredly on his own site (http://www.anusara.com/).

This relates to Roseanne Harvey, the former editor of the now defunct Ascent magazine, boldly announcing “I think we can declare Yoga officially dead” on her popular blog in October of 2009 (http://itsallyogababy.com/).

Wow! Given this public furore, I feel I have to come at least somewhat out of my semiretirement shell (since 2004) and participate. Who knows, the Western Yoga movement might be witnessing a turning point. I am not holding my breath, but these are interesting developments. Wouldn’t you like to see a change?

Many years ago, I was invited by Yoga Journal to be one of its contributing editors, and I hesitatingly agreed. When I realized that there was little intention to represent the non-posture side of Yoga, which is my forté, I resigned after a while. Actually, I started to feel uncomfortably self-conscious about being associated with the magazine. Many students were wondering why I was a contributing editor at all. They were right, of course.

I can’t imagine how Judith Lasater must feel to see her brainchild become so perverted. I had an opportunity to browse in early issues of Yoga Journal, and they were a very encouraging effort, which by rights should have been continued and developed.

There is nowadays no full-spectrum North American Yoga magazine out there. Even Yoga International (renamed: Yoga + Joyful Living) seems to be heading down a glitzy cul-de-sac. My worry is: When will commercialization begin to compromise content? Let me hear from you what you think about traditional Yoga and a Yoga magazine that has substance and also addresses contemporary issues.

Georg Feuerstein

11 comments:

  1. I have been noticing this too with yoga recently. It has been making it hard to find journals with substance that encourage an enriching and nourishing yoga practice in whole. There is a lot of 'yoga brands', creating en mass people who love yoga clothing, but have no idea about the true nature of the practice. It seems a lot of magazines and journals are just capitalizing off of the same idea.

    I have found a journal that I like, produced here on vancouver Island that I believe to be more balanced.

    http://www.reddooryogacanada.com/yogic_way.php

    ReplyDelete
  2. When I saw Georg was blogging, I knew something big was shifting : )

    Greetings Georg. It would be wonderful to see a magazine (e-format to reduce publication costs and circumvent the values compromise to get advertisers) that addressed the transformational aspects of Yoga beyond asana as you write.

    My training at CIIS with its mission to move along Sri Aurobindo's integral perspective of the evolution of Yoga/Humans balanced by classical/traditional perspectives would be refreshing. My experience at IAYT allowed me to see the very many ways Yoga is anything but dead, rather quietly and without fanfare transforming communities and institutions beyond an asana "workout" to counterbalance destructive lifestyle practices.

    Wondering what stirred the old Austrian bear out of his slumber???? Look forward to hearing more.
    Take care, matt

    ReplyDelete
  3. Georg, You have a point and yes, the commercialism of yoga has become quite mainstream.

    You might be able to argue that however it gets out, is somehow good, but then on the other hand, it's gotten a little too commercially cut and dried.

    The other day, I got my new issue of Yoga Journal and it struck me that everything in the magazine was "posed", sort of like a bunch of imposters, posturing. Is it all pretense? Is everyone a wanna be "yogi"? Does it even matter if they are? even if you were to pretend to be a yogi, isn't that better than nothing?

    There was a lovely article in it by Sally Kempton, aka Swami Durgananda in that recent issue of Yoga Journal, targeted towards "beginning meditators" which was a little delicious (simply because she is usually quite yummy) but sort of felt strained...like it was some sort of writing assignment and lacked a certain rasa. Not her usual article where she explains the journey of the yogi and abstract concepts in easy to understand modern analogies.

    Maybe things were better off when Yoga was only thought of as "postures" and those that blend the ecstatic into their classes (such as uber fantastic American Yogi, John Friend) take on a certain awakened energetic (which face it, can easily be misunderstood by the masses)

    Not everyone has had the benefit of an awakened master, some are still searching...The search even goes on in the commercialism of Yoga.

    Remember, it IS the Kali Yuga and a very topsy turvy world, isn't it.

