Trust Yourself or Trust Your Yoga Teacher?

Another yoga rock star, John Friend, has fallen, see this NY TImes Article. The unfortunate truth about people in power is that they sometimes abuse that power. Initially, these abuses of power are not typically grand. They are small betrayals that can lead up to big abuses if left unchecked. And we, as students and teachers are all vulnerable when we ignore those small betrayals, when we trust our teachers more than ourselves.

Adoration of teachers and projection of your own best selves onto them leaves you vulnerable to their charisma and charm. When a teacher accepts this adoration without checking his ego with his shoes, they are vulnerable to lose much of the merit they’ve gained.

As a licensed clinical social worker and a long time yogini, I think it is imperative that yoga teachers with large followings work closely with a trusted yoga coach, someone who knows the territory of Oneness and territory of power. Moreover, yoga students are well served to stay awake to themselves, by attending to those little niggling thoughts, “something’s not right.” Here, too, a yoga coach can help the student find the balance between self respect and other respect along with the courage to speak up.

The other tragedy at play here on the national yoga stage is our collective horrified reaction. Of course, what has happened with Anusara is tragic. However, another tenet of yoga is to use the tension on the mat to increase awareness and experience greater release. The tensions rippling through the yoga world now invite a deeper awareness and a greater release, off the mat. We can use this current drama in our jou
ey towards Oneness by contemplating this drama and discovering where we feel hooked.

The work of a yoga coach is to use such tensions and help themselves and their clients enter a deeper awareness and release tensions. Rather than excoriating yet another fallen star, yoga students and teachers are better served by looking into what aspect of this tragedy draws their attention. And, from there discover the hidden treasure that will illumine the gold in their heart. Perhaps it’s compassion. Perhaps it’s courage. Perhaps it’s commitment. Perhaps it’s a call to a yoga coach, yours truly.