Acceptance of others

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

I’ve been pondering acceptance of others quite a bit lately. In the Nonsense thread Quetzalcoatl stated,

Every day I read on this forum how super tolerant everbody is, how they accept others, no matter where they stand and how evolved they are. Right? You read it all the time. But when these claims are taken to the test, for example right here in this thread, where - let’s say - an unevolved idiot doesn’t know better, they fail to live up to their standards. As long as you’re in line, they do, they tolerate you.
I feel there is a lot of validity to what he states. It’s EASY to accept others when they act how we want them to, but as soon as they are no longer, “in line” with the predominate way of thinking or acting, they are often not accepted.

I recently read a parable that I loved. For the life of me, I can’t remember where I read it as I’d prefer to copy and paste it. As such, I’m going to write my own version where the idea is still there, but the wording will be different. If anyone knows the original version, please post it. The parable:

[I]A Zen Master and his followers were at their retreat doing chores. Everyone got along with everyone else except for one man who was constantly getting on everyone’s nerves, frustrating them, and angering them. People tried to be patient but slowly this man got to them to the point that everyone blew up and went off on him.

The man began to leave the retreat. Seeing this, the Zen Master ran after the man, grabbed him, and brought him back to the retreat.

Later that evening one of the followers went to the Zen Master and said, “Master, why did you bring him back? He gets on everyone’s nerves and disrupts our harmony.”

To which the Zen Master responded, “Why do you think I pay him to be here?”[/I]

I’ve been speaking with my guru lately. One thing he talked about was how ungrounded most yoga practitioners are. By “grounded” he means that no matter how someone acts or what they do, if you’re grounded, it doesn’t affect your state of being. I feel the above parable alludes to the same.

In my opinion, the occasional lack of acceptance here, the hurt feelings, the emotional reactions to posts, etc are often a symptom of someone not being all that grounded. As such, those posts aren’t really bad per se, they’re more an opportunity for people to learn to be, and practice, staying grounded and accepting.

With that said, it’s hard to stay grounded and accepting. Considering my guru tells me that he is forever working to increase how grounded he is, my guess is that it is a life long practice. God knows I have a lot of work to do :slight_smile: However, if I ban or moderate or try to change people that get on my or other people’s nerves, in my opinion, I am doing a great disservice.

As such, I am considering implementing a forum policy of universal acceptance of people who are here for yogic reasons. I don’t feel that the community needs to accept spammers or blatant trolls, but I do feel that the community should be accepting of anyone that is a sincere practitioner of yoga. What I mean by the policy is that if I get contacted by someone saying, “X is being mean to me” or “Y is doing this which I don’t like” my response will be along the lines of, “Yep. I feel for you. And them.” And then link to the thread explaining the policy.

Some of those sincere practitioners of yoga may annoy, frustrate, or in any myriad of ways bother us. And some members of this forum may leave because of this which will suck. But in my heart, I feel this would be the right direction to take.

I open this thread up to discussion of acceptance, grounding, the idea of a policy of acceptance at this site, and any other tangents that might come about :slight_smile:

#2

Your are posted great parable. Yes, it is very asy to be a good yogi on the secluded islan or ashram. But is is very hard practicin this in hte city, when you hva e two jobs and two kids, anoing neighbour and cranky hasband. But when we pull through - we grow and this is real spiritual practice happens.

City MOnk

#3

David buddy,

I think you have great intentions here, but that it’s really not necessary to play protector. There are such vast differences in perspectives, different cultures and the way people use language, sensitivities, pretenses, etc., that you cannot rule over. People speaking from different sides of the planet, different lifestyles, times of day, training…which is all great! Plus, there’s so much BS out there, so much misinformation that people get attached to, it’s up to us to enlighten and inform, and bring yoga into the light for those who are weak. It’s our job!

Yoga is a very passionate thing for most everyone involved. What’s important is, I think, are people here asking good questions (or stupid ones, which is also good) and sharing their knowledge and experience. Are they truly devoted to the heart of knowledge or just to themselves? The latter is always obvious and I think the zen lesson speaks well to that fact. It should be a non-issue.

