At the 2007 Yoga Journal conference in Estes Park, Colorado, there was a evening panel discussion entitled, [I]To Choose or Not To Choose[/I]. The choice that was being referred to in the title, as well as the intended topic of the panel, was between lineages or of styles of yogasana practice. The discussion organically shifted to who and what authorizes one to teach the practices of Yoga. It was really something to be part of and I was glad to see that Yoga Journal offers the mp3 of their part panel discussions on their website.
Here is the (http://www.yjevents.com/content/audio/EP07_tochoose_64K.mp3) of this panel, which included a deep and resonate comment from master teacher, Mukunda Stiles, who added to the discussion after it was opened to the larger group.
Something else that I appreciated very much from this panel was something Gary Kraftsow shared from a conversation that he had had with Sita Rimpoche over 20 years ago; he said that after nearly 15 years into his study of Yoga and the Yoga Sutras, that he had some concern about teaching from them. That he sometimes still felt like “a journalist” when teaching from them because of the sublime and deep teachings that were found there. That many times, he had not been there himself, but he had an idea of it–as in some of the Buddhist text, “Thus I have heard.” To this, Sita Rimpoche, shared with him: teach what you know and share the rest; but don’t pretend to teach what you do not know.
I breathed this in deeply and let this settle deep into my bones. Like Kraftsow on Sita Rimpoche’s insight, there is Yoga that I teach, and there Yoga that I share. I move between student and teacher always and in all things.
I wanted to share this mp3, but I also hoped to spark a discussion of our own here at YogaForums.com on the teaching Yoga and the sharing Yoga. On being in integrity in yourself, in relationship to all other beings and out in the world in what you are sharing and what you are teaching.
I am curious: who do you feel is authorized to teach Yoga practices? And why?
What other questions should we be asking ourselves as part of this discussion?
Highest respect,