| Yoga Competition Yoga competition is being advocated in the West by those who claim that it has its roots in ancient India. The fact is however, that "Yoga Competition" is a contradiction in terms. The true yogis' adversary is not his fellow spiritual aspirants, but rather the enemies within his own house: greed, lust, anger, jealousy, covetousness, hatred, pride, arrogance, conceit, in short, all negative emotions and afflictions rooted in desire. The fact that one can perform a series of awe inspiring asanas (postures) is no indication that one's inner demons have been conquered, particularly lust, greed, and anger. Those who point to India and the competition there in support of their own "Yoga Competitions" are simply deceiving unknowledgeable common people. I recently read recently an article about yoga competitions being a part of the ancient Indian festival, the Khumba Mela, which still occurs to this day, and using this to advocate a broader worldwide acceptance of yoga competition. I have been to three Khumba Melas, and while there are some "yoga competitions" there, they are few and far between; and looked down upon by accomplished Masters as misguided displays of pseudo spirituality. The very idea of a yoga competition is fundamentally flawed by the wrong assumption that the correct performance of a yoga asana is indicative of accomplishing yoga's goal, which I stated briefly in the opening paragraph. To assume that one who performs an asana well has achieved yoga's aim, is tantamount to believing that a child reading from a physics book understands its application . While asana is a tool in the yogi's toolbox, the tool must be used to accomplish the job at hand. If it does not accomplish this, then one is as confused as the proverbial fool who mistakes the finger pointing at the moon for the moon. Moreover, assana, is but one of eight limbs of yoga, and by itself cannot be regarded as yoga any more than the leg of a chair without its other parts can be regarded as a chair (asana, without its other limbs can no more achieve its function, than the leg of a chair without the seat, back, other legs, etc.) There is no wild leap of the imagination that would make it possible for a rational mind to overlook the absurdity of a yoga competition. While the contestants in such a competition may be awe inspiring to look at as the perform their asana, there is no way to see the anger, jealousy, lust, conflicting disturbing emotions and hatred, etc that may well be hidden in the awesome spectacle before our eyes. Moreover, it is unlikely that anyone truly free of obstructions rooted in desire, the freedom from which is of course yoga's aim, would even care to enter such a competition. |
| Yoga Today Many people practice yoga with an aim towards perfecting the asanas. If I say that the aim of yoga is to end the cycle of birth and death, most people would roll their eyes and cast a glance of pity upon me. Right now I am speaking of “yoga” in its true sense, and not the “asana" sense, the mistaken way it is usually used in the West. Although yoga is a path with eight limbs, all of equal importance, it is asana that most Westerners associate with yoga. Briefly the eight limbs of yoga are: 1: Yama ( restraint): which has five aspects: brahmacharya (continence) restraint of the senses, particularly sexual desire, Satya (truth) adherence to truth in word and deed, ahimsa or (harmlessness), (asteya)non-stealing, and aparigraha (non-greed) particularly for wealth and material objects. 2: Niyamas (observances): which include recitation and study of scriptures, prayer, chanting, mantra recitation, contentment (not seeking more than ones needs), austerity (mental and physical.) 3: asanas (postures): poses we assume to align the body, mind, and spirit. 4: Pranayama (breath mastery), the regulation of air flowing through the body with the aim of awakening to prana, the subtle inner breath not associated with air. Thus, through the perfection of pranayama the practitioner can suspend breath for long periods of time, hours and even days. 5: Pratyahara is willing the mind away from sense objects. It differs from merely turning the senses away from attractions (for example) or restraint, in that the mere act of inwardly turning the mind is enough for the senses to follow suit. 6: Dharana is the focusing the mind on an internal or external object. 7: Dhyana is the continuous flow of similar mental moments achieved after dharana matures. 