    Very very nice to see you have a blog Georg, I have listened to you tapes, read your books. Thanks for the post :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Georg,
    Thanks for starting this blog. I think this is a great forum for discussion and I am sure you will continue to bring out more worthwhile topics to discuss. Regarding this topic, the death of yoga, I wonder if the real issue is signal to noise ratio. I have never read Yoga Journal, but recently purchased a copy of Yoga + Joyful Living at the train station before a long journey . I enjoyed many non-posture articles and one asana one on sacroiliac support, luckily because I was able to share it with about a half dozen friends who were in pain and wanted some physical therapy suggestions.
    My overview into the yoga of the western world is not comprehensive, but I would agree that there is a huge emphasis on asana. Recently I learned of a sport, competitive yoga, it made me laugh with one eye cry with the other. I cannot understand at all how it, in and of itself, is a liberation/self realization technique. I think at best it could provide yogis really into asana an alternate source of income. However, at worst it confuses the process for the goal and is likely to cause many people to become egoistic about their body or see yoga as such and not get into it for the right reasons…self realization.
    To me it seems that the standard perversions and misinterpretations of anything “sacred” will continue to reoccur throughout the ages; whether the yoga focus is on asana, mantra or asceticism we are bound to mess up repeatedly, especially if guidance comes only through second and third hand sources. Before we declare western yoga dead we should likely dig a little deeper than the pop culture level. Of course it is a shame that pop culture yoga seems to be moving away from liberation and focusing more on the commercial, but is this anything new? Is the scale out of proportion for modern times?
    Below is a quote I took and a quote from the writings of Thich Nat Han that I think also express how this issue, while unfortunate, is not uncommon. It is an imaginary meeting between Mara and Buddha. I usually attach a picture I took in a shop with the conversation. It is a picture of a Buddha statute with a huge sign around its neck reading “ Woody Buddy, reclining Buddha 16” 98 Singapore dollars” I can send it to you if you’s like.

    Buddha (to Mara): Please have a seat

    Mara: Thank you. Sir. That assistant of yours Ananda, is so difficult. When I announced my arrival. He refused to let me see you. He said, "What business have you here? The Buddha defeated you years ago at the foot of the Bodhi tree, and he certainly will not receive you now. You are his enemy." But he was forced to let me in when I countered his arguments.

    Buddha: (laughing) What did you tell him?

    Mara: I asked, "So the Buddha has enemies now?" A Buddha with enemies is not a true Buddha. Your attendant obviously understood that, and he let me in.
    Buddha: You always triumph over others using trickery. You wouldn't be Mara if you didn't.

    Mara: Exactly. My dear Buddha, Let me tell you what is troubling me. People dress me in paper clothes and paint my face to look cruel & stupid. They say I breathe the dark smoke of suspicion. That's the only form they give me. Wherever I go. I am feared and despised. It's really no fun being Mara.

    Buddha: You think being a Buddha is fun? Businesses use me to sell their products. Devotees carry me on floats and drag me through streets filled with boutiques on both sides, selling coal, fish sauce, and who knows what else? Don't think you'd be happier as a Buddha.
    Hearing this Mara burst out laughing

    From: "Fragrant Palm Leaves by Thich Nhat Hanh, 1998. Pp. 41-42

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Georg,
    Thanks for starting this blog. I think this is a great forum for discussion and I am sure you will continue to bring out more worthwhile topics to discuss. Regarding this topic, the death of yoga, I wonder if the real issue is signal to noise ratio. I have never read Yoga Journal, but recently purchased a copy of Yoga + Joyful Living at the train station before a long journey . I enjoyed many non-posture articles and one asana one on sacroiliac support, luckily because I was able to share it with about a half dozen friends who were in pain and wanted some physical therapy suggestions.
    My overview into the yoga of the western world is not comprehensive, but I would agree that there is a huge emphasis on asana. Recently I learned of a sport, competitive yoga, it made me laugh with one eye cry with the other. I cannot understand at all how it, in and of itself, is a liberation/self realization technique. I think at best it could provide yogis really into asana an alternate source of income. However, at worst it confuses the process for the goal and is likely to cause many people to become egoistic about their body or see yoga as such and not get into it for the right reasons…self realization.
    To me it seems that the standard perversions and misinterpretations of anything “sacred” will continue to reoccur throughout the ages; whether the yoga focus is on asana, mantra or asceticism we are bound to mess up repeatedly, especially if guidance comes only through second and third hand sources. Before we declare western yoga dead we should likely dig a little deeper than the pop culture level. Of course it is a shame that pop culture yoga seems to be moving away from liberation and focusing more on the commercial, but is this anything new? Is the scale out of proportion for modern times?
    Below is a quote I took and a quote from the writings of Thich Nat Han that I think also express how this issue, while unfortunate, is not uncommon. It is an imaginary meeting between Mara and Buddha. I usually attach a picture I took in a shop with the conversation. It is a picture of a Buddha statute with a huge sign around its neck reading “ Woody Buddy, reclining Buddha 16” 98 Singapore dollars” I can send it to you if you’s like.

