I started Yoga a little while back in an attempt to get some meaning and control in my life, and started to experience positive result. I came to this Forum, in an attempt to learn and better my practice.
What I have experienced is plenty of discouraging views and attitudes that have left me bitter about the practice of Yoga (I know a few of the regulars know exactly what I’m talking about) I’ve lost a lot of respect for the traditions and origins of Yoga, which is effecting my personal practice. When one thinks of a ‘Yoga forum’, one might expect to find support, tolerance, and a loving community of respect and sharing. Instead I’ve seen more often than not, intolerance, self-righteousness, petty provoking and patronizing speech. I have found that rather then coming here to learn and share, I have been occupied with defending mine and others opinions and views, which are seemingly under constant attack.
I have certainly reached the point where I wonder whether of not, coming to this forum is destructive to my practice, and consequently my personal life.
I would like to continue down my Yogic path, but I do not want a bitter taste in my mouth when reading Sutras or attending to my daily Yoga practice.
I would be interested on some views on anyone experiencing what I am experiencing, or anyone with advice?
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MENTION THAT I WILL NOT RESPOND TO NEGATIVITY ON THIS THREAD, AND WOULD ASK ANYONE TO IGNORE NEGATIVITY THAT MAY BE POSTED ON THIS PARTICULAR THREAD.
Thanks kindly, Adam
Coming to this forum is very good for your practice because you will learn detachment. It is crucial skill in Yoga. You need to learn to live and let live and simply observe what is around you and to respond to what you observe around you in a detached manner without becoming emotionally involved.
Look at me I have been at the receiving end of a barrage of personal attacks, insults and people ganging up on me, and I have not been phased at all. I am still talking to you, I am still laughing and smiling 
You on the other hand are upset, shaken up by this and this is largely because you expended so much energy in attacking me. Now you are spent. I am still live and kicking 
Remember when you do your Yoga practice. You are doing a Hindu religious practice. If you have no problem with this fact, then proceed and I wish you the best of success on your journey.
You’ve called me many things. Don’t tell me your somehow detached.
Not really to the same extent as you have. Besides, I am at this moment in human consciousness, so yes I do experience highs and lows. The difference is, I do not attach to them. I let them pass. As I do this so regularly even if your words had an effect on me after about a min I am back to my normal jovial self
People can get very frustrated when they talk to me because I am always content. My ex-girlfriend hated this quality about me. She would be boiling up, her head about to explode over some issue, and I would sit there completely unphased and smiling
Practice detachment. It is the best skill in life.
[QUOTE=Surya Deva;34487]People can get very frustrated when they talk to me because I am always content. My ex-girlfriend hated this quality about me. .[/QUOTE]
Says it all. ex-girlfriend… EX!
I know how you feel, YogiAdam. Until recently, this forum has been a pretty good community, and it will be again. Look for the positive threads, and don’t get sucked into feeling that you have to defend your views, or challenge someone else’s. Just let it go.
[QUOTE=YogiAdam;34488]Says it all. ex-girlfriend… EX![/QUOTE]
You’ve never had an ex before then, buster
Yogi Adam, I agree with your initial post and with Asuri’s last post. I rarely participate on the threads, but thinking on it more recently, I suppose we shouldn’t treat this forum unlike any other experience in life. We only have so much control over our external environment. People may aggravate us and our better/worse senses, but we have to push forward towards what is good and true.
David had asked me to forward him evidence of my complaints…not that he didn’t believe me, I’m sure, but because he wanted to understand exactly what my issues were. I thought about it and decided not to play Sherlock Holmes on that matter because it would incorporate my having to harp on these negative issues that are not furthering to anyone on this forum. And if I had sent it off to him, what did i expect him to do…play Karma Police (great Radiohead song, btw)? No, others have voiced their opinions, the yogaforums community has splintered off in their views on this matter and I don’t feel called to lead a reform. So, all that remains are to stay and argue with others, stay and remain silent, stay and participate in encouraging/understanding/intelligent discourse or leave the thread.
My choice–to stay, popping onto those threads or conversations which I feel I can be of benefit to others and to myself. While this is my choice for my self, you alone need to decide what your course of action is. I’ve enjoyed many of your posts and think you are invaluable to this community. But only can decide what is the right thing to do here. Perhaps a yogaforum sabbatical might help with the disillusionment you are feeling. Remember that a day alone is not comprised of illuminating sunrises nor bright hummingbirds dancing by my purple trumpet vines (such a thrill when they do!), but there exists phone calls we wish to never receive, injuries on the mat, dead squirrels in the backyard. Each moment is an opportunity for us to shine through THOSE moments, for our own growth, for the benefit of others. Again, you and your experience are invaluable. Best to you and your decision.
WHAAAAA!!! I’m taking my yoga mat and going home!!!
What I find comical is Your all “I ain’t gonna participate in no negativity.”
