On Aug 6, 2008, at 7:53 PM, authfriend wrote:
I also heard that when MMY was developing the yoga asanas
course, he had invited several hatha yoga specialists over
from India. They talked and MMY came up with the super
gentle approach that was contrary to all they had believed.
They disagreed with MMY's ultra gentle approach. HOwever,
after they discussed it further, MMY refused to budge, and
then they tried out his approach. Word was that they were
enthusiastic about the new way of doing asanas. This is
what I heard from a TM teacher (TB) who had taken the course,
so ti may not be valid info.
It's horribly frustrating not to be able to remember
the bit of theoretical background I heard, also from
a TB TM teacher/Purusha. What I *do* remember is that
it was one of those MMY explanations that pretty much
turned the traditional notions on their heads and
that were like a lightbulb going off when you heard
them because they made so much sense.
While much of the Maheshian spin on various ideas--what to him, were
probably just business propositions--were often provocatively alluring
in their descriptions, but you just never knew what he was up to
(especially if you were "thought-reformed" not to gain more
perspective). Like that song with a great 'hook', ole M' sure knew how
to grab his audience of pre-programmed adorers. The problem thus
becomes was it the perfectly spun spirito-marketing spiel that got you
or was it some thing really, honestly worth your while ...and of
course... the exorbitant fee?
Wait, this just came back to me: It had a lot to do
with Self-referral, finding Self-referral in the body.
You were to put the attention on the muscles (and
joints?) that were being used for a particular asana,
and this would make some kind of mind-body connection
that would facilitate Self-referral. Something along
those lines. If the muscles were being stretched, that
would inhibit making the connection, just as
concentration on the mantra inhibits transcending.
From someone who is from the Nath tradition and access to the core of
that (Ha- Tha-: the Sun-Moon) tradition(s) I can tell you authentic
traditions do still exist, and also that this type of gross-
oversimplification is egregious in it's distortion of working
tradition. This is a part of it, but there is depth here I have yet to
see in TM praxis--and I really doubt we ever will.
