Firstly, I feel myself nodding in agreement, Patty, as I read about the Embodyoga approach with my morning coffee.
Secondly, Krishnamurti; I’m a big fan; he never minces his words and as patient and considered as he can be, I quite like it when he seems to get frustrated with a question! And, I admire how he shunned the whole “guru” circus while still holding talks and conversations with many questioners - this must have been, I imagine, an uncomfortable paradox to live.
Thirdly, what came up in a strong way while reading is my sense that as yoga became co-opted by the “wellness industry” the philosophical self-enquiry has become either diluted, removed, or dressed-up in the sales package. Essentially, yoga (samkhya) philosophy for me is not about “wellness” or self-improvement as we might understand it in Western cultures, it’s about this question that doesn’t have a concrete answer only perhaps an inferred feeling of knowing.
Of course, the practices make me feel good in body and mind, and that’s great, and it’s also not the point. For me, the deep embodiment enquiry that I feel you are pointing to leads ultimately to the big, quiet question of who or what is experiencing embodiment. And, i found so much support for this enquiry in Bonnie and Linda’s work (also Janet Adler) that I was not finding when I was ready for it in the yoga-world that I inhabited. It’s wonderful that your participants can practice and enquire within the kind of space you are holding.
You and I have had very similar journeys, Beverly. Isn't it great that in these times we can meet on SubStack? I love that! I agree with all of your thoughtful comments above and really appreciate your posting them.
And...you inspired more thoughts.
The hierarchical picture that yoga brought with it into the west with was not that all that great either. But our cultural additions, especially the billion dollar wellness industry's co-opting yoga feels even worse to me!!
I think it is just not true that the "feminization" of yoga is well on its way. I have personally heard from quite a few prominent women teachers that hierarchical male dominated message has been eliminated from yoga. Far from it! Instead, in bringing yoga into our culture we have just complicated it more.
We say, yoga is dominated by women now. Okay... but so many of us have unknowingly simply embodied its patriarchal and hierarchical philosophical underpinnings.
Many of us still still adhere to the better, best, prettier, stronger, etc. vision of "success" in yoga. All of it at its core degrading to the feminine/nature aspect of life — prakriti. IHoping and imagining ones self to be a goddess just won't do the trick. Can't we do better in "feminizing" yoga?
So many of us have blindly taken on this sneaky patriarchal thinking. Of course we have! How could we not? This is a long term healing process. Even as we maintain to ourselves that we are dismantling the problematic hierarchical thinking — overwhelmingly as a culture we continue to embody it! (Sorry to say, but in my experience many yoga studios are generators of self-disrespect and/or grandiosity.)
What would the feminization of yoga look like? Of course, you and I have a lot of ideas about that! Having the perspective of a lifetime of practice and inquiry feels good about now, you know.?
Yes, I’m loving that we’ve bumped into each other in Substack! So much to dwell on in your thoughts. I am wondering, in the first instance, if there might not be a catch in responding to the patriarchy with matriarchy? The zeitgeist is asking us, i feel, to think beyond the binary and imagine something different. I’m not at all sure what that is but I am hopeful! 🙏
Firstly, I feel myself nodding in agreement, Patty, as I read about the Embodyoga approach with my morning coffee.
Secondly, Krishnamurti; I’m a big fan; he never minces his words and as patient and considered as he can be, I quite like it when he seems to get frustrated with a question! And, I admire how he shunned the whole “guru” circus while still holding talks and conversations with many questioners - this must have been, I imagine, an uncomfortable paradox to live.
Thirdly, what came up in a strong way while reading is my sense that as yoga became co-opted by the “wellness industry” the philosophical self-enquiry has become either diluted, removed, or dressed-up in the sales package. Essentially, yoga (samkhya) philosophy for me is not about “wellness” or self-improvement as we might understand it in Western cultures, it’s about this question that doesn’t have a concrete answer only perhaps an inferred feeling of knowing.
Of course, the practices make me feel good in body and mind, and that’s great, and it’s also not the point. For me, the deep embodiment enquiry that I feel you are pointing to leads ultimately to the big, quiet question of who or what is experiencing embodiment. And, i found so much support for this enquiry in Bonnie and Linda’s work (also Janet Adler) that I was not finding when I was ready for it in the yoga-world that I inhabited. It’s wonderful that your participants can practice and enquire within the kind of space you are holding.
Thanks again for some juicy food for thought!
X
You and I have had very similar journeys, Beverly. Isn't it great that in these times we can meet on SubStack? I love that! I agree with all of your thoughtful comments above and really appreciate your posting them.
And...you inspired more thoughts.
The hierarchical picture that yoga brought with it into the west with was not that all that great either. But our cultural additions, especially the billion dollar wellness industry's co-opting yoga feels even worse to me!!
I think it is just not true that the "feminization" of yoga is well on its way. I have personally heard from quite a few prominent women teachers that hierarchical male dominated message has been eliminated from yoga. Far from it! Instead, in bringing yoga into our culture we have just complicated it more.
We say, yoga is dominated by women now. Okay... but so many of us have unknowingly simply embodied its patriarchal and hierarchical philosophical underpinnings.
Many of us still still adhere to the better, best, prettier, stronger, etc. vision of "success" in yoga. All of it at its core degrading to the feminine/nature aspect of life — prakriti. IHoping and imagining ones self to be a goddess just won't do the trick. Can't we do better in "feminizing" yoga?
So many of us have blindly taken on this sneaky patriarchal thinking. Of course we have! How could we not? This is a long term healing process. Even as we maintain to ourselves that we are dismantling the problematic hierarchical thinking — overwhelmingly as a culture we continue to embody it! (Sorry to say, but in my experience many yoga studios are generators of self-disrespect and/or grandiosity.)
What would the feminization of yoga look like? Of course, you and I have a lot of ideas about that! Having the perspective of a lifetime of practice and inquiry feels good about now, you know.?
Thank you for sharing, Beverly!
Yes, I’m loving that we’ve bumped into each other in Substack! So much to dwell on in your thoughts. I am wondering, in the first instance, if there might not be a catch in responding to the patriarchy with matriarchy? The zeitgeist is asking us, i feel, to think beyond the binary and imagine something different. I’m not at all sure what that is but I am hopeful! 🙏
Good thinking! I do tend to barrel off in a single direction.!