I think it’s the nature of the beast and you should let the members provide the checks and balances. I for one, certainly have no problems fighting my own battles.

my two cents,
siva

#4

Hi Siva,

Maybe I’m misunderstanding what you’re trying to say (please correct me if so) but I agree that it’s not necessary to play protector. If someone contacts me and says, “user X is being a jerk, please ban him” and I do so, then I’m being a protector. If someone contacts me and says, “User Y is using language that bothers me, please make them stop” and I do so, then I’m bring a protector.

My feeling is that if someone is here because they are sincere about the practice of yoga, then they should be accepted. And if they are bothersome to us, then we must look inside and ask why they bother us and what we can do to remain grounded. At that point, we can hopefully come from a place of support and compassion when interacting with (or choosing to ignore) that particular person. In the end, most of us just want to feel love and acceptance and word on the street is you receive what you give. So why not start here? :slight_smile:

If I play protector, that opportunity is lost.

Can’t it be both?

Sounds good to me :slight_smile:

edit Looks like I could have given you a little time to edit your thoughts. I’ll leave this as is though :slight_smile:

#5

[quote=David;30895]
My feeling is that if someone is here because they are sincere about the practice of yoga, then they should be accepted. And if they are bothersome to us, then we must look inside and ask why they bother us and what we can do to remain grounded. At that point, we can hopefully come from a place of support and compassion when interacting with (or choosing to ignore) that particular person. In the end, most of us just want to feel love and acceptance and word on the street is you receive what you give. So why not start here? :)[/quote]

David,

You don’t have to tolerate everything. Where i come from, if someone is being a jerk, you tell them they’re a jerk and why. That is compassion. If you can’t tell them why, then yes, you have to ask yourself some questions and that “jerk” is your karma calling. Either way, it’s all good.

siva

#6

David,

To understand your post I had to read it off-line about twenty times before I can respond. Even my response I had to first type that in MS Word for the dictionary to correct many of my spelling and grammar mistakes. You see I am one of the many [U]second language users[/U] on this forum and for me to get involved in long and complex arguments/discussions about something is just too time consuming and too much of an effort in terms of successfully state my point. So I tend to ignore those users who do expect this from me or where I feel their questions are just asking too much of my language ability and skills in english. I also tend to ignore their threads and when they start to participate in a thread where I did post, I will withdraw from that thread. Their language usage become a THREAD to me.There are a few users on this forum whom I blatantly ignore when they ask me something because they tend to post extremely difficult and lenghty replies and I lack the language skills to engage with them.

For me it is not a question of acceptance or intolerance, (I can easily view it as intolerant of some of these users to expect complex and difficult replies from me, but I choose not) but a question of can I successfully respond in english. If they would meet me in my home language Afrikaans, that would be another story, then I will give them a good go.

Hope some of these users read this and try to be tolerant enough to understand why I don’t respond to their questions/replies always. And I can only speak here from my own expereince and difficulty with a Forum like this.

PS. Just to have read your post and compose/write/translate my own reply took me 1 hour 52 minutes. And unfortunately I don’t have the luxury of time always.

#7

Hi David,

Just to let you know, that you have my full support and encouragement in whatever you do.

It is the nature of web forums that there will obviously be dissagreements or tensions that may crop up.That’s just the result of the dynamics and interactions between different people-life-experiences,view-points, how folk express themselves etc.I think it’s important that people can keep an open mind and are’nt unconsciously self-censoring what they say in order to blend in or be liked or even stand-out . If they have an opinion or view-point or a useful contribution, relating to yoga practices and experiences , then they should be free to comment while still respecting everyone else .Everyone has something to contribute, whether they are or feel able to or not.

I think how you talk to someone can reveal whether you are relating from an equal level or deluded into talking like you are somehow more evolved.Talking like as if you are somehwat more evolved than the next person,spiritually and so on,and implying so all the time is a sure sign(or likely so) you are not.

#8

This idea of acceptance is one that I have been thinking of a lot lately.

