Guest guest Posted January 7, 2001 Report Share Posted January 7, 2001 Sat Nam, I have been teaching for 9 years and have finally run into the following situation. I am starting up a class through the YMCA and the director is very worried that Kundalini Yoga may conflict w / their Christian principles. I have explained things, but she wants No Chanting. I realize the teachings should not be altered to get the desired effects, but was thinking about omitting any chanting until the students (and perhaps the director) released some of their blocks and became more comfortable with it. I thought I could tune in silently, and ask that they concentrate on their own souls, or say a short prayer silently, to ask for Gods protection and grace. Anyone with such experience? Your comments would be greatly appreciated. Peace, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2001 Report Share Posted January 8, 2001 Hello! I had to mention that my husband worked for the YMCA in WA state about five years ago. At that time he was exploring sikhism and started wearing a turban and legally changed his name to Dharam Dev Singh. He worked childcare for them at an offsite location. The children and their parents really liked him and asked lots of questions about yoga and deeper questions about death and such. At one point he was called to a meeting with the director, and as he sat down the first thing she said to him is, "I'm an atheist". He was soon fired from that job, just a week or two after he started wearing the turban (and announced we were having a baby). He had been directed to not answer any questions from the children of a personal or spiritual nature, but to "redirect" their questions. Apparently their is some variance in the principles of those who run the YMCA! As far as not chanting, I don't know. It would certainly bother me as a teacher, I would feel very much, if not too- censored. But I can see your thinking of maybe your class helping that block to work out over time. I guess it is a judgment call of how much non tolerance is too much. I've run into that a little bit with a class I will be starting soon. When the woman who manages the studio I will be teaching in was writing up my class description she would not say that there was any chanting involved because she thinks people would not want to come. She has been doing her job awhile, so maybe she is right- I don't know, but I intend to include the usual chanting anyway. It seems weird to me, though. I guess people confuse the concept of chanting with singing. I have always felt they were different. I may feel nervous singing in front of a group by myself, but I would not feel nervous chanting. I guess that is just where I am at. I just plan to stress that it is the vibration and feeling the chanting produces that is more important that the melody. Anyway, good luck with working out this challenge! Sat Siri Akal, Love Always, littlebird Leslie aka Guru Chiter Kaur PS, How is all chanting non-christian? I'm sure a good argument can be made about the universiality of God and names of God. But, perhaps this director would not be open to such a discussion. Personally, I don't see much difference between chanting the rosery or chanting japa, but I have never been attached to any christian mode of thinking either. Oh, well... > > Slapla8352 [slapla8352] > Monday, January 08, 2001 7:45 AM > Kundaliniyoga > Class Chanting > > > Sat Nam, > I have been teaching for 9 years and have finally run into the following > situation. I am starting up a class through the YMCA and the > director is very > worried that Kundalini Yoga may conflict w / their Christian > principles. I > have explained things, but she wants No Chanting. I realize the teachings > should not be altered to get the desired effects, but was thinking about > omitting any chanting until the students (and perhaps the > director) released > some of their blocks and became more comfortable with it. I > thought I could > tune in silently, and ask that they concentrate on their own > souls, or say a > short prayer silently, to ask for Gods protection and grace. > Anyone with such experience? Your comments would be greatly appreciated. > Peace, > John > > > > > > "OUR DESTINY IS TO BE HAPPY" > - Yogi Bhajan > > You can UNSUBSCRIBE from this list at the eGroups Member Center > (My Groups), or send mail to > Kundaliniyoga- > NO UNSUBSCRIBE REQUESTS TO THE LIST PLEASE! > WEB SITE: kundalini yoga > > KUNDALINI YOGA ON-LINE TRAINING. Details from > kundalini yogaclasses.html > > Sponsored by YOGA TECHNOLOGY - Practical books on Kundalini Yoga, > Meditation, Chakras, Womens' Empowerment. Meditation & Mantra CDs. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2001 Report Share Posted January 8, 2001 Dear John: A friend of mine teaches in a (very) Mormon community, and she ran into similar issues when she started. She went out of her way to explain that although she is Sikh, KY is not a religion, but a discipline, like martial arts, and that chanting is simply an aspect of the discipline, like breath or posture, and that the chanting is functional, changing brain patterns and neurochemistry through vibration and stimulation of the upper palate - and is, therefore, a necessary aspect. She also pointed out that people of all faiths practice KY, and that it only furthers their interest in and pursuit of spiritual matters, regardless of belief or religion. She stuck with providing the teachings as normally taught, and has built up a very large teaching practice. She is well loved and respected in her community. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you much success! All blessings, Sadhant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 12, 2001 Report Share Posted January 12, 2001 Kundaliniyoga , "littlebird108" <littlebird108@e...> wrote: > > > Hello! I had to mention that my husband worked for the YMCA in WA state > about five years ago. At that time he was exploring sikhism and started > wearing a turban and legally changed his name to Dharam Dev Singh. He > worked childcare for them at an offsite location. The children and their > parents really liked him and asked lots of questions about yoga and deeper > questions about death and such. At one point he was called to a meeting > with the director, and as he sat down the first thing she said to him is, > "I'm an atheist". He was soon fired from that job, just a week or two after > he started wearing the turban (and announced we were having a baby). He had > been directed to not answer any questions from the children of a personal or > spiritual nature, but to "redirect" their questions. Apparently their is > some variance in the principles of those who run the YMCA! > > As far as not chanting, I don't know. It would certainly bother me as a > teacher, I would feel very much, if not too- censored. But I can see your > thinking of maybe your class helping that block to work out over time. I > guess it is a judgment call of how much non tolerance is too much. I've run > into that a little bit with a class I will be starting soon. When the woman > who manages the studio I will be teaching in was writing up my class > description she would not say that there was any chanting involved because > she thinks people would not want to come. She has been doing her job > awhile, so maybe she is right- I don't know, but I intend to include the > usual chanting anyway. It seems weird to me, though. I guess people > confuse the concept of chanting with singing. I have always felt they were > different. I may feel nervous singing in front of a group by myself, but I > would not feel nervous chanting. I guess that is just where I am at. I > just plan to stress that it is the vibration and feeling the chanting > produces that is more important that the melody. > > Anyway, good luck with working out this challenge! > > Sat Siri Akal, > > Love Always, > > littlebird Leslie > aka Guru Chiter Kaur > > PS, How is all chanting non-christian? I'm sure a good argument can be made > about the universiality of God and names of God. But, perhaps this director > would not be open to such a discussion. Personally, I don't see much > difference between chanting the rosery or chanting japa, but I have never > been attached to any christian mode of thinking either. Oh, well... > > Sat Nam Littlebird, Thank you for you responce to my post. I decided to continue with the classes and silently tuning in myself as I have the students focus on their 'inner' spirit and to humble themselves before God. I will teach meditations that don't include mantras,for now, like segmented breathing, and may break them in with mantras that are in English. Its good to know that other teachers run up against the same obsticles. (And thank you too, Pam!) Sat Nam, John- Dev Atma Singh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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