"Power Yoga" And El Senor

[Guest guest]

Hello,<br><br>I am relatively new to the study of

ashtanga, but have practiced various forms of yoga and

meditation throughout my life. I have to say I have been

somewhat dismayed by the discussion on this board in

recent days, particularly the need for people to judge

other people’s practice, no matter the tradition. I

can’t understand the benefit of doing this. Nor can I

understand wanting to feel that your practice is somehow

superior to or more spiritual than someone else’s.

Ashtanga, as I have experienced it so far, seems a

wonderful way to open the body, the heart and the attention

bit by bit – but I can’t imagine being so limited as

to see it as the only path. <br><br>Across America,

there are literally hundreds of yoga teachers who teach

a vinyasa-based practice that is not ashtanga, but

shares certain principles. Some of these teachers call

it Power Yoga – and yet many encourage their

students to bring a rapt meditative concentration to their

practice, to focus on the breath and the energy lines, to

watch their inner dialogue, in ways that have enormous

benefit. As long as they are not calling it Ashtanga, how

does it threaten the tradition? I’m sure there are

some health club yoga teachers who do focus entirely

on creating a physical "workout" but are they really

in the majority? <br><br>As for Beryl Bender Birch,

I’ve never met her or studied with her and wouldn’t

presume to judge her as a yogi or teacher. But I have

read her book and I can’t find in it any evidence of

the body-centered approach she has been so readily

accused of on this board. Have the people criticizing her

read her book? If so, I think it would be fair to

quote offending portions or point out specific ways in

which she is harming the ashtanga tradition so that at

least people reading this board can make up our own

minds. I also note that it is very convenient to attack

someone who is not around to defend herself! <br><br>Now,

I have a few simple questions to address

specifically to El Senor Pinche Wey, which I hope he will

answer: you’ve made it very clear that you judge certain

teachers, such as Bery Birch and Larry Schultz as having an

inadequate practice. I merely wonder what your credentials

are in judging them? Are you, for example, certified

to teach by Guruji? I think it would help some of us

to understand your opinions better if we knew more

about the reality in which they are grounded. How long

have you studied ashtanga, for example? Who were your

teachers? <br><br>At any rate, I have thoroughly enjoyed

the discussions on this board, especially those that

relate to deepening and refining the practice, and

especially those encouraging newcomers. <br>For those who

remember me as the person who wrote on awhile ago about

wrist and hand pain – well, after some deep attention

to hand position and a pair of padded gloves, my

left wrist and hand are almost entirely better. Now .

.. . for the right wrist! <br><br>Warm

regards,<br>Robyn