Free yoga class shut down because yoga is now offensive

Thanks for this. I followed your link and then on to looking into 'cultural appropriation'. While I agree to some degree with this concept, I think that the 'back-lash here is completely inappropriate itself.

Example of Cultural appropriation is simple. I am Irish and have been raised in Irish traditions here in the New World. I am 70. Years and years ago I took offense at all the people who pretended to be Irish for a day on St Patrick's Day. Going out and taking one of the lesser stereotypes of the Irish and using that stereotype for their own day of carousing and boozing. 'Wear' green and be Irish for a day. Hey Hey Hey, I'm Irish and you are not so who are you to try to steal OUR holiday. Hrumphhh. But you know what? I got over that. Big Freeking deal.

At my local Y there is a water yoga exercise program. Mostly for older women it is little more than exercise with a little 'centering' tossed in. Having practiced a more traditional degree of yoga in my youth, at first I was a bit offended that they were calling this exercise 'yoga'. For about 3 seconds. I calmed my amygdala and smoothed out my chakras and 'poof' I was free of my offense and went on to enjoy watching the older gals getting a good work out in the water.

So, to the cultural warrior who complained about this 'yoga' class, I say 'chill'. You aren't saving any ancient tradition here or sacred practices. You are just shutting down an exercise class. You see these people as living in an illusion of doing yoga while I see you as living in an illusion of making any kind of positive difference. Chill.

originally posted by: Sremmos80
This is the examples of 'PC' out of control that I can get behind.

Yes we stole the practice, but if we got rid of everything we stole then we wouldn't have jack.

The thing is, many Indians teach such classes, and yoga in the West actually got going because several prominent yogis from India were sent by their masters to the West to do exactly that!

a reply to: Abysha

For example, if Germans started wearing dreidel earrings, that might be crossing a line.

Funnnnny

The rest of your post hits it, Abysha. Nicely put.

originally posted by: Abysha
a reply to: trollz

I understand the concern some have over harmful cultural appropriation but a little bit of applied reason and logic could go a long way.

If Yoga is cultural appropriation, then so are McDonalds in Asia or baseball in Africa. What about Christianity? Why isn't the western adoption of Christianity considered appropriation.

The fine line is whether or not the culture who is adopting the practice had oppressed the culture it is being adopted from. I get that. For example, if Germans started wearing dreidel earrings, that might be crossing a line.

The practice of Yoga, however, has proven benefit and is not being adopted out of fashion or trends. It is like many of the health advancements discovered from various cultures. We don't all point fingers at each other for medicine or rocketry or any number of useful and practical things we have all adopted. Yoga falls into that category for me.

It's only negative when people make a mockery of something or disrespect something from another culture.

Respectfully wanting to learn about a beneficial practice from another culture should never be forbidden.

In fact, the yogis teach that yoga, meditation, and enlightenment are universally good for all people, and transcend the egoic identifications of time, culture, race, gender, etc.

Maybe some of these SJWs and also the Indians that are mad (the ones who actually are) should actually study what is taught in yoga or esoteric hinduism.

If it's true that such practices and enlightenment is a universal birth right, NO person gets to claim ownership over it, or they actually violate the very "culture" that they claim to be protecting.

originally posted by: MagesticEsoteric
a reply to: trollz

The only thing I find offensive about yoga is the people that wear yoga pants that clearly shouldn't.

Seriously though....things are getting beyond ridiculous.

If it was free only to a certain race or creed.... then it would be offensive. Since it was free to everyone, I just don't get it.

I even understand the whole cultural "issue" but, that doesn't make sense to me either.

Yes! That can be highly offensive!

On the other hand, Yoga pants..... Yoga pants can be quite attractive, should have had this trend in the 80's.

a reply to: trollz

I'm always amazed at how these college campuses have become a liberal circus. If you're offended by anything you'll find someone that will shut it down.

These people are our future and its frightening

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree


Ummm...actually...yoga if practiced traditionally..rather than just used as a stretching exercise...is extremely powerful...powerful enough that I would caution people to seek a Yogi from which to learn this spiritual path...