I reconnected with an old friend on Facebook a few years ago. This girl was a very close friend of mine from kindergarten all through grade school, high school and for a few years after high school. I found out after reconnecting with her that she is now, and has been for the past several years, a call-girl.

Her family doesn’t talk to her and everyone in her circle is from the sex-trade industry or deep in the party scene. We’ve been rekindling our friendship for the past year or so, and every time we go out somewhere, we have to speak in very hushed tones when conversing about her job. Most people would shun her or look at her differently if they found what she does for a living. Regardless of the fact that she is still a wonderful, loving, smart, independent woman.

I think about acceptance every time I hang out with her. It took me a little while to accept her and get over my own crap about the sex-trade industry, but I am constantly learning and growing and becoming more accepting of things.

Acceptance is something that we have to constantly practice in our own lives starting with ourselves- accepting ourselves as the flawed, vulnerable, ever-changing people that we are. Once we start to truly accept ourselves, we can begin to accept others- all others, regardless of beliefs, jobs, diets, ideas, clothes, etc. I agree that it is a life long practice.

I am very happy to have joined this forum and have become a part of this “online community”. I love these types of conversations and “acceptance” is such an important sentiment to continuously revisit.

#9

For me David, it is not a matter of tolerance or acceptance or even the lack thereof. And it is not a matter of tolerating what your quoted text refers to as some idiot. Instead, it is a simple matter of respect. Respect allows for differing viewpoints. Respect allows for discourse. As my sweetheart reminds ever so often - it is not WHAT I say it is how I say it.

And so that is my focus; how are people being treated in the throes of expressing different viewpoints. When one can not share a viewpoint with others and do so without name calling, the use of disparaging remarks, or belittling others, then perhaps that person is not yet ready for a Yoga Forum. They may be ready for all sorts of other things. But on a yoga forum respect for one’s self and respect for others is a foundational concept, not an advanced one.

#10

[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;30950] Respect allows for differing viewpoints. Respect allows for discourse.
[/QUOTE]

And understand that in this reincarnation particular person attained particular level of consciousness and just be compassionate if their vision of the World is not clear

#11

Hello everybody,

I’m truly sorry that I haven’t replied to all the remarks made here and the other threads, but I have some family-stuff going on, for some time now our son comes home from kindergarten with having his face severly clawed by another kid, and it seems that we can’t do anything about it but sueing the kindergarten’s ass. This week, he pulled my boys eyelid, the eye was tearing all day. Very unsettling, so my mind is occupied with this stuff a lot. I intend to get back to some more of your comments, though, but for today, I only have time for:

Hi InnerAthlete,

For me David, it is not a matter of tolerance or acceptance or even the lack thereof. And it is not a matter of tolerating what your quoted text refers to as some idiot. Instead, it is a simple matter of respect. Respect allows for differing viewpoints. Respect allows for discourse. As my sweetheart reminds ever so often - it is not WHAT I say it is how I say it.

And so that is my focus; how are people being treated in the throes of expressing different viewpoints. When one can not share a viewpoint with others and do so without name calling, the use of disparaging remarks, or belittling others, then perhaps that person is not yet ready for a Yoga Forum. They may be ready for all sorts of other things. But on a yoga forum respect for one’s self and respect for others is a foundational concept, not an advanced one.
you’re making a little mistake and should check out a definition, my sophisticated friend:

Hypocrisy is the act of persistently professing beliefs, opinions, virtues, feelings, qualities, or standards that are inconsistent with one’s actions. Hypocrisy is thus a kind of lie.

The hypocrite thinks that what he or she usually professes does not somehow apply to him or her.
Where is your respect? Where are your “specific actions and conduct representative of a positive feeling of esteem for” me? I can tell you: Absent. What are you doing in the post I quote? Respect me? No you don’t. So you’re “perhaps not yet ready for a Yoga Forum”, where “respect for one’s self and respect for others is a foundational concept, not an advanced one”…?

