I Am Not Your Guru-Part 2

Yoga with Bonnie

What is the role of a yoga teacher? For me, it’s a simple question with a simple answer. As a yoga teacher, my duty is to my students. My purpose is to teach them how to practice physical yoga. Period. Why do I think this point needs to be made? Because I think that this simple truth is sometimes obscured in modern American yoga.

Much of the yoga that we practice today has its origins as a physical component of the Hindu tradition, but I want to stress that it is not, in and of itself, a religion. Can practicing yoga make you a more spiritual person? Perhaps, but that is entirely up to you, not your yoga teacher. Along this line, please keep in mind that a yoga teacher-training program isn’t a divinity school and yoga teachers aren’t spiritual leaders. I make this point for two reasons: First, I’m concerned that some people shy away from beginning yoga because they are under the impression that doing so will require a spiritual commitment from them and might even demand that they give up their current belief system. If you are worried about this, please hear me: such is not the case. Let’s be honest, a lot of people are doing yoga for the one and only reason of keeping fit and aren’t interested in a spiritual angle. Secondly, it is not unheard of for misguided yoga practitioners to place a teacher on a spiritual pedestal, assign them exalted status, and even call them guru. Guru is a Sanskrit term for an especially wise and knowledgeable person whose job it is to guide followers from spiritual darkness to enlightenment. This is apparent in the translation of the word, guru; gu meaning darkness and ru, light. I have a pretty cut and dry view of this matter: a yoga teacher should never seek to place themselves above their students. Yoga teachers simply have no grounds to call themselves gurus. Fortunately, this is not a common problem.

Now that I’ve got you worried about phony gurus, I want to address a practice common among many excellent teachers that, when encountered, should not be viewed as indicative of a teacher who is overstepping the bounds. If you work with enough teachers, you will find that it’s not unusual for some of them to invoke New Age-style imagery. I’m talking about things drawn from cosmology, astrology, the Eastern wisdom traditions, etc. Use of visualization techniques and remarks about celestial bodies, the elements, and Hindu deities are common. This practice has a role in setting the mood for many yoga classes and a lot of people really like it. Don’t worry about it. If it rubs you the wrong way you have other options. Otherwise, enjoy.

Special thanks to Bodywear Boutique, FIT Athletic and Peter Kirchmer

BONNIE SALDIVAR-JONES www.yogabon.com

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