An Encouragement To Reflect

Dear Yogis!

Last Sunday I was at a Kathina Robe Offering, a yearly ceremony, offering cloth from lay supporters to the clergy. Back in the Buddha’s day, disciples wore robes sewn from left-over cloth and rags taken from cemeteries or cremation grounds. Can you imagine how unhealthy and how unhygienic this would have been! Of course there was a lot of illness. Being so self-negating was thought to be part of their practice as disciples. It took an outsider to see, without following conditioning of the mind, and donate cloth.

Of course, there was a talk for our reflection by Lom Por Sumedho. He’s the most senior of monks of the Thai forest tradition. A big-made American man, ex-Korean War navy medic, Red Cross social worker and Peace Corps worker, he became the first western trainee monk in the small-made company of a remote Thai monastery. I think often about the discussions in the yoga world about (mis)appropriating yoga from its Indian and Hindu setting. I would have absolutely no experience of Buddhism, if people always treated borders as reality and not an absolute figment and limitation of our imaginations and history. Imagine if yoga was stuck in India, or Buddhism stuck in Nepal.

Central to the way Lom Por Sumedho teaches Buddhism is that we should test and make up our own mind about the philosophy. He says: ‘You don’t just say, ‘The Buddha said that, so it’s true.’ Rather, you take what the Buddha said and use it to look in the direction that it’s pointing.’ Yoga has to be the same. It has to make sense. These teachings, any such teachings, are an invitation, an encouragement to reflect.

Zoom Classes 

OK. There have been so many requests for me to restart Ashtanga classes. We’re well into the dark months and no more lightness and sun to keep us away from the mat. I’ll be teaching a morning Ashtanga class on Thursdays from 8.00 to 9.00. Mornings are easy for me to teach. As a carer, I have to think about Mum’s comfort and safety. Hence, the morning class. For all classes, you can book here.

Yoga in the news 

Dazed has: Can the yoga world move past Osho and Bikram’s shady legacies? ‘For Bikram, however, “his depravity follows from the way he behaved and taught. There is a one-to-one connection; the fact he extended his narcissistic impulses into the sexual arena is no surprise.” Remski adds that one cannot market the Bikram method without promoting and validating the Bikram personality, such is the degree to which they are inextricably entwined – as anyone who has effectively been bullied in a Bikram class by the instructor for making a mistake will testify.’

The Independent has: This is why crying during yoga is OK. ‘Whether a sobbing session occurs during yoga or a virtual reality workout, experts believe it can be a positive development. Leanne Pedante, Supernatural’s head of fitness, says seeing a client have a breakthrough emotional moment involving “really deep emotional work” is part of the reason she loves her job. “The physical stuff is a secondary vehicle,” she says.’

The Metro has: The best yoga poses for elderly people. This is the first time I’ve seen suggestions of poses in an article that are sensible and doable by the target reader.

Wales Online has: Cancer survivor describes how yoga helped her recovery and changed her life. ‘The 61-year-old mother-of-two lost mobility in her right arm following her operation and turned to yoga to help her regain movement. Ellen, who has two grandchildren, credits yoga with helping her arm heal but says it also enabled her to flourish mentally.’

MarketWatch has: Six Bikram's Yoga Cars Gross $250,000 in Bankruptcy Auction. The vehicles grossed $250,000, with a 2009 Rolls-Royce Phantom going for $155,000. Parties receiving the proceeds will include City National Bank and creditor Minakshi Jafa-Bodden. The cars also included a 2002 Bentley Arnage and a 2008 Mercedes Benz. Late last year, the bankruptcy auction of 22 of Bikram's cars received winning bids totaling $915,000.