On the question of Mysore, how about chill and just practice?
The Ashtanga Cybershala seems a little abuzz today by the question of: Mysore?
You can interpret that question in many ways:
- Is Mysore the sole “source” for Ashtanga?
- Do I have to practice at Mysore at least once to be a “real Ashtangi?”
- How is Ashtanga going to develop and change after Guruji’s passing?
We’ve tossed this idea around a bit in the past, and I’m happy to report that I — and I think I can speak for Bobbie here — have come to a conclusion:
I don’t care.
The people who need to figure this question out, will. The people who don’t need to figure this out, but think that they do, will keep debating it long after the rest of us have tuned it out.
This doesn’t mean I don’t think it is an important question. And I understand why people will want to discuss it. But it seems to me that Eddie Stern’s comments at the Confluence, about how Guruji gathered together these devoted students (many of whom in turn gathered their own students, as Ashtanga spread) “with almost no bureaucracy” is a good reminder that most of us can probably chill out in regards to this issue. It will work itself out. And if you aren’t one who has to stress about it, why stress about it?
If it is an issue that really will affect you, you’ll address it sooner or later.
In the meantime, the rest of can follow Eddie’s advice, which is really something Richard Freeman said at the Confluence: “Therefore… we have to keep practicing.”
Or we can follow Guruji’s: “God will take care of the universe, you take care of your anus.”
But, for those that are interested, here are some of the posts on this topic:
Posted by Steve
Good call. Practice is as practice does.
Freud would love all the anal cleansing in the yoga rooms, lol
The post of mine you link to isn’t really a Mysore? post …is it? Though I posted on it earlier in the year when I considered seriously whether it was something I wanted to do. Not something I’m really thinking about at the moment, lot that turns me off the idea but then I’m sure it would be a powerful experience too, perhaps everything will just fall into place one year and find myself quietly there without any fuss or too much thought and planning. It’s India, what wouldn’t anyone want to spend a month or three there.
AVK….like it I’m thinking T-shirts… and jeans.
I’d call it in the milieu. A virtual version of overhearing your comment outside the shala door…
S
Damn, that was supposed to read AVKY…T-shirts etc