Yoga - observations at a yoga show/conference

Author

observations at a yoga show/conference

NBennett

2006-05-09, 11:28 am

there never seems to be enough yoga in my life so when i heard that there
would be a yoga show/conference in my city i blocked off the 3 days around
it (and thank god, the 2 days following it) and signed up for every class
that interested me. one full day workshop and 6 - 2 hr classes. i knew that
was a lot of yoga for 3 days but figured i could skip anything i wanted to
so i'd play it by ear.

the show consisted of two parts - many classes/workshops that differed in
style, focus, teacher. there was a lot of range - famous teachers who walked
around the show like rock stars, holy people in robes, cool guys with pony
tails, classes focusing on body parts, yoga styles, lifestyles, meditation.
there also was a trade show with booths selling their wares - clothing,
props, books, lifestyle concepts, jewellery, food, and interestingly -
investment strategies (gotta love those banks!)

somehow, though it wasnt my intention, most of the classes i signed up for
turned out to be mostly talking with the occasional yoga pose thrown in.
when i say my body aches after the 3 days of classes, its mostly from
sitting cross-legged on the floor for hours on end. i met nice people in
these classes, people who'd chosen these classes on purpose knowing that it
would be mostly talking. most of the exercises were a little hippy-dippy for
me, but i tried to find something i could use in each. i ended up learning
some important things about myself and how i'm living my life. i recognize
some major incongruities between my beliefs and desires and how i am
conducting myself.

in the end i realize a few things
-yoga is a business first to many, and i'm ok with that
-there is not enough yoga in my life
-i have a lot of work to do

nancy

Stu

2006-05-09, 6:28 pm

On 2006-05-09 05:39:43 -0700, "NBennett" <nancy178@sympatico.ca> said:

>
>
> in the end i realize a few things
> -yoga is a business first to many, and i'm ok with that
> -there is not enough yoga in my life
> -i have a lot of work to do
>
> nancy

I have only once been to a few of those huge yoga events. Two of them
were focused on Iyengar style. I always get a lot from senior Iyengar
style teachers. There are not that many who make it to that rank.
Their workshops are always informative and practical. In some cases
there is a lot of talking. I remember a workshop/demonstration with
Geeta Iyengar on pranayama. She spent 40 minutes on how to sit in
simple cross-legged position. Even though there was a lot of talk - I
took away something that influences me everyday when I sit to meditate.

The exhibit halls are truly a spectacle. The big yoga prop companies
show like Hugger-Mugger and Yoga Pro. It is a bit like going to any
exhibition like a home show or a consumer electronics show. I find
reading the Yoga journal the same thing, with all its ads for Eden Soy
and organic tops. One can either be disgusted by the hedonistic
materialism of it all or go with it. Who is to say that hedonistic
materialism isn't the best path anyway?

Leaving the last event I had in my hands an "Iyengar Odyssey" purple
totebag provided by Whole Foods, my "Iyengar Odyssey" sweatshirt and
the workout shirt with one of the Yoga Sutras silk screened on the
back. One step closer to enlightenment.

The rest is up to me on my mat.

Keep it up Nancy.

Namaste
--
~Stu