Where are we?

What's happening out there? I think some of us have truly lost sight of what yoga is really all about and why it had meaning to us in the first place. I just read an article in the New York Times called A Yoga Manifesto. This article reported on a yoga owner who is offering classes on a donation only basis in New York City. This is a reaction to the ever increasing price tag of yoga. The article mentioned one studio which not only has pricey yoga classes but the participants must pay a membership due before they can even try any of the classes offered! It is recommended you use Internet to reserve space for a specific class. There's also a place to look up studios either in NYC or around the globe. I don't mean to be a buzz kill but there are other things I can get around the globe too, like McDonald's. I can get it anywhere, but who wants that shit? And while were at it, I not only need to bring my Visa but it looks like I have to have a laptop with WiFi if I'm going to get a little peace and asana. Oh what a minute, hold on dude, let me get back to you, my blackberry's going off.

Anyway, as I wrote in an earlier blog I was sad to see two of my own local yoga studios have closed their doors only to be replaced by more expensive commercial, one product type of studios. I was also dismayed to read that the owner of the donation based studio has found it so successful he is opening more studios around the country. I liked a lot of what he had to say but reading about those plans for all those other studios smelled like a business model, which ultimately means profit. The problem I have with this venture is when it doesn't net any longer, doors will close, teachers will be out of work and people who really benefit from a yoga practice will be out of luck. One of my favorite Forest teachers tried a donation based studio. I'm sorry to say he had to close his doors about a year later.

I hate the direction things are heading. I think this is the bubble before the burst. One last greedy inhale before it all comes down like a house of cards.

Yoga is so many wonderful things. Good for mind, body and soul. I personally love a community practice. I love practicing with others. The energy can be fantastic and the people inspirational. I love the disheveled lady who comes in with several bags who I often see in class. The man who needed a chair for six months because his arthritis was so bad he couldn't practice standing, or the folks I read about a few years ago in Alaska who live in an isolated area but get together once a week, put on the one yoga DVD they own and practice. If only we could all see the big picture, the forest from the trees, we wouldn't be headed in this downward trajectory. Oh well, lessons yet to be learned I guess.

Wishing peace love and generosity of heart to everyone.