This is a little detour from the music post series, but I need to get something out there for all of you fledgling or experienced yogis.
In 2012, as part of my initial 200-hour yoga training, I was lucky enough to have the one and only Bryan Kest lead our small group through a three-day masterclass. It was a genuinely enriching experience, and he is a truly genuine and caring guy.
For those of you who don’t know, Bryan Kest and Baron Baptiste have had something of a low-level feud about who created the original style of Power Yoga.
Being that the term “Power Yoga” was popularized largely through big companies like Core Power, this has become a point of contention in the yoga community.
Note for you new readers: I am, and I always have been a contrarian. I am opinionated and I sometimes struggle to get my ego under control (which is part of the reason I write this stuff down). I am not shy about my displeasure with companies like Core Power and I occasionally stray into the realm of personal opinion on this blog, sometimes to a fault.
Anyway…
During this yoga training, I found myself, well, taking a leak in a urinal next to Bryan, so naturally, I decided to ask him about it.
In the manner of weird small talk that happens in public restrooms, I asked him what he thought of companies like Core Power who were bastardizing the name Power Yoga.
He said, simply, “it’s a little weird, but at the end of the day, they are just getting people to do more yoga.”
And he was right.
Fast Forward To Two Days Ago
So it’s Sunday morning, I’m overcaffeinated and publishing this post about intensity and music. And suddenly, the post winds up being kind of an unintentional takedown of hot yoga, yoga sculpt, and the culture surrounding both, based largely on my personal preferences.
Shortly after the post went live, someone who I trust and respect reached out to me, and thoughtfully gave me some feedback that very much reflected the sentiments of Mr. Kest.
By launching this post, written as it was, I had done a disservice to you, my readers, and also to people who might really genuinely like those things that I was thoughtlessly knocking. It turned out to be of negative impact to more or less everyone involved, which is always a bad place to be.
I wrote a post a week ago called ‘Do Whatever You Want’, and, ironically, I went against that notion in a big way, by saying “don’t do that, do this!”
And, man oh man am I sorry. I was wrong.
I may be opinionated, and I may at times rant about things that I disagree with, but the big takeaway is this:
Whatever type of yoga it is that you love, keep doing it. Do it to make yourself happy, and do it to make yourself strong. As long as you are participating in an activity where you walk away feeling stronger, more balanced, and more limber, be proud of yourself for making the effort to be on your mat.
I don’t write this blog to deter you from doing yoga; in fact, I want just the opposite. Try new things– put yourself out there and make sure you’re doing it for you, not for me, your high school gym teacher or your grandma.
DO WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO, no matter what anyone else says.
Thank you guys for reading. I just needed to get that off my chest. I may re-release said post with some obviously necessary edits because there was still a positive message buried in there.
In the meantime, nothing but love to each of you, and namaste.
Please feel free to chime in on the comments below, follow me on Instagram @the_real_everymanyoga.
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