Lets start with this: I think that maybe there's a suppressed premise between your exposition of yoga as nirvritti, freedom FROM and the political consequences we are seeing now, the apotheosis of a 'theory'. Can't call it a 'philosophy' because that gives it too much credit for being sophisticated, well-thought out, cogent. So shall we say a 'worldview' of individualism wrought large that comes from the founding myth of the America, the maverick but also is affirmed in the kaivalya of traditional yoga that forgoes the normative in favor of personal extrication because that's good for whatever 'me' would survive that extrication. So, no wonder that yoga become so popular here.
Add to that the mythos of freedom from that informed the pilgrims to this country, freedom from constraint, negative liberty in Isiah Berlin's terms. AND the trifecta of extractive colonialism, white supremacy and patriarchy. A supposed civitas that is based on negative liberty is a deeply problematic civitas, as is becoming increasingly evident to those who somehow missed that memo. But for those whose worldview and privileged status quo is being affirmed or they mistakenly think it is, well, what's happening is good.
I'm fairly sure that part 2 will address positive liberty, freedom TO. To what? Participate in a civitas based on rational & inclusive principles, participate in a yoga that takes us deeper into our shared humanity and embraces the claims of normativity as well as the shadows and pitfalls. That acknowledges the pitfalls of guru bhakti with its scent of authoritarianism, the invitation, however implicit to abdicate rationality.
I wonder is it time to look into the mirror and have a heart to heart. The other day my husband caught me talking to myself in the bathroom mirror. He asked what I was doing?
“I said talking to myself, talking to my mom.
He said, “Oh you’re confronting yourself because you’re not really going to say that to your mom”.
Thank you for articulating the dark thoughts, demons and terrors, inner to outer chaos with which I’m wrestling..
I’m sorry to miss kula. I’ve been looking forward to connecting, and spinning, sitting with, as well as doing, life. This weekend our kid’s in town and it’s been a few months. They’d lost their skilled labor college educated water and soil testing job last month (because who needs the environment) and just started training, along with a group of others, for the ever needed -wait for it-debt collection. The shared stories of their fellow trainees is heart breaking.
So that’s how things are going down around here while the world burns.
So. Much. To. Respond. To.
Lets start with this: I think that maybe there's a suppressed premise between your exposition of yoga as nirvritti, freedom FROM and the political consequences we are seeing now, the apotheosis of a 'theory'. Can't call it a 'philosophy' because that gives it too much credit for being sophisticated, well-thought out, cogent. So shall we say a 'worldview' of individualism wrought large that comes from the founding myth of the America, the maverick but also is affirmed in the kaivalya of traditional yoga that forgoes the normative in favor of personal extrication because that's good for whatever 'me' would survive that extrication. So, no wonder that yoga become so popular here.
Add to that the mythos of freedom from that informed the pilgrims to this country, freedom from constraint, negative liberty in Isiah Berlin's terms. AND the trifecta of extractive colonialism, white supremacy and patriarchy. A supposed civitas that is based on negative liberty is a deeply problematic civitas, as is becoming increasingly evident to those who somehow missed that memo. But for those whose worldview and privileged status quo is being affirmed or they mistakenly think it is, well, what's happening is good.
I'm fairly sure that part 2 will address positive liberty, freedom TO. To what? Participate in a civitas based on rational & inclusive principles, participate in a yoga that takes us deeper into our shared humanity and embraces the claims of normativity as well as the shadows and pitfalls. That acknowledges the pitfalls of guru bhakti with its scent of authoritarianism, the invitation, however implicit to abdicate rationality.
No doubt I'll be commenting on that too.
Thank you Douglas.
well said and conceived , as always, Dearbhla!
Thanks Richard!
It’s Dearbhla! Please don’t anglicise my name. My people, my people!! ☘️☘️☘️
no worries...just trying to make sure I have it right...
Thank you Ji 💚 Phonetically you nailed it :)
I can’t wait to have class with you guys again!
I’m super excited for camp!
I wonder is it time to look into the mirror and have a heart to heart. The other day my husband caught me talking to myself in the bathroom mirror. He asked what I was doing?
“I said talking to myself, talking to my mom.
He said, “Oh you’re confronting yourself because you’re not really going to say that to your mom”.
Thank you for articulating the dark thoughts, demons and terrors, inner to outer chaos with which I’m wrestling..
I’m sorry to miss kula. I’ve been looking forward to connecting, and spinning, sitting with, as well as doing, life. This weekend our kid’s in town and it’s been a few months. They’d lost their skilled labor college educated water and soil testing job last month (because who needs the environment) and just started training, along with a group of others, for the ever needed -wait for it-debt collection. The shared stories of their fellow trainees is heart breaking.
So that’s how things are going down around here while the world burns.