Welcome to Yoga Whatever by Yoga Genie where every day we will give you something to think about!
At Yoga Whatever we enjoy the way Yoga has proliferated throughout the world but are somewhat amused at the way yoga has become, for want of a better word, “disembodied” from true classical yoga practice. Where did those 8 limbs go?
In the USA, Scientology has gone to great lengths to be classified as a religion rather than a practice and has received tremendous tax benefits as a result. Yet in most Western countries, yoga bends over backwards (no pun intended) to be perceived as a practice that is free of religious overtones. In some parts it is almost orthodox to deny the spiritual content of yoga. Is this just lack of organization, deception, wishful-thinking, or just plain convenience? If we were to measure share-of-mind, I am sure yoga would win over Scientology. Yoga Genie asks… why is this so…?
We put “disembodied” yoga to the test by attending several classes at a very, very, very mainstream fitness gym that happened to offer yoga classes and yoga courses. The result? It was actually excellent – great yoga classes provided by a classical yoga teacher, who simply omitted any chant, speech or dedication. Yet after the yoga class things got interesting – student after student approached the teacher wanting more….
As they say… “When the student is ready the teacher appears…”.
I think our busy lifestyles, and a rampacious need for convenience are the cause of de-spiritualised yoga. But I know most of us end up in front of a computer screen at work each day, so I plan to offer something short, sweet and interesting to think about, each day, and I’d love to hear your comments….
Oh…and today I dedicate this yoga practice to Muffles-the-yoga-cat, who day-in-day-out manages to squeeze himself in between keyboard and screen. Peace Muffles.