Quoth the practicioner...(albeit very...very...cautiously)




YouSir

a reply to: Sremmos80


Ummm...we didn't steal the practice...it was brought to the west by Yogi's that emigrated here...However I agree with the rest of your statement...




YouSir

a reply to: Wildbob77

When will this idiotic behavior stop?

When we start saying no. We should all have a pat letter to send to such simpletons that says something like:

I'm so sorry my yoga practice offends you. Now I would like to ask a favor of you.

GET OVER YOURSELF

Sincerely, and have a great day tending to your own business.

...I'm not so sure...that Downward Facing Dog is a bit offensive to dogs...

Å99

a reply to: trollz

I'm offended at people be offended because im tired of people being offended

a reply to: infolurker

LOL!

I actually like them. They are really comfortable to be honest.

I'll know when I can't pull them off anymore and will immediately stop wearing them.

It looks as though stupid has crossed international boundaries. The US no longer has a monopoly on campus idiots.

originally posted by: soulpowertothendegree
a reply to: trollz

Could care less, yoga is stupid.

Not really, it's basically toning & strength training with one's own body weight. Ashtanga is the best style for building strength, I used to do it. I invested in no mats, no special clothes, no classes, no dopey inspiration crap from an instructor, just a book, a little free time & some determination on my part. It's a hard one, really makes you wonder if it's worth it at times, but like strength training with weights, if you stick with it, it pays off.

If people could just look at the mechanics of yoga & not the origin of it, they'd have a lightbulb moment & see it's a hugely beneficial exercise method for virtually anyone.

originally posted by: Nyiah

originally posted by: soulpowertothendegree
a reply to: trollz

Could care less, yoga is stupid.

Not really, it's basically toning & strength training with one's own body weight. Ashtanga is the best style for building strength, I used to do it. I invested in no mats, no special clothes, no classes, no dopey inspiration crap from an instructor, just a book, a little free time & some determination on my part. It's a hard one, really makes you wonder if it's worth it at times, but like strength training with weights, if you stick with it, it pays off.

If people could just look at the mechanics of yoga & not the origin of it, they'd have a lightbulb moment & see it's a hugely beneficial exercise method for virtually anyone.

Sorry...too much common sense!

Å99

At work I used to leave the area when I had to belch or fart but now I figure it's my right and if your offended then I made your day.

Going by this logic you would also have to ban Jazz and almost all popular music because of its "appropriation" of African American, Scotch- Irish and Latin American elements. You'd have to ban Gershwin for borrowing from African influenced music. You have to ban Western comic books and animation influenced by Japanese art. You'd have to ban movies influenced by Eastern cinema including Bollywood.

a reply to: akushla99

IK,R? Too much logic, burn the witch!!

But seriously, the meditative end was never, and will never, be a draw for me. I don't buy in to any kind of mediation to begin with, and I don't need aligned chakras to balance on my palms cross-legged with my butt hovering in the air off the ground. I'm strengthening several muscle groups to do that, not opening my third eye to do it.

originally posted by: Nyiah
a reply to: akushla99

IK,R? Too much logic, burn the witch!!

But seriously, the meditative end was never, and will never, be a draw for me. I don't buy in to any kind of mediation to begin with, and I don't need aligned chakras to balance on my palms cross-legged with my butt hovering in the air off the ground. I'm strengthening several muscle groups to do that, not opening my third eye to do it.

What have you got against hovering butts? Hehe

Å99

a reply to: trollz

All in the name of 'Cultural DIEversity'

This cultural engineering/blending has gotten way out of hand. You can't just be yourself because you might upset those people over there! So I got to be more like those people so not to offend them?! Thats ok If I am new to their culture, but when they move in to the culture I am used to which evolves on its own naturaly as the people in that culture grow with out 'do gooders' messing with it. We have to bend over to accommodate those of cultures incompatible to ours.
Guess what! If you don't like the way we do things your welcome to go somewhere else more to you're liking.

Hypothetically speaking of course!