I've been looking forward to an in depth, 'on the record' article, interview or extended newsletter, from Pattabhi Jois' grandson Sharath for some time, rather than the pickings of a conference talk (from which students have now been asked not to share). I was presently surprised then to come across a brief article/interview attributed to R.Sharath Jois ('As told to Aravind Gowda.'
) this morning (perhaps related to the rapidly becoming tedious, International yoga day thing coming up) Comment on some quotes from the article that gave me pause following the article.
How yoga is being diluted world over
R. Sharath Jois
for
The Daily O
The world needs yoga now more than ever before. Look at the lifestyle of people worldwide. India too is no exception. It has become fast-paced, people are in a hurry to achieve multiple things because of the competitive world. Stress is being built up inside the body. Everyone is prone to stressful life. This is where yoga is useful in maintaining the balance of body and mind, improve focus in life, sharpen concentration and enjoy a peaceful life.
I have been teaching Ashtanga Yoga, which is one of the classical forms of yoga. The bases for practicing Ashtanga Yoga are vinyasa (breathing and movement system); tristhana (three places of action) and the elimination of "six poisons" - lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride and envy. Combined together, they can contribute to longevity of an individual.
Yoga can be practiced by anyone, whether young, old, very old, healthy or sick. Even so, the way in which a young person is taught will differ in manner from the way in which an old or sick person will be taught. Therefore, each student must be considered as an individual and taught at a pace that is suitable for their situation in life.
Unfortunately, world over yoga is being diluted under the garb of modern yoga. There is no such thing as modern yoga. Today, I see yoga being practiced in gyms, combined with aerobics, and in the Western world, it has taken a completely different form. The spiritual aspect of yoga is missing everywhere. In fact, spirituality and yoga are interlinked. You cannot take away spirituality from yoga and practise it. That will not be considered yoga at all… There is a dire need to revive classical yoga in its spiritual form, which I think is the authentic form of yoga. That's what I am trying to do, keeping the Ashtanga Yoga tradition alive before someone can lay claim over its modern version.
I am also appalled with the emergence of scores of yoga teachers and their schools with some basic and formal training. One cannot become a yoga teacher by taking up a one-month course or some certificate programme. Yoga is a way of life… A practice, which needs to be mastered by practising it six days a week rigorously in its purest form for at least three years. Now, that's when one can claim to be a yoga teacher.
According to me, knowledge can be transferred only after the student has spent many years with an experienced guru, a teacher to whom he has completely surrendered in body, mind, speech and inner being. Only then is he fit to receive knowledge. This transfer from teacher to student is parampara (tradition) and that is what is followed at our KPJAYI.
We make sure that whoever is practising Ashtanga Yoga and intends to promote it, has to mandatorily get trained under us for three years. Only then, we authorise them to teach Ashtanga Yoga in its original form, involving the spiritual aspects. (KPJAYI authorised yoga gurus are present in over 70 countries across five continents and they owe allegiance to the Ashtanga Yoga first introduced by K Pattabhi Jois).
Yoga is integral to our lives and I cannot imagine myself not practising yoga because it is one simplest natural ways of life that helps build the overall personality of an individual. Yoga offers better health, peace of mind and tranquillity, and above all emerge as a successful individual. My biggest inspiration is my grandfather and continuing in his footsteps has been a blessing to me.
(As told to Aravind Gowda.)
Comment
There are of course many respected senior voices in the Ashtanga community with many differing views and perspectives on the practice ( to lesser or greater degrees). Sharath's of course is but one of those perspectives, albeit a respected one given the time he spent with his grandfather, so too is Sharath's uncle Manju Jois' ( who refers to himself as just a messenger ).... nobody defines Ashtanga vinyasa practice, that's for us to do on our mats each morning, but this is a fascinating, perhaps troubling, outline of some of Sharath's concerns all the same.
I picked out some quotes that gave me pause.
Quotes in italic, the briefest of comment from me in bold.
1. "Look at the lifestyle of people worldwide. India too is no exception. It has become fast-paced, people are in a hurry to achieve multiple things because of the competitive world".
The Ashtanga R. Sharath Jois presents has itself surely become 'fast paced' (all those postures of full Primary series in an hour or roundabout - 50 or so postures in primary, many practice on both sides plus the surys ), it's focus on the physical aspect has arguably led to a competitive aspect.
2. "I have been teaching Ashtanga Yoga, which is one of the classical forms of yoga".
Classical form? (Yoga Korunta myth?).
Interestingly the ever changing 'garb' of vinyasa yoga classes, though not my cup of tea, probably have more in keeping with the flexible nature of Krishnamacharya's loose groups of asana (Mysore 1934 and 1941) than the fixed series presented by his student Pattabhi Jois as 'Ashtanga vinyasa'.
3. "...each student must be considered as an individual and taught at a pace that is suitable for their situation in life".
