News from the world of yoga with the problems facing yoga teachers and unions of yoga

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Thu, 25 Nov 2004 16:21:50 -0000"Chris Paris" RE: From British Yoga Association Sun Power YogaDear Mary Your story if a familiar one I am afraid, and only goes to underlinethat BWY is not really functioning as it was set up to. I have been to a few meetings of the BYTA British Yoga TeachersAssociation, chaired by Swami Sharadananda, who herself has had 30 yearsplus of teaching, and also can not be recognised by BWY. She is a greatChair person and although the Association is very small and new now, Iam fully confident that it is working to try and represent its membersand not dictate to them, like a union should.OM HARI OMSudarshan Shiromanimary [mary.madhavi] 24 November 2004 23:27iyfyoga Subject: RE: International Yoga Federation (World Yoga Community) NewsFrom British Yoga

Association Sun Power YogaNamaste I too have had many problems with the Wheel. I have devoted my life tothe practice of Yoga, I began when I was 19 and now I still teach at theage of 54. I am a full time teacher running retreats all over the UKand Europoean destinations. According to the Wheel I am not qualified,even though I did do their two year training but did not finish the lattwo months owing to nursing a member of my family with Cancer. Sincethen I have traveled and studied continuously. I understand the need to train Yoga Teachers to a high caliber, but itseems that the high caliber in this instance does not work with theinner practices of Yoga. Ethics, spiritual values and working deeplywith oneself. Sharing practice means practice. I believe that theheart of Yoga is communion and community and not saying that mine isbetter than yours. Tai Chi does not have this happening with theirteachers! So

why do we? Wilfred Clark the founder of the wheel was a soft hearted wonderful manwho would turn in his grave at the worldly way things are going.I love many members and teachers within the wheel; and I feel sad that30 years of experience a teaching is not enough.Haro OmMary Madhaviyoga nanth [yogananth63] 19 November 2004 15:29iyfyoga Cc: euroyoga Subject: Re: International Yoga Federation (World Yoga Community) NewsFrom British Yoga Association Sun Power YogaNamaste allas a yoga student i feel very bad about the conflicts between yogaassociations. i think yoga associations are made to unite all the yogateachers to have mutual correspondence and understanding.when thingscomes by the air some times to me, how yoga associations are trying toadopt some rules and regulations on yoga

people who are practicing yogafor many years or who even dedicated thier life for this yogicart.Nowadays all the associations in different parts of the worldannouncing that they are authourized, original or authority of yoga.they themself certify people that they are world governing body for yogateachers.now not only public even yoga teachers are totally confusedwhom to follow. so international yoga federation should really be openand very cooperative to all the yogis in the world to unite them in onegroup. this is great task but IYF should be very careful with theassociations who got the affiliation from them.it should not be harmfulto yoga teachers.itshouldnot judge any yoga teachers or certify any yoga teachers thatthey are the authority to teach yoga and all others are not qualified orauthorized.every individual who practice or teach yoga in this world isstill a student only.no one can ever master any ancient more. still

lotsof things to reveal.let us all be in one group and help to propogate this ancient yoga toall the parts of the world with no ego and no conflicts.yogananthyoga instructorhongkongeuroyogasecretary wrote:"yogawithanne-marie.com" My Dear friends, I am the founder of the sun power yoga centre uk. We are having terrible problems with The british wheel yoga body, who have now appointed themselves as th governing body. The y are aligned to sports bodies who will now only let their teachers train and work in sports halls, gymnasiums, schools etc.I am enclosing 2 articles and a newsletter from The British Yoga Teachrs Association.(Swami Saradananda Saraswatiji)I am on the europen yoga council repersenting the uk.I would plaese like a written document with headed paper to show to the British

Wheel of Yoga.I would also like you to write to them via my self. they refuse toaccept that you or the international yoga federation is a world govening body.I would also appreciate you sending these letters to all membersYour in YogaAnne-marie NewlandYOGA IS MORE THAN A CAREER.Help for teachers of all traditions.By Anne-Marie NewlandI am a member of the International Yoga Federation.A member of the European Yoga Alliance and England and Iraq's representative on The European Yoga Council. I was so thrilled to be part of the world yoga family and to hear from yogis all over the world.The American Yoga Alliance is a member as is almost every yoga school across the world. The BWY is not although their head is.I have included a copy of a directive from Brussels and notes from the BWY as to the future of yoga is this country. Please read carefully.Please note that these changes do not come into

affect until 2008.Life goes on. Things change as must yoga but let's not lose sight of thegoal of yoga and that is to help give peace, to minds that are ill.Hope, for those finding life too hard to bear. The joy of yoga is the point of reference here.I have felt for some time that we are developing Yoga Fundamentalists. My own teachers are feeling upset, worried, scared by all this legislation. The BWY needs to communicate with all schools of yoga and show respect. Do not judge. I notice that the schools accepted by the wheel are of the softer styles and those who are not radical as Iam. I believe in all yoga not always the person who practices it but in theend we need to educate rather than isolate.I was trained in the Guru-Disciple Tradition.That means that I was seeking a spiritual path.I spent years watching and observing my teacher and learning by example.I learned about compassion and when

