Date: 2/15/2011 8:58:31 P.M. Pacific Standard Time
From: EternalLove47@aol.com
Reply To:
To: Love Yoga: The Movement's E-Update List
Beings here in Phoenix, I am somewhat shocked to report that I have been deemed a less than perfect fit for Sumits Yoga, so effective immediately, I no longer teach there.
I have to say that the reason was that a very loose structure and dictate of what "Flow" was going to be there turned into a series of details in the past 24 hours that were set forth as "you have to's," including the use of music, which I was clear I was interested in doing after I saw regular faces, & I was sure that they were really Inter. to Adv. aspirants.
I am disappointed, and I have seen way too much of this up & down, let's take someone's livelihood away because I'm rolling a dice with your life.
I was faced with the realization in the shower, however, just standing there, as though turning into water droplets might not be far from the truth, & going with them wherever they were going, that this was actually a big decision for me, and, for whatever reason, it felt like the right one.
I was told last week that my strategy & helping focused students in this time slot develop a really solid fundamental expression of breath, drishti, and then asana was actually a GREAT! idea, but then the heat was turned way up on me--as 2 students from week 1 turned into 10 the 2nd, just by my showing up to practice there. I had joked with the Receptionist I had hoped there would be 4--a reasonable goal. I guess I'm not understanding the lack of commitment to tradition first or to my teaching.
I think it's actually pretty par for the course lately & also really pathetic, to be honest.
I've never been more sure, however, that this is my way of trimming off the fat, so to speak, from my teaching, which is a very vulnerable place to be.
As U know, as far as flow goes, besides some of my colleagues and veteran yogis who work music wonderfully into their classes, as I have been known to do, as well, I trained in Santa Monica Power Yoga to spread it, which is a prayer danced to an even deeper ujjayi breath than the Ashtanga from whence it came. And, to my soul, I find the Ashtanga lineage my home and quite perfect, as Sri Pattahbi Jois had mentioned in his writings.
One of the most sacred places I have ever stepped foot into was an all Ashtanga yoga shala in Northern California where the power and intelligence in the room could've taken me straight to Source, if I sat there long enough.
Pulling these shenanigans on people is not right. I think we should get ourselves clear before entering into agreement and then attempting to use force in our spreading of yoga.
To all of you whom I was honestly looking forward to helping through Ashtanga-Based Power Yoga class, I am really sorry that this happened. I am certainly not for erratic pulling-the-plugs on eternal things, especially when my heart was in it. It looks bad.
To all of you in L.A., Om Shanti. Pz.
Satya Abundant,
Satya Abundant,
\l
Amy Jin Schmelzer
Teacher of Souls
Teacher of Yoga
Writer/Speaker
Model/Talent
"I am the grand Musician."
"DANCE, Yo!"
Sing in your car. Dance in your living room.
