Problem of Language

As a man in a yoga teacher training program with one other man, 12 women (possibly 11, it seems one has dropped out), and a woman instructor, I’m starting to feel the need to expose myself to more male yoga teachers, to get a feel for their style and for the masculine side of yoga. So this past Sunday I attended a class taught by Michael McColly. Michael has a religious studies background and teaches creative writing, in addition to being a writer himself, and an activist. The class was great, and afterwards I spoke with him briefly and he mentioned something about a problem of language when it comes to communicating ancient beliefs and yogic philosophies to our uninitiated peers.

Funny then how the same issue came up later that evening at dinner, when my grandmother asked me how yoga was different from other forms of exercise. I paused, then stumbled, then said, “Well Nanee, yoga aims to eliminate the illusion of separation between the ego and the divine one-ness of all things, to dissolve that which you call yourself in order to realize the non-dual nature of reality and eventually reach a state of Samadhi, or enlightened bliss.” “That sounds marvelous,” she said. Then we went through a few sun salutations and I got her to hold a perfect scorpion pose for about 5 breaths. Not bad for a woman in her mid-80s.

I’m growing and learning so much through this training. It occurs to me that I’m actually going through changes so profoundly and rapidly that I’m not even grasping the magnitude of it all just yet. And it feels great, thanks for asking. But the problem remains of how to “sell it”. Indeed, a wealth of knowledge and enlightened thinking do me no good without the proper techniques to bring it all back down to earth so that laypeople can benefit from it.

Maybe it won’t be a matter of only articulating thoughts and ideas but will also involve putting people into a yogic state of mind through my presence and aura. I’ve heard of people meeting the Dalai Lama who say that just being in his presence is a profound experience. I don’t mean to compare myself to the big DL, but positive energy is a palpable thing. I feel it every time I walk into Yoga Now. I’ve been told that I have good energy, and I want more than anything to share it and keep sharing it.

Just one month into the program and I’m already doing a 180 on my initial apprehension. It’s not just the classroom training, which has been interesting, but everything else that comes with the program. Truly Yoga Now is the best place for me, since in addition to being a yoga studio it is also a spiritual center. Last Saturday I experienced my first Kirtan performance, which is a call-and-response chanting form of music, performed by Krishna Das. It was so beautiful and I think I’m forever spoiled for Kirtan since he is world-renowned for it.

The yoga practice requirement, which has switched from an obligation to a pleasure, is keeping me on pace with 2 classes each week. I might start taking 3 classes per week, since I’m trying to experience as many different teachers as I can. And I can’t forget the wonderful, interesting people I’m meeting, especially Amy. She may have a spot on her bus to Burning Man for me! Her and I spoke for about 15 minutes after class last night about 2012, and I had to cut it off because I got the impression we could have talked forever about it.