8: Samadhi is absorbed abstraction and arises after Dhyana has matured. This state is often accompanied by breathlessness for long periods and is indicated by it. The abstract and seemingly unachievable goal of ending cyclic existence in samsara is not prominent in the mind of the modern Western yoga student, even though the gods and goddesses adorning the yoga studios they frequent are emblematic of this aim. The lure of asanas is their almost immediate results. The change in the way one looks and feels is very quickly apparent after beginning a steady asana practice. This is very appealing to the result driven Western mind set. On the other hand, one might toil in meditation for years, feeling like a mouse on a treadmill going nowhere. In like manner, one may practice the first two limbs of yoga for an entire lifetime with seemingly little gained. Is it any wonder why asana is emphasized in the West? Yoga studios in America are after all businesses, and as such must earn a profit. Marketing spirituality to result driven clients is good business. This stands in stark contrast to the East, where a willing student, in a spirit of renunciation, is welcome free of charge, his only fee being the required discipline. The financial requirements of ashrams are met by a lay community offering donations as a source of blessings. But, even if such an opportunity existed in the West it is unlikely that there would be many takers. The reason is that very few Westerners have adopted the first two yanas; a familiarization of which would help them realize yoga’s real aim. The true yogi knows that the various asanas must be combined with the other limbs in order to achieve the aim of yoga. During the early years of a yoga practice it is the first five limbs that should be the primary focus. Practicing these will help one to acquire the skill necessary to practice the last three. At all times, especially with asana, but with all the other limbs as well, it is important to always bear in mind that the limbs are tools to achieve a goal and are never the goal. The sutra texts point out that even the high level of Samadhi (often indicated by cessation of breathing) is not to be attached to. Breathless states are indicative of an inward merging with and vision of reality; but they are not necessarily so. Therefore, even these seemingly sacred states are not free from the dangers of attachment which can easily lead to wrong views. Linguists know that if a word is used incorrectly long enough its new and wrong meaning becomes correct through usage. This is very upsetting to language purist; as annoying perhaps as nouns becoming verbs through usage----“he medaled at the Olympics,” for example. Asana is not yoga any more than the wheel is the car. And yet throughout America and Europe what would more properly be called asana studios are called yoga studios. This creates more than just a language problem; it helps to foster a misguided conception of what yoga is. Yoga is a complete path only when all the necessary elements are present. Even a cursory study of yoga would reveal that as far as physical indication of yogic achievement is concerned, the various samadhis are the best indication. Patanjali describes these samadhis in his Yoga Sutras where he points out the physical signs associated with correct concentration. These include the complete cessation of breath, mentioned above, as well as, non-attachment and desirelessness, without which the aim of yoga is not achieved. Nowhere is it indicated that being adept in asanas is an indication of yogic achievement. This is a purely western idea. Looking perfect in awe inspiring poses is the aim of circus performers and other entertainers; but this is not the aim of yoga, or at least it shouldn't be. Each individual must ask himself whether or not his spiritual practice is reducing attachments or creating yet another. The sleek, slim, and beautiful adorn yoga magazines from cover to cover as if this were a sign of achievement. This fact was the topic of interesting debate one day as I waited for class to start one evening at the Sacred Movement Studio (now Exhale) in Venice. A young and lovely student of yoga whom we all knew and liked, and who had just began teaching was on the cover of this month’ s “Yoga Journal.” The consensus was she did not belong there because she looked beautiful; but she wouldn't’t be there if she wasn’t. I playfully suggested we start a magazine devoted to the not so beautiful people who have genuine achievement--------everyone liked the idea; but we decided advertisers wouldn't’t. In reality the humble contrite bramacharya full of virtue and humility, who may have a struggle to bend down to tie his shoe lace, will gain more respect amongst yogis than the proud asani. The precipice spanning, crotch splitting poses so awesome to some, may seem rather ridiculous to the yogi steeped in realization born of tremendous personal sacrifice and the cultivation of merit and virtue. He may in fact view such achievements as an obstruction. (in that they are easily attached to.) (In fact, great yogis often scrutinize their own mind to make sure no attachment to their own samadhi creeps in; for this is an even more subtle and dangerous kind of attachment.) The aim of yoga is to become free of the notion of self as the body, and yet yoga as it is commonly practiced often reinforces this false notion. In the West yoga practitioners not only become obsessed with asana, and looking spectacular, but also diet-----whereas their Indian counterpart is more often