I just want to add (on this series of posts on "flexibility gains" - although this post has nothing to do with discussing flexibility gains) that a part of the reason that pursuing yoga is so fun is that I get a lot of positive energy from the people involved. I met some great people in the world of dance, but the fierce competition made for a lot of behind people's back gossiping, bullying, and cutting others down that was not at all constructive. I don't see these elements in the world of yoga as much (as far as I've seen the world of yoga!). Perhaps this is also part and parcel of my more advanced-in-years take on things. But, by and large people are going to yoga classes for themselves. If you can get past who has their leg higher and get over competing with yourself (I'm guilty a little of the later - but I'm working on getting over this!), yoga classes are an ideally supportive environment where teachers are really there for you and classmates are very respectful of one another.
With this frame of thought, I wanted to perhaps comment a little more on some of the negative comments I made about Lucas Rockwood and his stretch products. Yes, he has many products to sell and he is aggressive about selling them. But, I don't work with him in person. To me he is a teacher on a DVD, and his ideas on the DVD have been helpful to me. I also have found working with Rodney Yee DVDs very helpful, but know as a fact he teaches at incredibly expensive yoga retreats and sells expensive products there. Teachers have to make a living, and I guess that is how you have to do it. What gets to me is when you are continually bombarded with the sales pitch. Back in New York, I was bombarded with a sales pitch from a dance teacher I did work with to buy (sign up for a monthly order for) health products right at his dance classes. How quickly he cooled off to me when I said "no" after ordering from him only once! He was a teacher that for a time I regarded as a personal friend. Some where along the line when the selling becomes too pushy, the feeling of competition (not yours - the teachers) messes up the trust you have with the teacher. Without the trust, you question that you are being respected as a student and that your best interests are truly being met. This is after - in one way or another - you have paid for the teacher to look after your best health interests in dance or yoga.
But to say "no" to a Lucas Rockwood or Rodney Yee product via email is simply a quick click on the delete key. None of my teachers "hooked" me into racking out cash, and I have found what I gained from them far more valuable than what I have lost (monetarily or emotionally - fending off sales pitches!) Take the best from your teachers and ignore the bad elements with a simple delete key. If you experience a teacher in person that is selling products, it is probably time to change classes or even yoga studios. I dropped my former dance teacher, and I felt much better for doing so even though I learned a lot studying with him.
The reality today is that yoga teachers probably have to work a day job too. I know my teacher in Japan does. This does not make it easy to calling yoga teaching your profession. So, naturally many yoga teachers are drawn to ways to make money. They may produce DVDs, teach at yoga retreats, teach at universities or studios, and even sell products. In the most extreme cases, some teachers can look extremely greedy and self-serving. But, in my experience, a nicely put together class DVD is a nicely put together class DVD. If the DVD is nice, it is all you need to take from that teacher. The rest you can ignore if you want...
No comments:
Post a Comment