This line I appreciated, perhaps when Mysore teaching is at it's best.
4. "Unfortunately, world over yoga is being diluted under the garb of modern yoga. There is no such thing as modern yoga. Today, I see yoga being practiced in gyms, combined with aerobics, and in the Western world, it has taken a completely different form".
Many of the 'garb's of modern yoga' (garb = fashion, mode of dress as in the 'garb of a monk') Sharath is referring to here are derived, often directly, from the approach to asana practice that Sharath's Grandfather, Pattabhi Jois, presented under 'Ashtanga vinyasa'. It is surely the over emphasis on the 'physical aspect 'of this practice at the expense of the other limbs that bares a great deal of responsibility for the perception and presentation of yoga that Sharath is criticising in the article.
I would also argue that Pattabhi Jois' presentation of 'Yoga' was itself an unfortunate dilution of the yoga outlined by his own teacher Krishnamacharya in his book Yoga Makaranda and has resulted in Krishnamacharya's original teaching being mistakenly seen as and referred to, as 'transnational postural yoga'(Singleton).
5. "In fact, spirituality and yoga are interlinked. You cannot take away spirituality from yoga and practise it. That will not be considered yoga at all…".
6. "There is a dire need to revive classical yoga in its spiritual form, which I think is the authentic form of yoga. That's what I am trying to do, keeping the Ashtanga Yoga tradition alive before someone can lay claim over its modern version".
I have no idea what sense of 'spiritual' is being referring to in 6. and 7. but I'm happy to go with... reflective perhaps introspective to be going on with. It's probably a relief to certain lawyers that this article didn't come out before the conclusion of the recent Encinitas school board 'yoga in schools trial'.
7. "I am also appalled with the emergence of scores of yoga teachers and their schools with some basic and formal training. One cannot become a yoga teacher by taking up a one-month course or some certificate programme. Yoga is a way of life… A practice, which needs to be mastered by practising it six days a week rigorously in its purest form for at least three years. Now, that's when one can claim to be a yoga teacher".
I am equally appalled (well perhaps slightly bemused) that practicing an asana sequence six days a week for three years would qualify one to teach 'Yoga' rather than merely the said sequence (was quite surprised Sharath mentioned only three years here, my understanding was that it tended to be longer). I'm actually uncomfortable with the idea that merely practicing the asana of a sequence and being assisted in some of these postures may be considered qualification enough ( without any anatomy training at all) to then assist and adjust in turn, somebody else's body (thankfully some Ashtanga shala's and teachers offer more rounded mentorships).
8. "According to me, knowledge can be transferred only after the student has spent many years with an experienced guru, a teacher to whom he has completely surrendered in body, mind, speech and inner being. Only then is he fit to receive knowledge".
I appreciate Sharath marking this with 'according to me' reflecting his own experience ( and understandable preference) of living with and learning from his Sanskrit scholar grandfather. Somebody who has been authorised on practicing one or more asana sequences for three years should perhaps be thought of as an asana (sequence) teacher rather than a yoga guru. Sharath himself brings in others to teach Yoga philosophy and yoga chanting classes in Mysore I believe. There are many excellent teachers in different disciplines, areas and aspects of yoga but few that we might be comfortable considering an all round 'yoga guru' encompassing so many aspects of Yoga, Krishnamacharya was perhaps one.
9. "We make sure that whoever is practising Ashtanga Yoga and intends to promote it, has to mandatorily get trained under us for three years. Only then, we authorise them to teach Ashtanga Yoga in its original form, involving the spiritual aspects".
See comments to 7 and 8 above.
10. "I cannot imagine myself not practising yoga because it is one simplest natural ways of life that helps build the overall personality of an individual. Yoga offers better health, peace of mind and tranquillity, and above all emerge as a successful individual".
I agree, a fully integrated yoga practice based on the yamas and niyamas and including pranyama, pratyahra and a developing concentration/meditation practice alongside reflection on 'suitable', appropriate texts (from whichever culture) can be rewarding and most likely ( I would hope) benefit the individual....but a 'successful individual', I'm hoping this is a second language expression?
*
Update
On another note and while we are being.... somewhat questioning, the Ashtanga vinyasa designed for young boys argument?
Yeah, it kinda was.
IMHO
Of course Krishnamacharya was also teaching Ashtanga vinyasa to grown ups ( so it's adaptable and I'm guessing this is Eddie's argument), but the approach his student Pattabhi Jois took (having taken the classes of the Young palace boys as Krishnamacharya's assistants) and that he then took into the Sanskrit college for the four year syllabus (more young boys, Pattabhi Jois' own daughter was I believe the first female students many years later) was clearly (historically) pedagogically designed for young boys.
Of course that doesn't mean it wasn't eminently
adaptable to both sexes and all ages, shapes and sizes.
Quote 3 from above
3. "...each student must be considered as an individual and taught at a pace that is suitable for their situation in life".
