Did not realize you can actually get a PhD in yoga study from an Ivory Tower of a school like Cambridge University … or at least, have never met a dedicated yogi with one until now. I did not even know who he was until Richard Rosen in his usual casual low key manner plugged the workshop – so last minute to squeeze the 2 days, ended up missing half of the 4-part? series but … hope to borrow notes from somebody who was there?
What he covered was so fascinating, I am now planning on reading Mark Singleton’s book (after I finish 3 others I should not have started at the same time…too curious and greedy… I know) which I understand is quite academic but in the meantime this article on Yoga Journal touches on what he covers in the book.
Apparently what he covered in the latest workshop is a material for the upcoming book he’s working on so … what a relief! My notes have a lot of holes now that I review them…
Here is what I imagine is a taste of what that earlier book covers – Click here.
This explains why older schools of yoga in Japan is different as whoever went to India to study had a different set of teachers and … different interpretations, brought the teachings home and customized it to fit the needs of that unique land. Seems like from what I hear, a lot of yoga schools in India caters to the Westerners and forefingers who come on a quest to find Self … and oftentimes looking for the exotic … not sure if that’s really the “original” or the “classic” yoga or more a yoga-tour package in exotic lands, prepackaged to answer to those needs of the wide-eyed seekers. In other words, depending on the reputation, that ashram could be another form of a tourist trap…or a retreat for the affluent.(& nothing is wrong with that – I wish I was there too – just talking about authenticity or whatever he’s talking about.)
Of course Western yoga has been exported to Japan as well so there’s probably an interesting blend taking shape there… In the end, it’s that particular people’s interpretation and the actual practice on the individual level that matters. In the end it comes down to knowing what your your body needs in order to achieve the “cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.” … I prefer more the harmonic balance than a forceful unification of mind-body because for me, the third element – the spiritual awakening – is only possible through peaceful means – and staying true to our role as a woman that only a woman can fulfill vs. a role of a man, perhaps a man would fill more instinctively and naturally – I am not saying a woman cannot do what a man can do but there are functions only a woman can fulfill because of our makeup… and what a natural process might look like.
