Comments on: Ashtanga Yoga…Lineage versus Nepotism

By: how to do yoga at home

how to do yoga at home — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:32:01 +0000

Great post. New to your blog, but you got great writing style. You had some very interesting points that I liked. Looking forward to more of your thoughts.

By: yoga at home

yoga at home — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:11:53 +0000

I’m not really bothered by the whole yoga as a sport thing. Some practice yoga for the exercise, some do it for health reasons while others do it for spirituality. If doing it as a sport brings awareness to the practice on whole, then great.

By: Kheva

Kheva — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:19:01 +0000

Interesting retoric, may we learn from K.P.’s seeming attachment to what he has so generously expressed, for us, that we may express joyously ourselves to have as much success as he and yet remain free of the need to control others.
Thank you for you observations,
Bless you and Bless K.P.

By: ekapada

ekapada — Sun, 10 May 2009 17:43:20 +0000

I think it is good that someone has come up with this. I am a student of ashtanga and am in the lineage, and also i respect our guru parampara, which is of key importance, perhaps THE essential aspect of carrying on ashtanga. I have a couple answers, as I too have a guru who is on that list, and have also practiced with many, there fore we probably all are related in our practice. We must stay related you see. Guruji will die, and when he does, we must not lose sight of who he was, and what he told us, and who then is in HIS lineage. Since he was the guru in our lineage, he alone is the one. Now, the real conversation we should be having is not this one, but now we have another generation under the certifieds (not the authorized, sorry), who can then pass it along again.

Unfortunately if you have not experienced ashtanga within the lineage you will not find it important. So those who haven’t then should not try to nudge themselves in to the lineage artificially, but are welcome to start their own lineage, but the lineage of ashtanga through KPJAYI is the direct lineage of ashtanga, you have to learn it through Krishnamachar, Guruji, Sharath, Saraswati, or one of 33 certifieds in the world, or a couple hundred authorized, so long as you do not proceed beyond primary with an authorized. it’s a good system. I am lucky though as my guru is not Guruji or Sharath, but I will go to India as soon as I have time, as directed by my guru, who is one of the 33. I have practiced with 5 of the certifieds and about 6-7 of the authorized and they are my friends, some of the certifieds are in the family of PJ. Nonetheless, you must find your teacher, and follow your teacher, and that is my advice, wether they are in the lineage or not. But for me, my teacher is in it, so it’s an easier discussion.

By: Pramod

Pramod — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 05:59:22 +0000

I think you are right.You have provide a useful information about Ashtanga yoga.According to me For years mind body and spirit yoga have been used for many forms of healing and relaxing and its benefits have been proved over and over. Yoga is not merely a system of physical exercise; but it is a spiritual system. People enter into the practice of yoga for physical fitness, better health, to increase flexibility and to reduce stress, but ultimately the purpose of a yoga practice is spiritual development.

By: Yoga London

Yoga London — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:25:45 +0000

Hi There,

I am doing bit of research on various famous yoga styles from India. How does yoga style by K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute (KPJAYI)helps in purifying the mind of practitioners.

Any information or suggestions are welcome.

With Regards
Barbara

By: admin

admin — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:00:12 +0000

Sal, I think your comment is right. At the time the post was written it was on my mind but the best way to keep things from effecting me or my practice is to leave them behind, which I have done. Thanks for the reminder.

By: sal

sal — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:19:51 +0000

If it saddens you to think that this beautiful and important practice of personal growth and exploration is being reduced to arguments over a list of names or acts of nepotism, then stop reducing it to that. It’s really very simple, my darling little pot.

By: roselil

roselil — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 21:01:32 +0000

I like your observations and agree with your arguments so a warm welcome to your blog. I hope you will continue writing and keep on discussing and covering lots of ashtanga related matters.

Namaste