to be firm. I learned how to leave my ego outside the class.The true nature of yoga is developing inner searching by way of the mind, body and spirit. I qualified back in 1984 with the late Swami Vishnu Devananda spiritual leader of The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre in India.I recall that there were at least 100 students on that course and that many had never practised yoga for longer than a few months. I do remember that most students were actually there to work deeper on their yoga practice and that teaching was far from our minds.Of course this has now changed as the motive is sometimes not so clear.This course is not so concentrated on the teaching skills needed but I was already a teacher of dance and movement.I wonder how many of you remember that the whole point of Hatha yoga asana is to become so supple in the body that we are able to sit with ease in meditation.I have had so many upset teachers on

my lines this week, teachers who are genuinely involved in the safe practice of yoga. Those who came to yoga in dark times and those who's only wish is the be able to pass on the tools of yoga for survival in the 21st century.What has happened now? What has happened is that we are being policed by one organisation who in my case have shown nothing of compassion but only deep resentment and tactics you would only expect on the football pitch. I have had students threatened withfailure in their final if they came to my classes. This all began because I dared to practice Astanga Vinyasa yoga and then to add this dynamic style to my classes. Worse still simplifyingthis Sanskrit term to Sun Power Yoga as a means to not alienate students from the practice of yoga.I work in the fields of sport and have a good reputation for beinghighly knowledgeable in the anatomy and physiology of the safe practice of yoga. I

needed to be able to work and attract athletes to my work whereI specialise in injury limitation and sports motivation. Some Indian terminology would literally scare these athletes away.No one spoke to me or asked to see my classes. Some BWY students came to classes and found out I was a very good and experienced teacher of 30 years. I was hot on safety and alignment. I was challenging and inspiring too.All the bad press I got was from people who had never seen me work.A representative of the wheel who will remain anonymous called me to confess.She said I had been blacklisted as such and people were not being given information about my classes.She asked 'is this yogic' Anne-Marie?I said 'what do you think'? Fair enough I am not a wheel teacher. But they were being told I was not a proper yoga teacher, meaning I had not been trained by them? I hope not. I have some wonderful BWY teachers as friends and colleagues and

we respect and learn from each other in the true nature of yoga.I have to say I was more than surprised at the time. I did nothing aboutthis locally and carried on teaching with the philosophy of my Guru/teacher ever with me.THE PATHS ARE MANY BUT THE TRUTH IS ONE.In other words there is more than one way to any given path.Swami Sivananda was as open to all ways and faiths as I am too. I actively encourage students to try all yoga's including the wheel. Icannot see that we have to lose sight of the true nature of yoga and stop yoga growing. In all types of yoga there is good and bad and that is not the yoga but the practitioner or teacher.David Ginola the footballer said 'if money is all you want from footballthen forget it. You must play from the place of passion'. I would say heart.I suggest that all those teachers who feel threatened by this new legislation write to the wheel to find

out what they need to do.You can also contact The Register of Exercise Professionals to find out how to join. If you have qualifications in other fitness areas then thiswill really help. Sivananda yoga teachers are fine to join. I would like tosee more input from their head quarters too.You must all understand that I am writing this to try to clear up some points and the information I give you is my way of helping all yoga teachers to be given the respect they deserve.For more information or help contactTHE BRITISH YOGA TEACHERS ASSOCIATIONE-mail janismothwww.yogateachers.org.ukThe Register of Exercise ProfessionalsTel 020 86866464www.exerciseregister.orgTHE INTERNATIONAL YOGA FEDERATIONEUROPEAN YOGA ALLIANCEANNE-MARIE NEWLAND through my sitewww.sunpoweryoga.co.ukMail me infoThe British Yoga Teachers Association and I will be at The Yoga Show on

Saturday 13th November to answer questions and give support. The BYTA will also be there on the Sunday.More points;REPS. Sport orientated. They know very little of the different types ofyoga and had no respect for any one trying to register. I was treated appallingly by a member of their staff. I was told categorically I wouldnever have my school registered if I had not trained with the Wheel! I have 30 years of training thank you and will be loath to give up 4 yearsof my life at this stage, I am 50 next year!! I could be dead before Iqualify. I suggest REPS look into the whole of Yoga not just a self -appointed group who do not represent the majority of yoga teachers in Britain.BWY; Philosophy based. Their work in my opinion is not suited to sports facilities.I have had a reputed school in Devon call me this week. One of the students said he had been at BWY class in his area and the teacher was

using notes! She was not qualified and obviously not ready to be let loose on the students. I would never allow my students to teach without them being able to plan a class and execute it with out notes and with confidence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yogacharya Dr.Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani

Chairman : Yoganjali Natyalayam and ICYER

25,2nd Cross,Iyyanar Nagar, Pondicherry-605 013

Tel: 0413 - 2622902 / 0413 -2241561

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