Slow Yoga Revolution

Slow Yoga Revolution

On the outskirts of the last decade, a small and humble minority has been pushing back against the pumped up power craze that swept through the nineties, and still largely has a hold on modern postural yoga. Now that the longstanding kingdoms that once guarded yoga's legacies have fallen, and individuals are left more to their own devices, this once obscure and unsung song is finding a new chorus of practitioners.

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Yoga Teacher As Friend

Yoga Teacher As Friend

The traditional roles of yoga teacher and student have collapsed under the weight of cultural appropriation, capitalism, and scandal. In the aftermath, yoga teachers often find themselves trapped in a nowhere land somewhere between fitness instructor and life coach. But yoga is learned in relationship, so for yoga teachings to retain integrity in the modern world, updated models may be required.

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Brave New Yoga World

Brave New Yoga World

It’s hard times for yoga teachers. That may be hard to believe to outsiders who see more money being made off yoga than ever before. But, for anyone attempting to make a living at it, the aftershocks of economic mores have certainly narrowed the field of opportunity. And industry aside, it seems the shiny new romance between yoga and modern culture is fading and the nitty gritty of a long term relationship is being hashed out.

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What Now Yoga Alliance?

What Now Yoga Alliance?

News that the saving grace CEO of the Yoga Alliance, Richard Karpel, is leaving after only two years was met with little more than a collective: “whatever.” But to anyone who wants to see the reformation that Karpel ushered in continue, his departure is both surprising and concerning. The reason for Karpel’s short tenure is unclear and it remains to be seen whether the YA will rest on Karpel’s laurels.

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Where Community is Found

Where Community is Found

In the new connection economy, community is an invaluable asset. When people identify with a particular set of motivating ideas, those inclinations can easily be targeted to encourage behavior with either honest or nefarious intent. Too often, calls to rally the “yoga community” fail because they inadvertently become veiled attempts to follow a model of coercion rather than camaraderie.

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Yoga is Not Hard

Yoga is Not Hard

When I meet someone who is new to yoga and they learn that I am a teacher, they always say the same thing: "I went to a yoga class and it was really hard." While it's encouraging that so many people are trying yoga, that their early experiences always feel like "hard work" is unfortunate. Setting this precedent becomes the basis for many of the pitfalls that betide practitioners today.

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Unimposing Yoga

Unimposing Yoga

In the pursuit of health through yoga, the challenge is often more about shifting ingrained sensibilities than addressing physical limitations.  Attempting to tune, fix, quantify, purify or explain a human body, as though it were more a piece of equipment in need of optimization or repairs than a highly temperamental organism, is not likely to heal the wounds or set a necessary course for well being.

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