I have often seen many yoga gurus obese in their post fifties phase. Swami Sivanada, Swami Vishnudevananda come to mind. No disrespect to these great souls, but for a beginner like me, it is not exactly inspiring or motivating to see obese gurus talking about health or diet.
Yes, I know. When I first met my ex-guru Swamiji I was appalled. He was only 51, back in 1996, badly overweight and had people help him up and down the stairs. Weird. But he turned out to have incredible levels of consciousness, incredible knowledge, knew everything about me, thoughts, actions, past and present. On the other hand, I studied with another Yoga Teacher in 2000, who at the age of about 58, had the body of a 20 year old. Strong. Fit. Flexible. But he got angry in the meditation class because of outside noises and he was still lusting after women. His first comment to me when I turned up early for my first class with him was: “Are you married?”. As an old man he still thought he could chat me up! So, dear Ran, there are no hard and fast rules! In an ideal Yoga world 
I would take Swamiji’s knowledge and put it into Acharya’s body. Then you’d be half way to having a great Yoga Master. (Swamiji still lacks integrity in my eyes, that’ll make up the last 50% of a great Yoga Master)
I understand because I want to to be inspired to. People have different reasons yoga, and different levels of health, and some have some deteriation. My actual weight management comes through cardio, but my breathing flexability, and focus comes through yoga.
[QUOTE=Ran;47034]I have often seen many yoga gurus obese in their post fifties phase. Swami Sivanada, Swami Vishnudevananda come to mind. No disrespect to these great souls, but for a beginner like me, it is not exactly inspiring or motivating to see obese gurus talking about health or diet.[/QUOTE]
maybe they have slow metabolism from sitting around sedentary in meditation?
It is irrelevant to examine only a carcass and make a determination about the evolution of the soul. It also seems less than complete to apply only a western medical model charted by the AMA as a barometer for yoga of any sort.
Well being and fitness are not synonyms. And I’m not saying the aforementioned people are healthy. I am saying that a definition of healthy does not necessarily mean a lean body mass. Further, there is obviously no shortage of those preaching one thing while doing another (lack of integrity).
If one is looking for fitness motivation there are a plethora of “role models” but beyond their appearance one doesn’t really know how well they function, how stable their emotions are, or how deeply they enjoy living.
Since yoga is not asana, neither is a low-fat body. Yoga is equally available no matter what your body type or activity level might be. That having been said, it should not preclude one from doing that which will facilitate body function so that the light may come into a healthy vessel.
Obesity is often viewed with gluttony and excess. This is not always the case as it can be a body type. Behaviour is a better barometer. If a guru over-indulges in pleasures like food, drink, sex, etc., he/she will lose credibility by me if teaching traditional yogic path. Although, if he/she is convinced the path can just as well be travelled while indulging oneself, and that is their schick and it is convincing, then follow.
When you see an elephant in nature, do you think, look at that fat, obese, huge overweight beast? Or do you admire it for its beauty and the graceful way it can carry its body?
If you see a reed standing in the middle of a stream do you think, poor skinny little reed, so fragile? Or do you think how graceful and beautiful is that reed standing in that stream?
Let’s change the way we stereotype bodies and rather see the magnficence of the soul in that body. I have met truely remarkable baobabs in life as well as willow trees with so much wisdom. My own teacher is a baobab and I am grateful to her for her wisdom, knowledge and great teachings she has offered to me over the years and still continue to offer. She is a direct disciple and initiate of Swami Sivananda and his wisdom still flows through her.
[QUOTE=Ran;47034]I have often seen many yoga gurus obese in their post fifties phase. Swami Sivanada, Swami Vishnudevananda come to mind. No disrespect to these great souls, but for a beginner like me, it is not exactly inspiring or motivating to see obese gurus talking about health or diet.[/QUOTE]
I agree with you and it is strange… Proper diet and regular (even minor) practice should prevent big fat belly. I would guess that at some point where they make money on their name only, they do not need to impress public with pretzel like asanas
I LOVE elephants. They are beautiful creatures! However, they don’t open ashrams and preach to people how to stay fit and healthy and SLIM.
If I see a reed standing in the middle of a stream my heart bursts into feelings of joy of how beautiful everything is. (I love nature and animals).
The question here is one of integrity: Overweight Yoga Teachers preaching about health and fitness, which makes them hypocrites.