    Buddha (to Mara): Please have a seat

    Mara: Thank you. Sir. That assistant of yours Ananda, is so difficult. When I announced my arrival. He refused to let me see you. He said, "What business have you here? The Buddha defeated you years ago at the foot of the Bodhi tree, and he certainly will not receive you now. You are his enemy." But he was forced to let me in when I countered his arguments.

    Buddha: (laughing) What did you tell him?

    Mara: I asked, "So the Buddha has enemies now?" A Buddha with enemies is not a true Buddha. Your attendant obviously understood that, and he let me in.
    Buddha: You always triumph over others using trickery. You wouldn't be Mara if you didn't.

    Mara: Exactly. My dear Buddha, Let me tell you what is troubling me. People dress me in paper clothes and paint my face to look cruel & stupid. They say I breathe the dark smoke of suspicion. That's the only form they give me. Wherever I go. I am feared and despised. It's really no fun being Mara.

    Buddha: You think being a Buddha is fun? Businesses use me to sell their products. Devotees carry me on floats and drag me through streets filled with boutiques on both sides, selling coal, fish sauce, and who knows what else? Don't think you'd be happier as a Buddha.
    Hearing this Mara burst out laughing

    From: "Fragrant Palm Leaves by Thich Nhat Hanh, 1998. Pp. 41-42

    ReplyDelete
  6. Empowering post, thankyou, someone sent me a link to your blog and I am feeling nourished in attuning with your writings.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi, Georg,
    I am so glad to see that you have started a blog. I think Yoga needs someone of your stature and credibilty to add voice, and support both you and Judith in your work and efforts regarding the current, unfortunate, trends in yoga publications. Thanks for your balance and sanity.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Matthew,

    I don't know about the Austrian Bear. I was born in Germany. Grizzly Bear then? Anyway, if something big is shifting, I'd like to be there!

    Welcome for the ride!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hello George,

    I think the answer to your question "When will commercialization begin to compromise content?" is in the past tense.

    The only remaining island of quality content I can still see is in the anatomical study of Yoga. Though I fear that too is backfiring on Yoga - that there is an over-intellectualization of Yoga ... as if knowing more medical names of muscles and ligaments is a recipe for enlightment.

    I think Yoga is in a highly dynamic and therefore risky phase. As it reaches a wider audiences it is stretching out - degenerating at one and evolving at the other. Dynamic Quality is a rarity - it is only natural that we witness much degeneracy and little quality - that's how evolution works.

    I do think that something can and needs to be done. I think that quality knowledge needs to be made available and preserved. There will come a time when more people will arise from the commercial yoga playgrounds and seek better teachings. This is a good time to put those teachings in place.

    Fortunately we have the internet as a place where free and unmediated expression and distribution are easily accessible and available. Where once the primary means for dissemanating knowledge was publishing a book - now there is a wonderful option to gradually publish knowledge online where it can reach people and evolve - in a continuous vinyasa.

    It seems we are heading into an age of stormy Gunas - and that Yoga is being challenged but not threatened.

    Respectfully Yours
    Ronen

    p.s. - I feel that blogspot and Google are not good islands for personal expression.

    ReplyDelete
  10. It's good to see that you are still sticking with it, Georg.

    Swami Jnaneshvara

    ReplyDelete
  11. Belatedly, thanks Swami J! And everyone else!

    ReplyDelete