Guest guest Posted February 21, 2002 Report Share Posted February 21, 2002 I noticed this on the MSNBC website yesterday. http://www.msnbc.com/news/711273.asp Here is the article in case the link doesn't work. This is not the greatest press coverage for Guruji (and Eddie), is it? It is too bad, I am really starting to get concerned and wonder about this practice now. A yoga class of true devotion? With Ashley Pearson MSNBC Feb. 20 — Is Gwyneth Paltrow's yoga instructor doling out more than exercise? Paltrow and other bold face names such as Christy Turlington are devotees of Eddie Stern, who runs the Patanjali Yoga Shala studio in lower Manhattan. But one expert in cults and alternative religions says he's concerned about complaints he's received regarding Stern's studio. RICK ROSS, a professional deprogrammer who runs culteducation.com, says that a number of Stern's students are encouraged to become intensely devoted to the yoga instructor. Students say that some of them were warned they will go insane if they take yoga courses outside of Stern's classes and are told that they will be met with a horrible fate if they ever say anything negative about Stern. "A lot of the people who go to his classes just get a really good workout," a former student told The Scoop. "But some devotees are brought into an inner circle that requires absolute and utter devotion to his every word. I saw people lose all ability to decide things for themselves. It was a situation that was encouraged. There was no doubt in my mind that it was a cult-like situation." "It is certainly not my belief that mixing yoga systems will lead to insanity," Stern told the Scoop. He denies that he pressures people or that there is any cult-like behavior in his classes, saying that he has "encouraged students to grow in whatever path or whatever direction they need to go." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2002 Report Share Posted February 21, 2002 ashtangayoga, yogadirt <no_reply> wrote: > I noticed this on the MSNBC website yesterday. > > http://www.msnbc.com/news/711273.asp > > Here is the article in case the link doesn't work. This is not the > greatest press coverage for Guruji (and Eddie), is it? It is too > bad, I am really starting to get concerned and wonder about this > practice now. Oh, please. Youre scaring me. You're telling us you have doubts about your ashtanga practice because some gossip columnist is so low on ideas for trash that she decides to try and titillate her readers with slander about one of the leading ashtanga teachers in NYC? well, if that's what it takes to concern you that ashtanga yoga is a viper's nest... well, as another well known poster here comments from time to time, the practice of ashtanga is not for everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2002 Report Share Posted February 21, 2002 ashtangayoga, yogadirt <no_reply> wrote: > I noticed this on the MSNBC website yesterday. > > http://www.msnbc.com/news/711273.asp > > Here is the article in case the link doesn't work. This is not the > greatest press coverage for Guruji (and Eddie), is it? It is too > bad, I am really starting to get concerned and wonder about this > practice now. > > A yoga class of true devotion? > > With Ashley Pearson > MSNBC > Feb. 20 — Is Gwyneth Paltrow's yoga > instructor doling out > more than exercise? Paltrow and other bold face names such as > Christy Turlington are devotees of Eddie Stern, who runs the > Patanjali Yoga Shala studio in lower Manhattan. But one expert > in cults and alternative religions says he's concerned about > complaints he's received regarding Stern's studio. > > RICK ROSS, a professional deprogrammer who runs > culteducation.com, says that a number of Stern's students are > encouraged to become intensely devoted to the yoga instructor. > Students say that some of them were warned they will go insane > if they take yoga courses outside of Stern's classes and are told > that they will be met with a horrible fate if they ever say anything > negative about Stern. > "A lot of the people who go to his classes > just get a really > good workout," a former student told The Scoop. "But some > devotees are brought into an inner circle that requires absolute > and utter devotion to his every word. I saw people lose all ability > to decide things for themselves. It was a situation that was > encouraged. There was no doubt in my mind that it was a > cult-like situation." > "It is certainly not my belief that mixing > yoga systems will > lead to insanity," Stern told the Scoop. He denies that he > pressures people or that there is any cult-like behavior in his > classes, saying that he has "encouraged students to grow in > whatever path or whatever direction they need to go." Could it be true that El Senor's repeated warnings of the dire results of less than perfect devotion, part of his venemous yet wildly entertaining attack on Jivimukti, has "telephoned" into this? If so, that is classic. Unfortunate for Mr. Stern though, who is now being forced to rebuke statements he never made, and I think even Senor made with one eye towards simple antagonism rather than seriousness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2002 Report Share Posted February 22, 2002 I encourage people to visit the CNBC site and rate the article, as well as send a note to the fool who wrote it. Cheers, DMc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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