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guruji won't teach muslims

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Here is the post he was referring to:

 

At the risk of REALLY getting in over my head here, I just want to

correct a misperception many make about Guruji. Just this past May, in

conference Guruji shared his opinions about Muslims and then stated

unequivocally, "I will not teach a Muslim yoga. Many have come to my

doors over the years and I have turned them all away. I will teach a

German, I will teach Australian, I will teach Japanese, but I will not

teach a Muslim."

 

There was one young woman from New York whose father was Muslim, and

she got up and very generously said to Guruji, "Guruji, I have to

leave. I am very upset by what you just said. My father is a Muslim

and is a kind, peaceloving man. Not all Muslims are as you describe

them, and the statements that you made are incorrect. I don't think

you should have said what you said, so I have to leave now. I think

today is a very sad day." After she left, there was silence in the

room for a few minutes during which no one could look at each other,

and a few people cried. Even Guruji looked troubled. Then, students

started asking him questions about slokas from the Gita and what they

should eat and how they should sleep again without anyone addressing

what he had just said.

 

As you can imagine, this was a very damaging experience for the woman

affected most directly and for many of us present. Several people

stopped practicing with him that day.

 

So, I can't say with any firsthand knowledge what Guruji would do if

an untouchable wanted to have yoga classes from him, but I think it is

definitely inaccurate to say that now anyone can do it regardless of

whatever, etc. There is definitely prejudice in Pattabhi Jois's shala,

a prejudice which is freely expressed should the subject come up.

Whether you choose to call him a bigot or not is probably a personal

matter. Guruji may be a loveable man, but he is not a perfect being,

he is just like the rest of us.

 

Also, one argument that was made while I was there was that this was

India and that "we" should respect the difficulties that indigenous

people experience there, that this conflict is thousands of years old

and that we just need to accept it. However, I can say, as an Indian

and as one who discussed this incident with my family there, that no,

not all Indians share Guruji's views about Muslims, and that many

believe that such views should not be put forward in the context of

teaching others.

 

---

 

The link does work, it was just cut in the middle, simply put them

together Sis.

 

Brother Brahman-Atmananda

http://www/angelfire.com/yt/kr

 

ashtangayoga, "yogini_shakti" <Yogini_Shakti> wrote:

> This link is not working. Perhaps you could supply another link, or

> cut & paste the comments?.

>

> Om Shanti ...

> Yogini Shakti

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yogini shakti, i'm trying it without text wrap, i hope it works.

 

http://pub42.ezboard.com/fyoga84291frm4.showMessageRange

?topicID=197.topic&start=41&stop=60

 

ashtangayoga, "yogini_shakti" <Yogini_Shakti>

wrote:

> This link is not working. Perhaps you could supply another

link, or

> cut & paste the comments?.

>

> Om Shanti ...

> Yogini Shakti

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Mr. Grenouille wrote [[ .. i'm trying it without text wrap, i hope it

works.]]

** It did. Thank you. I read all the posts listed there, on subject

& off.

 

To me this boils down to: Are we trying to 'be' the method or the

teacher?

 

I am who I am. I can not be any one or anything else. Guruji is

simply who he is. His life circumstances are not my own. Whether I

agree or disagree with him is relevant only to my own growth. It

appears that in Yoga the guru IS the system, but is this really the

case? Let me relate a similar circumstance.

 

I trained personally with Swami Vishnu-devananda of the Sivananda

Vedanta Society. I was one of his senior disciples. As much as I

loved Swamiji, I could not adhere to everything he did or said. Case-

in-point: His approach & philosophy regarding Hatha Yoga was "no pain

no gain." He pushed us to push ourselves physically, to the point of

pain. I saw many students hurt themselves to make Guruji happy. I

was not one of these. I refused to then - & still do today - to push

myself into a zone that causes physical malady & undue stress. The

foundational premise of Hatha Yoga, IMO, is the care & nurturing of

the body, not the break-down of it. Afterall, Yoga is chikitsa.

 

Does this make me 'unloyal', 'unfaithful', 'untrue' to my guru? I

have been accused of such. But let us bear in mind who the REAL guru

is ... God. A human guru is but a spokesman for God, so to speak.

Gurus & yogins are individuals who have dedicated their lives to a

particular path of wisdom. But it is neither the guru or yogin who

has the 'power' or 'ability' to do anything other than what God

allows.

 

When we see gurus do great things, bear in mind, what you are truly

seeing is God's work. As such, we are ALL working to express God's

will, hence the injunction of the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you

would have them do unto you." .. a spiritual maxim found in every

world faith.

 

Bottom line: Take what you need & leave the rest.

 

Om Shanti ...

Yogini Shakti

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!!! drdaryl. that is the best response yet!!!! thanks for that

amazing insight.

 

ashtangayoga, drdaryl <no_reply> wrote:

> Why do you call him "Guruji" and yet you are all so quick to judge

> him? I am neither a follower nor an admirer of Jois but as your guru

> you should always give him the benefit of the doubt or try to find

out

> why he did that seemingly prejudicial act. Guru means "dispeller of

> darkness" (gu "darkness" + ru "that which dispels") ji is a suffix

of

> respect similar to "revered". Jois is a respectable man, he have

done

> so much to bring yoga to the mainstream, he is one of the heroes of

> yoga, so the title Guruji suits him well, but more so if it is

spoken

> by "real" disciples. If you have truly accepted him in your heart as

> your guru and not just any other gymnastics or fitness "instructor"

> then you have admitted your own lack of knowledge or development and

> have seen him as the person who could provide you with them. And yet

> coming from this admittedly underdeveloped state you are here

> criticizing him, your mentor. That doesn't make much sense, dear

> friends. Don't be critical of him, this is a public forum, don't do

> that to your guru. If ever it is true that he has a weakness or flaw

> in his character either accept it or leave the guru-disciple

> relationship entirely. People are not like stones, they progress.

And

> to the extent of what Jois have already proven to have done to

> actualize the summit of human development, it is a surety that he

will

> sooner or later lose this hang-up.

>

> ashtangayoga, "Gearhart, Margee" <mgearhart@s...> wrote:

> > "if a blind man follows a blind man, they will both fall"

> >

> > Take what you need and leave the rest. amen.

> >

> > I still believe it is his responsibility as such a great teacher

to

> all to

> > practice what he teaches.

> > Margee

> >

> > >

> > > Demian Meyer [sMTP:dmeyer@s...]

> > > Friday, August 16, 2002 11:17 AM

> > > ashtangayoga

> > > Re: ashtanga yoga Re: guruji won't teach muslims

> > >

> > > "Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what

they

> > > sought."

> > >

> > > Basho

> > >

> > >

> > > -

> > > "yogini_shakti" <Yogini_Shakti>

> > >

> > > > To me this boils down to: Are we trying to 'be' the method or

the

> > > > teacher?

> > > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Sponsor

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