And that is only the very tiny tip of the iceberg. When I first came to this board I started this thread. At some point you popped up with a bunch of pointless remarks that added nothing and that I perceived as so unfriendly, that I thought I would’ve done something that is considered wrong around here. I dared to offer you to speak your mind openly in case something was bothering you. You, with your form-above-content philosophy told me, I was being ridiculous. The thread, then, was over, no further replies by anybody, none of you as well, when I asked what the heck you actually wanted to say or add.

Next thread I started was about increasing flexibility. Any freaking thing I said was wrong and a misconception, like I was a little boy who doesn’t know squat about anything, let alone his own body. Specific actions and conduct representative of esteem? Absent. Instead semantics: One doesn’t go into a pose, one doesn’t push the body to get there, no, there is some mysterious “full(er) expression of a pose” (lol) and you “encourage” the body to get there (lol). Asking for the difference between your and my description: No reply. Willem’s viewpoint, which I, as you can see, perfectly accepted to be valid and allright, is that in an Asana no pain may arise. He proves that as universally valid with the single Sutra on Asanas in the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali. Oh, with pages of arguments I dared to disagree and? Was dismissed, along the information “yo dude, u have no idea and ur Yoga suckz”. :open_mouth: No, my standpoint is clearly valid too. :stuck_out_tongue:

Next thread I started about how to sleep. I wrote that I sometimes sleep in the living room, because I do not want to wake up my wife in the middle of the night and that I started sleeping on my Yoga-mat, because it feels good. Awesome insights were provided: A living room is for living, a Yoga mat for doing Yoga. Woohoo, who would’ve guessed that. Also, the Sutra I had interpreted in depth was brought up again (with a wrong number, though), as if it was kinda like self-evident that what I said about it was wrong and what he said about it right. Conversation over once again, oh lucky me to be around such wise men. Just btw do I now frequently sleep on the mat, with a little more sophistcated construction, though, I even sneak out the bedroom sometimes. And it’s awesome, with no doubt the right way to sleep at least for me. Great and wise of me, not to accept any random comment as superior wisdom, wouldn’t you agree, Mr. Athlete Sir?

Had I, to that point, misbehaved from your oh-so-prominent viewpoint? I wouldn’t know how, unless not adoring any word you guys speak to the world and questioning what doesn’t make sense to me is some sort of insult already.

I actually had dismissed this forum after the sleeping-thread, had come to the conclusion, that this is just a gathering point for “yoga”-teaching and -supply advertisers (which it to some degree very obviously is), who are not interested in open debate at all, but since I had set a bookmark I kept clicking in when I had the time and kept reading stuff. I found one hypocrism after the other and at some point dared to question the selfdeclared overlords of Yoga, still, as I would judge it, in a decent tone, even though I shared my perceptin of hypocrisy going on. No reply. No respect. Picture yourself in a public place, where you randomly accuse other of false behavior, like watering down Yoga. Someone steps forward and says “but what about you, you’re a coach for athletes and a therapist for the injured, how’s that not watering down Yoga? And wouldn’t it be hypocrisy if you did water down Yoga yourself and at the same time blame others?” What’d you do? Turn your back at them? For they are being rude and have no respect?

Ridiculous.

Over and over and over and over again I had to read that all my Yogic efforts were at best in vain, if not contra-productive or already dangerous. As well kept I reading about the great tolerance of exactly the people who I perceive as perfect examples of arrogance, I saw others being verbally knocked around, with noone speaking up for them (Yonita, Sunyuting) and yes, at some point I allowed my tone to get sharper, stir up some trouble. So what? Are feelings not allowed at this place? Obviously it was the only way to get heard. I guess you (2nd person plural) hoped that I would finally shut up because I (was quite aware that I) started to look stupid and trollish with my remarks, or you hoped that when I sharpened my tone further, I would get thrown out.

Now you’re holding a speech on respect. :rollseyes: What do you know about it. Your arrogant speech serves one purpose, to justify that you do not stand up to the same criticism you’re flooding this board with. Because it doesn’t matter what one says, but how one says it, you sorta “cannot” reply: Have I ever heard anything more absurd? Well, actually yes. :smiley:

With your cute little speech on respect for others, you only want to “bash” me, belittle me, point me out as a rude and naughty boy, someone great like yourself cannot and others should not talk and listen to. Who is “not yet ready for a Yoga forum”: Hilarious, who do you think you are, buddy? Get your heads out of those clouds that befog your mind if you finally want to get started to evolve. You’re not better than me or anyone, you have not gone further on any spiritual path. You have an education in doing some physical exercises that exceeds mine and that of many, but still where I layed out my viewpoint and you thought you had to oppose it, you made not only no point, you didn’t even make sense.