a half starved skeleton. Although the proper aim of asanas is to bring about detachment from the body it more often embellishes it. Why is this? Even great asana masters hold on to extremely naive and wrong views. For example, Iyengar, in his latest book Light on Life claims that negative emotions, such as anger and greed, reside in various organs, and that by purifying the organs the negative emotions are gotten rid of as well. Following this line of reason, by purifying the liver one could rid oneself of anger,etc.. But, the truth is that it is negative actions that produce negative emotions, lustful thoughts and deeds, beget the same. It is our karma that has to be purified and this is done by right action. This points out the central argument between the Hatha yogis (asanis) and practically everyone else. The asani believes that the body is the door to the subtle spiritual body. They believe that one works from the gross to the subtle. Most Hindus, other than Hatha yogis, and Buddhist believe that it is the mind that has to be looked into. one's karma worked out and understanding and virtue cultivated. They believe the subtle can be used now. Confusion in the West about what true yoga is has arisen in part because many of those who brought "yoga" to the West were not yogis at all, but asanis. An asani can help you gain focus and fitness, but a yogi can skillfully make you aware of the karma holding you back. Virtue, morality, ethics, basic human values, these subtle building blocks are the foundations of gaining spiritual insight. Only after a strong foundation is developed through the cultivations of these qualities, can we employ meditation and asanas to untie the knot of karma. If we ignore the foundation work just mentioned, no matter how long we may sit in meditation or adept we become performing asanas, we will remain like an ant crawling around the outside of a watermelon never knowing of the sweetness of the fruit inside.. Does this mean that everyone on the spiritual path must become an ascetic? Are we glorifying the archetypal Indian yogi with matted locks and frail frame, without possessions, smiling blissfully from a mountain peak? Before answering let me say that most yogis whom we picture in such manner had little to renounce to begin with. Most sadhus and yogis are born of poor rural Indian farming families with little material assets to renounce. But, not all. There are some who have come from wealthy and middle class families, as well. Nor do all end up like the disheveled images we sometimes imagine. But they do share a spirit of renunciation. It is hard work to cultivate core morality, virtue, generosity, humility, patience,compassion, to make these and other qualities deeply rooted and not merely token displays of superficiality. One simply has to learn to put others before oneself. This is real hard work, much harder than becoming a pretzel. Renunciation is relative to each individual’s attachments. When Christ said that a rich man cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven, he did not mean it literally. He meant that a person attached to great wealth could not enter. So it is really a question of priorities. One must look at one’s own attachments and there aim the shaft. Not every rich man is attached to his wealth; so wealth is not an obstruction for everyone. But, Christ meant that if upon examining ones mind one sees attachment to wealth; think about generosity, charity, philanthropy, to offset the attachment. The same principle applies to all attachments. We each are held back by a variety of attachments that manifest themselves differently in everyone. Often, others may not even be aware of them. It is up to us to see where the work must be done. A great Chan Master once said during a lecture I attended that no fat people could become enlightened. Many wiggled in their seats! Some thought it was a stupid and rude remark with no basis in reality. But, the meaning was clear: you cannot be self-satisfied; one must lose oneself in others and the best way to do this is abandon all attachments. Our attachments obstruct our vision of truth. Because they are our attachments we have trouble seeing them, especially the very subtle ones. (We are an expert on everyone else's, though!) The advantages of finding an unselfish and wise teacher cannot be underestimated. A teacher without any selfishness is truly beneficial. They can help us see the karma obstructing our path and guide us to overcome them. But, great teachers are very, very, rare. Until we meet a great teacher, a good deal can be learned from observing our own mind in the stillness of meditation, engaging in activities beneficial to others, keeping moral and ethical disciplines, living honestly, harmlessly, free of anger and jealousy, and loving others unselfishly---and yes, throw an asana in now and then. |
Articles: Click links below for articles; all articles my own unless noted
otherwise.
otherwise.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |