Photo & background info from gawker.com
Yogis aren’t perfect people.
One famous yogi has demonstrated this…again…in a spectacular way. Bikram Choundry has now been accused of
sexual harassment and assault on a student.
I don’t know if this is true, and fortunately, I don’t have to stand in
judgment of anyone.
Unfortunately, this is becoming all too common within the
yoga community. Several well-known gurus
have been discovered in compromising situations, most often with students. John Friend, being a recent example.
I believe, at some level, this is a power issue. As students & practitioners, many people
put these gurus on a pedestal that a regular human cannot sustain. When will we learn that these teachers, while
wise in many ways, are just human beings, like the rest of us?
We often see celebrities & ball-players whose money and
fame have gone to their heads. This
leads to a feeling of superiority and behaviors they ordinarily would not
participate in. But even dedicated yoga
practitioners can fall in that trap.
One of the tenants of yoga is that all beings are special…so
why is EXTRA specialness applied to the rich and famous?
I ask you today, to look at how you view celebrities of all
types, and realize you are just as wonderful, just as cherished as they are.
And if you’re on your way to becoming a famous instructor,
let these stories be a warning for you.
Retain your humility. Don’t think
of yourself as a guru, but as a servant.
That’s a tough way for anyone, but a valuable practice, in itself.
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