Your teachers gave me what I need such as the breathing technique, the trapezius was just great references. So now I can listen to my teacher on tape and do all those integral references I need to focus on my body.

Alignment and awareness is key….thanks for your revelation and journey.

I had a similar experience at the beach recently. As I jogged for a mile, I couldn’t wait to get in the water because then my untanned body, with its visible cellulite, would be hidden. Sure, intellecutally I was grateful to have a healthy body, and realized that although I might be obese by fashion model standards, by healthy human standards my BMI is where it right where should be. However, on an emotional level, I kept fearing that I looked like a beached whale trying to jog, totally ridiculous.

Eventually, the heat and endorphin release helped me feel more free in my own skin, and I reached the point where I didn’t care what anyone thought about how I looked. It’s also freeing to think that other people have better things to do and think about than what I look like.

Food is so symbolic of love, and in the yoga community of following a spiritual path, that it’s almost inevitable that those of us who lack the time, energy, and inclination to cook will feel like failures. I’ve been relying on healthy prepared foods (along with fresh fruits and veggies that require no preparation), and feel terribly guilty for that. And I feel inferior because I’m a terrible cook, anyway. I don’t tell many people outside my family that I’m basically a non-cook because I already feel judged enough.

I really, really admire creative cooks, and cooks who enjoy preparing wonderful meals for their friends and family, for whom preparing a meal is a pure act of love and service. But that’s not me. When I attempt to cook, I get frustrated and stressed, and half the time I botch the recipe and wind up going for takeout anyway.

You and Bo are so right that there is so much work, and so much healing, to be done in this area. BTW, the woman who made that judgmental comment is conflating two issues: dissociation from how food is raised and cooking it. I’ve enjoyed having a small vegetable garden, so I’m happy to literally get my hands dirty raising food. Cooking it, however, is another matter. Thank you for bringing this into the open, the first step to the healing is talking about it openly and honestly.

I’m currently in a yoga teacher training program that emphasizes vegetarianism. While the teacher says that we can be yogis and eat meat, although she personally believes that anyone can be a vegetarian, so often I feel judged and like a second-class yogini because of my choices.

Your yoga teacher who eats meat once or twice a year is interesting. Sometimes I wonder what a strict vegan would do if, for example, s/he had a 92 year old grandmother who cooked what would probably be her last Thanksgiving turkey, and would feel very hurt if a beloved grandchild refused her cooking. If the choice is hurt Grandma’s feelings and remain true to deeply held principles, or eat a few bites of the turkey, which is more in keeping with ahimsa? I know what my answer would be, but the point is, these choices aren’t easy and I’m not convinced that there are any “right” or “wrong” answers, just what is best for an individual in a particular situation.

I, too, have been doing yoga forever and have only recently confronted the fears (and all the attendant shame and self-consciousness) that come up during handstands.

Thank you for your honesty and good writing.

As for vegetarian inclined, it comprises many, many people, and I see no issue with calling this group by this name. I have a yoga teacher who eats meat maybe once or twice a year. Is he a vegetarian? No, he eats meat. But almost none. So, I think it’s pretty accurate to say he is vegetarian inclined

The real beauty in your article was how it can be applied to any asana with which any of us struggle, and with which we feel frustrated and think “I’ll never do this.” And what you wrote can be applied to areas of life beyond asana. You did a terrific job writing about handstand specifically, and about transformation in general.

I agree, having a curvy model was a real gift. We are so bombarded with images of perfection that it becomes so easy to say “I’m fat, ugly, old, worthless…(you name it)” by comparing ourselves to these images of models and lose sight of how very very few women look like models (who of course are assisted in their perfection by professional makeup artists, photographers, etc). I struggle with body image problems too; actually I think most women do, and it’s something we need to be more open about.

Great job, Dayna! Please write more articles for YJ.

BTW, I loved your “Eat Like a Yogi” article too! I thought it was gracefully written and well-balanced, and after reading about Ana Forrest and Scott Blossom, I feel better about my repeated failures at becoming a vegetarian. Thank you for not being afraid to address controversial topics that need to be discussed.

Often I wonder how many people have tried, and failed, at vegetarianism, but eat very little meat. Before practicing yoga, I used to eat meat every day (frequently more than once a day). Now I’m down to about once a week. I’ve tried to eliminate meat entirely, but when I go for more than about a week and a half, I have no energy, become forgetful, can’t hold balance asanas that are usually easy fo rme, and seem to develop a severe case of ADD.

Although I agree with much of the philosophy behind vegetarianism, I am very tired of being regarded by some (but by no means all) of the vegans and vegetarians as some type of carnivorous monster. Yes, I am an omnivore, but “vegetarian-inclined” more accurately reflects the changes I have made.

Yes, we who are “vegetarian-inclined” are an important demographic, one that doesn’t fit anywhere. Can’t qualify as vegetarian, but aren’t ready or willing to have meat with most meals, either.

http://dhyanfoundation.blogspot.com/2008_05_01_archive.html

YOGI ASHWINI our guiding light ,formulated the Sanatan Kriya. This kriya works….thats all i can say at this stage…
regards
hari

I’ve shared the article with many people. I commend you on your writiing and on the subject matter- showing the process of transformation with a specific asana.

Mary