teacher and book debate

[Guest guest]

Sorry but isn't all this crap about which of the

teachers has the best book, practice,authority sort of

stupid. These are all good teachers and the fact that

there are some minor differences in what they teach is

insignifigant. John Scott and Lino Miele disagree on the

drishtis for some poses so what?! both are great guys. Is

there anyone out there who can look at Freeman's

practice and say it's not correct method.Swenson was

practicing before some of you were out of grade school. Give

me a break all of this makes some people on this

board look like morons.

[Guest guest]

Hi...<br><br>I agree with you, sort of! As a

newcomer to Astanga, I get the strong sense that there is

ONE way to be doing it, as per Yoga Mala (?) perhaps

all this talk comes out of some of us wanting to just

be doing it "right". But, on the other hand, WHO

says what is right? I thought that a recent post

(can't remember who - mommy brain) that said something

about WHY does it have to be so, in flexible, when yoga

is also about being/getting flexible?!) And why is

it wrong to westernize some of this? I don't have

the answers, I am just learning, and my nature is to

go to the source, the original source (that's why I

like this group) and study the roots of something.

Biut, I also have an extensive backround in exercise

science and I teach a variety of exercise classes, so I

am curious about the accessibility of yoga. Maybe

some of you don't care about sharing the beauty and

benefits of yoga, but I do. So, I just finished doing

David Swensons first series video on my new Mysore rug

(misted first with a little water) and other than it

seeming really fast, I had a good time. Laughed a little

at myself, but did OK. Man, will I ever get those

jump throughs!? I kept thinking, if he does one more

vinyasa I'm gonna throw my water bottle at his stretchy

little ass! So, anyway, I have enjoyed the various

debates about authors of books and videos and I still

will more than likely plan a trip to Mysore

someday...Sandy

[Guest guest]

Hey that's funny about the water bottle. I think

you're safe to stick with Yoga Mala as a guide. I do

agree with that post though in that all the teachers

have studied alot with Guruji and the books are all

pretty good. It kind of reminds me of star struck kids

arguing over their favorite movie or rock stars. These

people are all good yogis so why not relax.

[Guest guest]

Yoga, like anything organic, needs to constantly

grow and evolve. Once you have rigidity (this is the

correct way/this is the wrong way) then it begins to die.

Yoga is freedom. <br><br>My advice is to study and

understand the source (Yoga Mala) and then you can

improvise. Then you can surf. Breath, dance and feel the

love.<br>:-)

[Guest guest]

Sandy, the "strechy little ass" comment gets 5 stars. Have you seen Richard

Freemans' primary series video yet? He's truly an inspiration.<br><br>Sunshine

[Guest guest]

Sure the printed Ashtanga texts differ in many

details, as do the instructions of various teachers. It

seems to me that the goal should not be to identify any

"best" or "currently correct" version of the series but

instead to develop a relationship with a particular

teacher and learn from him/her personally even if he/she

isn't famous or certified.<br><br>I've alternated

between periods where I learned mostly from a teacher,

and other times when I was isolated and worked mostly

from a book. With human contact you are much more

inspired, get hurt less, and have loads more fun.<br><br>As

for Swenson (one of my personal yoga heroes) and why

he isn't certified and his books officially approved

-- well, I don't have any inside info but have

inferred from some of his remarks that he's concerned that

yoga folk (not just ashtangi) are starting to put too

much emphasis on certification, and so on principle he

does not seek it for himself. He also appears to have

a great nostalgia for the version(s) of Ashtanga as

taught to the first generation of Americans (when there

were just four series) and seems to relish the

laid-back atmosphere created by that particular yoga

community, and so I am guessing that he prefers to pass

along the yoga, both asana and attitude, pretty much as

he first learned it from Williams and

Jois.<br><br>Maybe takeitup can correct or enhance the

foregoing.<br><br>Peace and Good,<br>Homer

[Guest guest]

I agree with sundari. What's the point in getting

worked up over who has the most "original" or

"authentic" details? I've studied with David Swenson, Lino

Miele and John Scott. They are all impressive yogis and

good teachers. It's highly unlikely that many of us

will ever get to a level of yogic skill and learning

to be able to say whether differences in the details

of what guys at this level teach, are important or

not.<br><br>For what it's worth, as far as I know Lino Miele and

John Scott have spent a lot more time studying with

KPJ in the last ten years or so, so I expect what

they describe is a closer reflection of what Guruji is

teaching *now*. Whereas, as sundari rightly points out,

David Swenson was studying with Guruji while most of us

were still at school. I don't have Yoga Mala so,

fortunately for me, I can't indulge in "asana archaeology" to

see if David Swenson's book is more like what Guruji

was teaching 40 years ago. I'll just have to get on

with my practice instead.