jivamukti question

[Guest guest]

hi!

 

 

I have a question about Sharon's and David's

guru's....

 

 

in the book they say that Jois is one of their guru,

but to my understanding he is very insistent that you

practice his sequence of asanas.....is this true? If

so then are David and Sharon going against their guru?

Is it that they themselves practice the ashtanga

vinyasa but don't teach it? OR is it possible to have

jois as a guru and not practice his vinyasa?

 

thanks for your help this is a question that i have

been wondering

 

with respect

chris

[Guest guest]

I think that is a very good question best answered by Sharon and

David. Why don't you call or write them? Or go ask in person if

you live in NY. Then, write back here and tell us what they said.

 

fbl

 

 

ashtangayoga, "yogaboi" <yogaboi> wrote:

> hi!

>

>

> I have a question about Sharon's and David's

> guru's....

>

>

> in the book they say that Jois is one of their guru,

> but to my understanding he is very insistent that you

> practice his sequence of asanas.....is this true? If

> so then are David and Sharon going against their guru?

> Is it that they themselves practice the ashtanga

> vinyasa but don't teach it? OR is it possible to have

> jois as a guru and not practice his vinyasa?

>

> thanks for your help this is a question that i have

> been wondering

>

> with respect

> chris

[Guest guest]

Chris wrote [[.. a question about Sharon's and David's guru's .. they

say that Jois is one of their guru, but to my understanding he is

very insistent that you practice his sequence of asanas .. If so then

are David and Sharon going against their guru?]]

** That would be a matter between chela & guru. Otherwise, check

out this link:

 

http://www.practiceashtanga.com/gannonandlife.htm

 

Or .. if you have problems:

_________

Jivamukti Yoga founders David Life and Sharon Gannon have been

students of Sri Pattabhi Jois since the early 1980s. They opened

their popular and influential Jivamukti Yoga Center in New York City

in 1989, which now hosts dozens of classes and workshops each week.

Life was approved by Jois to teach Ashtanga in 1998.

 

PracticeAshtanga: Given your extensive study of Ashtanga, why develop

Jivamukti Yoga?

 

David Life & Sharon Gannon: As American teachers of yoga, we realize

that students outside of India may not be well-versed in the

philosophy underlying the practices of yoga. We are committed to

presenting yoga as it was intended: as a spiritual practice — the aim

being self realization. The Jivamukti method is based on that

commitment and provides a platform for that aim. As the founders of

the Jivamukti method, our primary commitment is to teach the value of

ethical vegetarianism; promote bhakti, or surrender to God as the

intention underlying the yoga practices; the important role of music

as a vehicle for developing the ability to listen inwardly; and the

need for swadyaya or scriptural study.

 

PA: Many perhaps less well-thought out Ashtanga "blends" than

Jivamukti continue to pop up in gyms, dance studios etc. Do you think

there's any danger in this?

 

DL&SG: There is no teaching certification for Ashtanga, that could be

part of the problem. In answer to your question concerning ill-

informed teachers, teaching in gyms or dance studios: What others

choose to do is really not our business. Our business is to try to do

our best to serve God, not to judge others. We do not regard the

Jivamukti method as an "ashtanga blend." Jivamukti is its own style,

distinct from any other style we have studied. Of course it draws

from the great well of yoga knowledge as do all styles.

 

PA: Would you like to see certified Ashtanga teachers take a more

active role in "checking" each other and up-and-coming teachers? If

so, do you have a vision of what this would look like?

 

DL&SG: Ashtanga practitioners are certified as practitioners — not

teachers. Traditionally, the guru gives permission to the student to

teach, and this is what is lacking in students who prematurely become

teachers; they seem to lack humility and respect for the guru/student

relationship. We have never made any major move in our lives without

consulting our gurus and receiving their blessings.

 

PA: Can you speak to what have been your biggest challenges/greatest

rewards are in taking on leadership of a spiritual practice in a

major metropolitan area?

 

DL&SG: We teach all over the world in many major metropolitan areas.

Our biggest challenge is to meet the thirst for the true teachings

among the thousands of people who are interested. When you make a

commitment and give your life to God, you are in a for a lot of

overtime, because God seems to be short-staffed at the moment.

 

PA: Given Ashtanga's rise in popularity in the U.S., do you think

teachers can more adequately prepare students for the process? What

other support do you recommend to students contending with the rapid

changes that Ashtanga engenders?

 

DL&SG: Students should study Sanskrit and read the scriptures,

especially the yoga sutra of Patanjali which is the origin text for

Ashtanga Yoga. Most importantly, the practice of ethical

vegetarianism is the essential preparation and support for the

practice.

 

PA: What is your own practice like now?

 

DL&SG There are two things which the ancient scriptures advise not to

indiscriminately talk about: 1) Your spiritual experiences, i.e. your

personal relationship to God and 2) Your intimate relationship with

your husband or wife. We will say that our main job is to get close

to God and that is pretty much a full-time job; seven days a week.

 

Deborah Crooks was formerly the Managing Editor of Inside Triathlon.

She writes for a host of publications including Northern Lights, AOL

and VeloNews and is completing a Memoir.

_________

 

Om Shanti ...

Yogini Shakti