I recently binge-watched Wild Wild Country on Netflix about the 'Guru' Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, also known as Osho. Let me give you a little background if you do not know what this is about:
This documentary is about one extremely influential Indian man and his quest to enlighten, coerce and/or dictate an awful lot of followers who ranged from Government officials and academics to lonely and homeless souls looking for a home. What started at an Ashram in Pune, India, quickly grew as a hub for, mostly western, nomads and those seeking a more eastern, spiritual life away from the rat-race. Osho (I'll use the name he's currently known by), claimed to be leading a movement of people on a self-sustainable journey of enlightenment, however already his teachings were proving to be far too outlandish for the Indian city. Within a few short years, Osho and his disciples, lead by his power-hungry 'personal secretary' Sheela, swarmed the tiny farming community of Antelope, Oregan, USA. The controversy of Osho's teachings continued, as followers were encouraged to drink, dance and particularly, to have sex to wild abandon, while working 7 days a week and living in seriously sub-standard conditions. It's better to watch the six-part series than to have my full explanation, but I wanted to use it to set the scene for my own experiences today. It does worry me that so many, apparently educated and intellectual individuals, can be persuaded so easily to live a life of devotion to something so intangible (particularly in this case while their 'Guru' was driving around in one of his many rolls royce!). However I've been on my own journey in the last few years to understand a little more about a wide variety of spirituality ideas and religions, and give myself the knowledge to confidently follow my own path. This exploration of mine, has introduced me to Yoga, not in a fitness sense but rather the understanding of a lifestyle. Through my practise I have become a yoga asana teacher to others, as is necessary to pay my rent and prevent me living in a cave on some forgotten mountain. I advertised my services online, and while I have been fortunate to have accepted a number of fantastic community and private yoga teaching posts in London, I was extremely unprepared for the sinister side of this. I figure that living in Sri Lanka and India has given me a pretty thick skin, but please reader, put all of your stereotypes aside. I'm alert to the need for me to be careful in Asia, however I have had many more unsavoury requests than I anticipated, through my advert in the UK. Only this morning I got a phone call from a man 'somewhere in West London' who asked if he could practise yoga naked while I taught him. Along with numerous 'massages' in exchange for classes. I'm left wondering if one of the reasons for these outlandish and utterly sexualised requests, are the result of a misunderstanding by westerners of why I, and millions of others practise yoga? Everyone is an individual and finds their own peace in different ways, however I would argue that the liberalised teachings of 'Gurus' like Osho have undermined and discredited individuals like myself, who practise all forms of yoga as a lifestyle, and not a reason for a pervy old Englishman to watch a female in leggings 'work out'. Is this an issue (from anywhere in the world), that you have also experienced? In the meantime, if you have any ideas for how we can all legitimise our choices, such as yoga practise, and not be belittled by them, please send them my way :).
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About meI enjoy writing and have had experience from my degree and through working on news posts. I hope to use this blog as a summary of extraordinary things I've discovered or witnessed in everyday life. Archives
March 2020
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