Disharmonious yoga

[Pandara]

Yesterday I had a yoga experience which I would say didn't harmonize with me and would like to share it. One of my friends recently started yoga at his local gym and asked my to join the class with him to give my honest impressions.

So along I went and within 15 minutes my body was crying stop this, there was no balance between the opposites sides through the asanas and it felt more like jogging than doing yoga. The class was massive, nearly 40 people and it seemed that it was a mixture of beginners to advanced. The energy in the air was disturbing as it felt at times more stressful to me in terms of the competition between certain members present there. The yoga was completely disconnected from yoga philosophy and was presented just as exercises. I really hope that this type of yoga do serve a purpose, because I am not so sure about the purpose or the outcome of it.

Anyway, I left there with a fresh appreciation for my small classes and the intimate relation I have with my students.

In the nicest way possible I made some recommendations to my friend, hope he will find a middle path.

[Fin]

Hi Pandara,

Your students are very blessed to have you as their teacher.
If I lived in SA I would certainly apply to be a member of your Yoga group.

Never mind, if I ever visit SA I will request the honour of participating in a session for a day.
Of course you may not want to welcome an ex-arthritic 50 year old from the UK, who finds Warrior I & II a big challenge!!
LOL

Thank you for creating a group where people can be individuals & want to be yogis.

Love
Fin

[Pandara]

Dear Fin,

You will be most welcome to attend my classes whenever you visit SA. I have a couple of over 50 in my one class and in my other class I have a lady of 63 who recently suffered a stroke as well as a host of other problems. There are also a few overweight people so the mix is varied, but my belief is yoga is for everybody and I shall create a space for who ever wants to do yoga with me.

PS. I am sure the warm weather will help your arthritis very much.

[Alix]

Pandara, wow! You have given me new appreciation for my smaller class as well. The peace and "centered" feeling are the things I appreciate most about my class.

[Fin]

Originally Posted by Pandara

You will be most welcome to attend my classes whenever you visit SA.

Thank You.

Love Fin

[Lars Rimböck]

Dear Pandara
Yes we have that kind of "deluxe gymn" calling itself Yoga as well in Germany and I once viited one of this classes and had the same expressions like you .
And there are people training a yoga teacher within 4 weeks which afterwards open their own Yoga school.
But good to see there are more people like you sharing their expierence with others.
All the best
Lars

[Pandara]

Hi Lars,

Yes, I still can't understand the 4 weeks training thing. My own teacher only allowed me about two years ago (after nearly 8 years of intense yoga training with her) to explore teacher training and my course took two years. What do you learn in 4 weeks?

[justwannabe]

pandara,
surely you can understand the four week trainings, we live in a world where oftentimes we try to run before walking. many people focus so much on helping others that they may force themselves into "teachers" before they are ready. The ego always wants to say it is fixed and now it can fix others, but the heart knows we must look deeper within.

It seems your teacher actually helped to "train" you, many people say with their words they want to be trained, that they want to understand, only the actions at times show otherwise. I fall into this category more often then my ego wishes to admit, but my heart knows I am just a grasshopper.
hoping along
seeker

[Pandara]

Hi Tube,

I hear what you say, but still find the MacDonald's Drive Thru mentality (or instant gratification) of our day and age disturbing and contra to spiritual development.

I love the locust, one of my personal favourite asanas, so I guess one of these days I will be a grasshoper hoping alongside you?

[Bentinho Massaro]

I love the locust, one of my personal favourite asanas, so I guess one of these days I will be a grasshoper hoping alongside you?

- Pandara

In the light of re-incarnation, I must say: Be careful what you wish for Pandara, I would hate to step on you some decades from now .

[Pandara]

Haha...thanks needed the laugh i am on deadline with a magazine layout and it is hectic at my office, so bless you for the humour.

[Bentinho Massaro]

haha you're welcome.