Guest guest Posted May 22, 2003 Report Share Posted May 22, 2003 I am so glad you addressed this. I too noticed that ad and was very upset and concerned. --- eganvay <eganvay wrote: > > > > > > > elena [elena] > > Tuesday, May 20, 2003 8:38 PM > > 'openmind' > > Cc: 'info' > > Leather Yoga Mat Bags? > > > > > > > > Namaste Yoga Journal Staff > > > > I am a yoga teacher and long time yoga > practitioner, > > and I have observed > > changes in the yoga community - some changes are > > beautiful periods of > > growth, some changes take us away from the key > > principles of yoga. > > Beginning with issue #174, the June 2003 issue, > full > > page advertising > > for leather yoga mat bags was published in Yoga > > Journal. This takes us > > away from the key concepts of Ahimsa > (non-violence) > > and the love and > > respect for all life, which we connect with when > we > > practice. Placing a > > yoga mat in a leather bag is a very direct > > confrontation between the > > life affirming practice of yoga and the death of > an > > animal for material > > gain. We have many other options than they did in > > ancient times. You > > accept advertising from manufacturers creating > bags > > out of recycled > > materials, organic materials and renewable > > resources, from which mat > > bags are generally made. Leather mat bags take us > > many steps away from > > a healthier and more compassionate lifestyle. I > > hope you reconsider > > accepting advertising for products which are not > in > > keeping with the > > values of yoga. > > > > Respectfully submitted > > > > Elena Case > > > > Focal Point Yoga, Stow, MA > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Geb Masterson > > [Gmasterson] > > Wednesday, May 21, 2003 12:12 PM > > 'elena'; openmind > > RE: Leather Yoga Mat Bags? > > Importance: High > > > > > > > > Dear Elena - > > > > Thank you very much for your note, and let me say > > that we understand and > > appreciate your opinion and passion. > > > > We are very aware of the 'non-violence' teachings > of > > Yoga. As we state > > on our site, the leather we use is strictly a > > byproduct of the food > > industry, these animals where not killed for their > > hides. The hides that > > we use would be discarded if they were not > recycled > > for other uses. We > > are not talking 'exotic' animals here, such as > > crocodiles, alligators, > > mink, etc. that might be killed just for the value > > of their hide -- > > these where cows that were killed for their meat > by > > native people in > > countries that depend on meat for sustenance. To > > this day, meat is still > > a dietary staple in most of the world's various > > cultures. I cannot > > change that and I also do not try to judge people > by > > their beliefs. > > > > I believe one could also argue that Yoga teaches > one > > to be > > understanding, non-judgmental and non-political > but > > today there are > > people that seem to believe that they 'own' the > true > > understanding of > > Yoga and therefore they have to preach their > > beliefs. We try not to be > > political and not to preach a 'right' or 'wrong' > -- > > we are merely trying > > to provide Yoga accessories to a market and we > have > > never claimed to be > > anything else. These are simple tools and nothing > > more, and the vast > > majority of the items we offer are not leather > > products. > > > > As much as I understand and respect your position, > I > > hope that you > > understand that there are people practicing Yoga, > > possibly some of your > > students, that do not live strictly by the ahimsa. > > Should they be > > singled out and criticized? People choose what > they > > want to get out of > > their practice for their own reasons, and what > they > > may be seeking could > > be simple or it might be a life changing epiphany. > > We are merely > > offering that portion of the Yoga community that > > does not live strictly > > by the ahimsa a choice. > > > > This being said, do you really think that it is > fair > > that you ask Yoga > > Journal to censor their ads? How does this relate > to > > the concept of > > choice and the Yogic philosophy of acceptance? > > > > Elena, as I mentioned in the beginning of this > note, > > I sincerely > > appreciate and respect your opinion. I hope though > > that you now > > understand our position a little better. Thank you > > for your time - > > > > Geb Masterson > > > > Crescent Moon > > > > > > > > HERE ARE SOME COMMENTS FROM OTHERS IN MY LOCAL > YOGA > > COMMUNITY THAT I > > SHARED THIS MESSAGE WITH > > > > > > > > > > > > Wednesday, May 21, 2003 5:11 PM > > > > elena > > > > Re: FW: FW: Leather Yoga Mat Bags? > > > > > > > > sooo, it was okay for the oppulent and connected > > > > german citezens to have human skin lampshades, > made > > > > from the victims of the gas chamber... since the > > > > skin was a simply byproduct of the geonocide ? > > > > > > > > > > Wednesday, May 21, 2003 4:10 PM > > elena > > Re: FW: Leather Yoga Mat Bags? > > > > > > > === message truncated === The New Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo. http://search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 22, 2003 Report Share Posted May 22, 2003 Not to mention, those leather mat bags are stupidly expensive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 24, 2003 Report Share Posted May 24, 2003 Although Funkybadlady would never buy and use a leather yoga mat bag and finds in insanely ridiculouss and even funny that someone thought that making and marketing a leather yoga bag... I wonder where it says in any of the scriptures that one should not use leather...?? Is that not a personal decision and not one necessarily required if one chooses to practice yoga? FBL ashtanga yoga, asawrt@a... wrote: > Not to mention, those leather mat bags are stupidly expensive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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