Elisabeth
So what do we think the best size and shape should be for our guru should be , how tall how attractive , how pleasing to the eye , are we talking front cover material , those stunners on the covers of those Glossy yoga mags ,is this the ideal ? What cultural ideal of the perfect body should we use ? who is going to be the winner ?
Unless your “masterly” being a fatty isn’t healthy.
and yeah it is kind of hypocritical to be preaching “health” to your chelas (students) when you yourself are a fatty.
if your just a regular ol “masterly” type teaching the profound yogic arts for realization, higher standing, and removal of the compulsive karmic birth - then who cares what the guy or gal looks like?
I dont mean yoga gurus should look like Brad Pitt, but if they are being wheel chaired around in their 60’s, its alarming to me. Some of the yoga teachers in India can barely move.This is not about Western Vs Eastern ideas about body aesthetics. Its about how through yoga whose “Yama-Niyama” component doesnt shine through.
This film may alarm you further Ran
Im not sure Ran , but these people seem to have inspired many who were in the prescence of such people , maybe the followers were over generous with prasad.
Ive just read a short piece about when Sivanananda went to malaysia by boat he could not eat because the food was not pure / clean ie made by the correct caste , am not sure of correct terminology,or rules so when he arrived in malaysia he was starving and nearly passing out until he found a temple that he was able to eat at . He later relaxed his opinions on strict brahman rules on who can prepare food. not sure thats got much to do with anything. After lots of pranayama its normal to have a little belly , I beleive zen buddhists call it a zen pot ,but thats not what you are talking about .
by the way i was playing .
Oh I see. Well then wouldn’t it have been profoundly helpful to have asserted this infirmity wheel chair thigie in your OP?
There are many misguided practitioners, including the non-practitioner. I don’t see how this particular issue is any different than say Iyengar teachers with hip replacements, Bikram practitioners extolling the “virtue” of competition, or Kundalini asserting a lineage. Yoga is just as prone to weird things as anything else on the earth. Some practice some do not. Some practice from spirit while others practice from Ego, some practice in light, some practice in the shadow.
So Ran, I agree with you, though in my agreement I’d not limit it only to the shine of yama and niyama.
[QUOTE=Ran;47097]I dont mean yoga gurus should look like Brad Pitt, but if they are being wheel chaired around in their 60’s, its alarming to me. Some of the yoga teachers in India can barely move.This is not about Western Vs Eastern ideas about body aesthetics. Its about how through yoga whose “Yama-Niyama” component doesnt shine through.[/QUOTE]
who is the guru? just another on the path…not an pure absolute…
I’ve heard so many reasons that gurus supposedly “inexplicably” get sick or get fat. Their students or devotees will say that they are transmuting someone else’s karma, etc. "Oh, what a great soul they are, how much compassion they have…"
Of course, I’ve interacted with other teachers who maintain excellent health and optimum body weight into old age and they scoff at such excuses for human weakness, & even in situations where there is would appear that there really is something possibly supernatural going on, they say that a guru taking on karma of another and then physically manifesting weight gain, illness etc is a big sign that they are not a part of an authentic lineage, that a teacher in an authentic lineage just moves the karma up the line & has no need to take things on themselves…
Who knows?
Was looking for a particular fat Yogi on the Net, couldn’t find him, so I thought I share this with you:
http://www.yogaindailylife.org/news/kumbha-mela-impressions-14th-of-april-2010
Please check out the guy to the right of the photo. WOW. WOW. WOW. I wonder if he takes steroids?? (Hope the link will work)
Just a body builder. Good on him.
Now I found what I was looking for before: Open the link and scroll down, open the first photo of the Yogis taking a dip in holy water. http://www.yogaindailylife.org/news/ardh-kumbha-mela-2007
No moderation in diet obviously, nor commitment to Asanas.
I’m sure they still meditate, but at some point they definitely stopped Asanas.
[QUOTE=elisabeth111;47133]Was looking for a particular fat Yogi on the Net, couldn’t find him, so I thought I share this with you:
http://www.yogaindailylife.org/news/kumbha-mela-impressions-14th-of-april-2010
Please check out the guy to the right of the photo. WOW. WOW. WOW. I wonder if he takes steroids?? (Hope the link will work)[/QUOTE]
here’s a better image. He looks like most power lifters I know.