Then you proceed to Dig on SD with your . . . “[I]Says it all. ex-girlfriend… EX[/I]!” comment.
[QUOTE=The Scales;34500]WHAAAAA!!! I’m taking my yoga mat and going home!!!
What I find comical is Your all “I ain’t gonna participate in no negativity.”
Then you proceed to Dig on SD with your . . . “[I]Says it all. ex-girlfriend… EX[/I]!” comment.[/QUOTE]
I know, ain’t that just so ironic. Adam is a hypocrit. He has been openly and violently insulting me and ganging on up me with his partner in crime lotus girl, and then tries to act all innocent, mature and sensible
I mean come on anybody who has to constantly bring their girlfriend up to show how great they are, or the fact they have had thresomes cannot be all that mature
To be blunt Adam,
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You can ignore people via this software.
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You’re welcome to report personal attacks.
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You’re an arsonist complaining about the fire alarms. I observe that you project a lot. I say this with compassion and a kind heart, it is not me putting you down.
This is just so crazy how something so beautiful (yoga) can bring such division. Why?
Intolerance.
All things breed division. Do you know how many splits take place in Yoga organizations? The conflicts? The politics.
The Yoga world is as human as any other world. The difference being though yogis need to be able to deal with conflicts and politics better than others by practicing detachment, mindfulness.
We cannot insulate ourselves from conflict. It is part of our human lessons.
EDIT: Now with all due respect you have hardly been the epitome of tolerance.
Here here Lotus Girl! (Intolerance/ego)
I think I may regret my previous post. It seems the bad shoulder angels have won their heavenly counterparts. Sad.
I have done my best SD to keep an open dialogue and try to find a middle way. I have commented to you when I felt you were misunderstanding something I was saying. I apologized when a definition I posted could have been interpreted different ways, and so on. Am I perfect? Certainly not. Could I have held back some frustration and maybe phrased things differently? Yes. What I don’t do is call someone weak because they are suffering from depression and taking medicine, I don’t call people intellectually inferior or a fluffy new ager. The weakness comment was a very hurtful one. You did not apologize. I have called you arrogant, yes. I do regret that and should have kept my opinions to myself.
Writing responses to threads has become a battle to see who wins. In the end everyone looses. Yeah, more new age stuff.
That’s all I have to say on this subject. Let’s all start fresh now please!!!
In the Mahabharata Krishna advises the Pandavas to break many rules. He tells Yudhishtra to lie to Drona that his son has been killed, when drona hears the news he breaks down and stop fightings and then he is slain. He tells Arjuna to shoot and kill Karna when Karna is defenceless and fixing the wheel of his chariot. He tells Bhima to hit Duryodhana below his waist with his mace(against the rules of fighting)
This sounds incredibly unethical and one expresses utter shock as to how could a god-realised being like Krishna advise this. Until you note that the precedent had already been set by the other side with their own unethical practices(the assassination attempts on the Pandvas, the disrobing of Drupadi, the trapping and cowardly slaughter of Abhimanyu) so there is nothing wrong in being unethical with people who are being unethical themselves.
You cannot expect me not to retort and respond in kind if you are attacking me and disrespecting me. I will stop when you stop. If you want to start afresh and be nice and respectful to each other, then I will respond in kind. This does not mean I will agree with your views.
Herein lies the paradox. Tolerance versus intolerance.
If someone is being intolerant, and we rally against them, are we being intolerant of their intolerance? If I, as a moderator, am tolerant towards those who are intolerant, and then people complain about the state of the forum, who is being intolerant?
If tolerance is desired, then we must make sure that we’re tolerant first. You know the gandhi change quote. OR, if we don’t really want to be tolerant, that’s fine too. But we should be honest with ourselves about that instead of telling others they should be tolerant when we ourselves don’t want to be. Someone around here has a signature saying something along the lines of, “Everything I say to you, I say to me.” Everything we say to someone else about how they should be, or how they are, is an opportunity for us to walk into the bathroom, say it in the mirror, and take it to heart. Because it’s true.
Judge not lest ye be judged yourself.
Adam,
Being a memember here since 2007 (and I don’t think it is very long, but it feels like ages) I have seen this Forum going through many phases/changes and each phase/change brings its own challenges and challengers. What I find truely wonderful about every phase is the manifold opportunity I had to learn and grow from that particular phase.
What I can tell you from my experience is that few of the challengers remain here for long when a new phase/change introduces itself again.
David brings up a good point. We all need to learn from this. If we don’t, then back to YogiAdams question, it will have an effect on our practice. I will begin working!
I agree David. I am intolerant of the name-calling and irrelevant bickering taking place on the forum which has struck me as more ego and showmanship than anything else. I do think intolerance of that which discourages growth, understanding, and celebration of difference should not be allowed. I’m sorry that my “here here!” was done so pointedly at members and did nothing but add fuel to the fire–the very thing which has kept me so quiet for time. There goes my ego.