Respect? I know what kind of respect you demand: That within a hierarchy like the military or an organised religion. You see yourself as the superior that has to be bowed to, particularly by beginners of an Asana-practice. But it doesn’t work that way with me, you might be a teacher, but you are not mine, to me, you’re an equal person, like any random stranger I meet on the street.

A teacher of actual Yoga, that real deal, what you claim to be, you are not. I do not even see you being a student of that. A great critic you are continously, but of criticism you see yourself to be above. Sure, you don’t have to engage anyone in a discussion. Then don’t.

Wanna see a Yogi? A Yoga-master? One that I respect and bow to? Go here and skip to 11:20. Particularly think about his final words and reconsider yourself/ves already.

#12

If you find yourself reading a post and being in any way bothered by it, one practice is, as you read the post, to observe your breath, heart rate, and whether your body clenches any muscles. If your heart or breathing rate increases, stop reading and take deep, mindful breaths (which can also help relax those clenching muscles) then continue breathing. I find slightly upturned lips also help as well :slight_smile:

Or just plain laugh your ass off at the hilarity of it all, that works nicely as well :smiley:

#13

@Quetzalcoatl

You are certainly entitled to your viewpoint. Though it does feel filled with anger and that anger seems disproportionate to the text. However I’d point out that my post here in this thread had nothing to do with you whatsoever. It just so happened that David quoted you, but that had no part in my post. David was inquiring as to how one deals with that person who you reference as “some idiot” and I outlined that dealing with “some idiot” is not a matter of tolerance for me, it is a matter of something else. That’s it. Nothing more. It was not about you at all.

I have no interest in disagreement with you, though I’d prefer if you didn’t bend my postings to suit your persecution. I’m not after you, preoccupied with you, nor have I labeled you one way or the other. And I believe my writing bears that out publicly.

Furthermore, I don’t make any claims about myself. I give of my time to the forum to assist those who are interested. Those who are not are likewise not forced to read what I write. I don’t believe I’ve mistreated anyone here and therefore while I certainly bear many faults, hypocrisy isn’t usually one of them. Though I’ll consider this more carefully over time to see how it might resonate in my living.

#14

Hello Quetzalcoatl,

I’m sorry that your kid was hurt. I too would be angry and upset in your situation. I wonder if it was necessary to take your anger to this forum, though.

Your words are painful to me, and surely also to others. I believe that we did the best we could to address both the content and the tone of your questions. If we failed, then I am sorry. For my part, I sincerely hope that your future posts will be of a different nature. And that you may continue your transformation from martial artist to yogi.

#15

Discussion forums are so nebulous in that whenever someone posts, the mood or state of mind/being will cloud the poster’s point to the postee. Conversely, I have misinterpreted messages because of my own state of being. I have often read posts that seem angry in text, but in response the poster is unaware of the anger I perceive. I have also read posts that seem arrogant, but on second read seem rather as straightforward. It is my interpretation of the text that matters.

In that light, tolerance is even more important and when responding I consiously use Gestalt language to share an experience and not an opinion, unless asked to.

#16

[QUOTE=Willem;31067]Hello Quetzalcoatl,

I’m sorry that your kid was hurt. I too would be angry and upset in your situation. I wonder if it was necessary to take your anger to this forum, though.

Your words are painful to me, and surely also to others. I believe that we did the best we could to address both the content and the tone of your questions. If we failed, then I am sorry. For my part, I sincerely hope that your future posts will be of a different nature. And that you may continue your transformation from martial artist to yogi.[/QUOTE]

Just exactly corresponds to what David asked in the original post… acceptance…

Peace

#17

Dear honorable Mr. Sir Lord Masterguru,

You are certainly entitled to your viewpoint.
I know. It’s called freedom of speech, not exactly a new invention; you’re from the US, it’s a famous part of your people’s constitution. Around this place, though, where great Yogis and Yoginis meet, it is being anounced like a princess’ wedding, the latest sensation, opposed by for example you, who thinks that some people are not yet ready for their own opinion.

