teacher or not to be (a teacher)

[Guest guest]

Only one thing to contemplate: In Iyengar-Yoga

every man who wants can become a teacher, because there

are possibilities to do that in I suppose nearly

every country of our world. There is not only "The one

and only" who says: you are blessed to teach - you

not. <br>In my oppinion it is not a good solution if

there is only one way to paradise. Of course there must

be the goal in teaching exactly and in a right way.

But what about those who don't want to go to India to

visit PJ, the guru of Ashtanga-Yoga? Observing the

whole situation in the Ashtanga-Community it seems that

it is a matter of money. First if you have the money

to go there, you can become a teacher (and you have

to go there several times). (It's not only P.J.,

look at the fee of David Swenson for his

teacher-training). If you don't have the money, stay at home and ...

become a teacher for ... jogging!<br>Oh dear, in full

respect for P.J., there are very good intelligent teacher

in Europe who have a deep insight in Ashtanga-Yoga

(Lino Miele, Scott and other more). They are Ashtangis

enough to teach the secrets of this method (if there are

any secrets). So, why not to get the permission to

teach from them? In this case the run to India and to

P.J. wouldn't be. But Yoga is (for me)universal and it

is not possible to possess it for oneself. Not the

single people are important but the method. And in a

free world everybode should have a free entrance to

yoga, and even to teach it too, if he wants. Always of

course with a good instruction and a suitable fee.

That's it. By, Lu.

[Guest guest]

Lu,<br><br>I think you have a good point. My

original teacher in England was a student of John Scott,

who had never been to Mysore when I started studying

with him. He was doing a good job in my opinion (and

has since been to Mysore twice). My current teacher

in Munich is a student of Lino Miele who had also

never been to Mysore when she started teaching - but

has now just come back from her second visit. She,

too, is doing a very worthy job as one of the - as we

know very well - all too few people propagating

ashtanga practice in Germany.<br><br>I certainly wouldn't

have any major reservations about starting off

studying with a teacher who had the approval of somebody

like John or Lino.<br><br>What you say about Iyengar

Yoga is correct up to a point. In think beyond a

certain level of teacher certification you do have to

study directly with Mr Iyengar in Pune. Which, of

course, most serious and committed students would want to

do anyway. Just as most serious and committed

ashtanga students would want to go to Mysore - if, as you

say, money and family commitments allow

it.<br><br>Viele Gruesse<br>Alan