And why do you mention it? My freedom of speech? I’ll tell you: To have said it. To have spoken the words, to be able to point at them: Look, I said. Yes, you did. It’s so simple to speak, isn’t it. I love you. I adore you. You are great. I want to be like you. You are entitled to your opinion. Words do come easy.

And what now, after you spoke those pretty words of tolerance and acceptance? What follows, as usual? Indeed the restriction:

Though it does feel filled with anger and that anger seems disproportionate to the text.
So I have feelings that you find inapproriate. Is there no freedom of emotion? Or are you just utilizing your freedom of speech? Then be my guest.

Why I feel, I already explained in detail in the post you most probably read and now reply to. So I explain why I feel what I feel, and your reply is: “You feel!”

You are one genius, aren’t you.

However I’d point out that my post here in this thread had nothing to do with you whatsoever. It just so happened that David quoted you, but that had no part in my post. David was inquiring as to how one deals with that person who you reference as “some idiot” and I outlined that dealing with “some idiot” is not a matter of tolerance for me, it is a matter of something else. That’s it. Nothing more. It was not about you at all.
Speaking generally has this advantage: When approached, questioned, taken to the task, you can just say “what, I didn’t mean you, I didn’t speak of you, I did not at all address you”. So you don’t have to discuss your cute little speeches with anyone, as it would be unavoidable when you address people directly.

But speaking generally comes with a disadvantage too: Everyone may feel addressed. You didn’t say a name, did you. You only made a description. Generally. “Those who have no teacher”. Well, that’s me. “Some idiot”. Me too.

So this is all about me and I am entitled to take you to the task, it’s my right and my freedom. But of course you at the same time have the right to remain silent, after talking about me.

I have no interest in disagreement with you, though I’d prefer if you didn’t bend my postings to suit your persecution. I’m not after you, preoccupied with you, nor have I labeled you one way or the other. And I believe my writing bears that out publicly.
Yeah, I bend nothing. Why would I. I have no status to defend, no reputation that’s endangered. I’m obviously not saying you’re hunting me, of course are you not preoccupied with me, what an absurd thought, since you ignore me as hard as you can.

Persecution you speak of. Well, maybe we have to reconsider who the idiot is, hm? A number of reasonable questions is hardly a persecution, of course it’s a little funny when I continue to ask them, though you insist on ignoring them, and sure, who am I to force you to reply already, but persecution…? That’s just some really really fucked up rethorics. Reconsider.

After all I have such reasonable points that we should not forget over the bullcrap you’re talking:

Furthermore, I don’t make any claims about myself.
In each and every post you’ve written on this forum, there is a link in your signature. Only one click and I am on your commercial website. Only one more click and I’m on this page. I am supposed to go there, you want me to, it’s not that I am searching the web to find something to persecute you with, no, you invite me there, “come in please” you say, 2,000 times.

There I find what makes your mojodojoyoga so different from any other:

Difference: The most qualified teachers in the world. Continued general, restorative, and therapeutic education of those teachers. The guidance of Aadil and Mirra Palkhivala, the Great Wall Rope system, deeply committed peer support, ethics and integrity, and the manifestation and subsequent embracing of the joy of living.
The most qualified teachers in the world, dude. The manifestation of the joy of living! Isn’t that the boldest claim you’ve ever read?? So when you, what you’re saying, say, you make no claims, and we read this, how could anybody doubt, that you are a hypocrite.

And this is just one example that you cannot even talk yourself out of in the perception of a fool or your fellow hypocrites. You make claims that are a little more subtle all the time. For example when you say “some people” are not ready for a Yoga forum, you obviously are not talking about yourself, so you claim to be more evolved than these people and thereby better. And when you lament the watering down of Yoga, you obviously claim that your Yoga is pure and clean (which it isn’t, which is another topic you evade stubbornly). In the “Does Yoga end relationsships?”-thread, a whole lot of big-headed people make claims, including you once again. You’re more evolved than people who sit on the couch and all that rubbish.

You make claims all the time. But these may not be questioned, neither politely, which I tried, and of course nor angry, which I got. You are above criticism. Like God. Those who question you have to be banished to hell.

But actually, IA, I do not really have a question left. You know, I had doubts wether my perception of you would be right or maybe distortet or simply wrong, because I don’t like to be mistreated and got offended. But I guess I got it right and you simply are some materialistic hypocrite to slice up Yoga like a pie, using this board as a fine advertising-space to lure potential customers to your website. At least, to not demonize you alltogether, you have something to sell. Just that it’s not Yoga, but some gymnastics that have their roots in Yoga. Also do people, as it seems, benefit from your replies to their questions, I guess you even tried to help me and it just didn’t work out, though I think you somewhat tried to look smart when you actually had nothing at all to add.

So I guess my “persecution” has come to an end. Of course, though, I will provide alternative viewpoints as I see fit.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Hi Willem,

I’m sorry that your kid was hurt. I too would be angry and upset in your situation. I wonder if it was necessary to take your anger to this forum, though.
I actually only got sad and scared, can you believe it. That’s why I had to stop coming here until the issue was resolved. It is now, quite, since you’re so interested in it.

However, I on my side do understand that you’d like to find an explanation for all this that excludes you as a cause. But it’s not going to happen:

Your words are painful to me, and surely also to others. I believe that we did the best we could to address both the content and the tone of your questions. If we failed, then I am sorry.
Look, it’s not a question of belief that noone has ever addressed my criticism. The few discussions I had were all about me, you know, like now I am only angry because of the issue with my son, I am a liar, I am a persecuter, I am an evil martial artist. And so on. In my perception it sounds pretty much like “blablablablablabla”, like the adults in Peanuts-cartoons, stuff that would indeed more than justify to simply ignore it.

On the other hand I do have a bunch of very valid points of criticism and easily comprehendable reasons to be upset and angry and jerk around this place. Fortunately I never get tired repeating myself, so here I go again:

You claim to be so tolerant. But because I value and prefer an Iyengarish approach to Yoga while you come from an Mukundaish angle, you refuse to talk to me. That is so childish, I really don’t get it, like a lil boy who refuses to play with someone who likes a different soccer-team. I’d like to note that you - just like the Mr. Sir InnerAthlete - started the discussion with me, not the other way. But when you didn’t like my approach to Yoga, you ended it. Leaving me in the middle of nowhere, without giving me a reason, without naming one single comprehensible argument what would be wrong about that approach, but including a snotty final comment, which is obviously potentially very discouraging for a person in my situation, studying on their with no teacher to ask. Telling someone like me that they’re not doing Yoga and that their whatever-it-is-then is super-ultra-mega dangerous and will most probably lead to horrible injuries, that they misunderstand Yoga and the Yoga-Sutras: What the hell is wrong with you?

I must’ve gone psycho because this pisses me off? Out of my mind? An ultraviolent martial artist gone beserk? Maybe you should come out off your ashram a little more often, we who live in the outside world have feelings and emotional reactions. It’s all very regular, seriously.

For my part, I sincerely hope that your future posts will be of a different nature. And that you may continue your transformation from martial artist to yogi.
Sure. And I hope that you will some day start to reckognize how arrogant you are, how unjustified your arrogancy is and that you will start to evolve from being some naturopath to become a Yogi too. Maybe we can start talking then. :slight_smile:

#18

Feel better Q?

#19

I actually typed " disproportionate", not “inappropiate”. And thank you for recognizing my genius.

#20

Hi FlexPinguin,

[QUOTE=FlexPenguin;31435]I actually typed " disproportionate", not “inappropiate”.[/QUOTE]interesting. Are speaking for InnerAthlete or are you him?

And thank you for recognizing my genius.
Seems you made a mistake now, though. :oops: