Waianae, Hawaii
April 1, ’73
Yoga class met on Monday and Thursday. It lasted for about an hour
and a half, and I was usually finished and back to my tent by dark. I
didn’t really get to know the students. Very little socializing was
done at class. Upon entering the room, you immediately started
stretching. Then came the light exercises. The more rigorous stuff was
practiced towards the end of class.
Right from the beginning, Sahash told us that Kundalini was a
demanding yoga. Powerful forces were at work, and if the right
“mindset” was not demonstrated during practice, harm could come to the
disciple. In fact, we were told that we were not yoga beginners.
Typically, only advanced students were attracted to Kundalini Yoga. It
was suggested (I guess to make us feel better) that we had been
practicing yoga for many lifetimes, and it was now time for our yoga
practice to bear fruit.
Babbet surprised me. She had been a dutiful student. She had been
doing the exercises right along with the rest of us, but now she was
beginning to complain about her back. Actually, I never expected her
to last this long. She was short and heavy. Even I had a difficult
time doing the exercises. Her pain must have been extreme. I
couldn’t blame her for wanting out, if, in fact, that was what she
wanted. Time would tell on that one.
Before our meditative silence (which ended the class), Sahash would
ask how we felt. That was the signal to begin the question and answer
period. We needed that period because sometimes while doing the
exercises, it got pretty spooky. You felt all kinds of things, but you
didn’t have a clue as to what was actually happening to you. During
these sessions Sahash also filled in some of the history of the
organization that he (and by default, we) belonged to.
Did the teacher advice her to pace herself? There was no reason for her to be in pain unless she was taking an advanced level class beyond her skill level…. Something the teacher should have ascertained from the students before starting the class…
“In fact, we were told that we were not yoga beginners.
Typically, only advanced students were attracted to Kundalini Yoga.” I don’t know why Sahash said that but Kundalini yoga, like all the other yoga paths, attract students of all levels.
As a teacher, he was responsible for the safety of his students and any trained teacher will tell you that you need to inquire about each person’s experience level before starting the class, be attentive to the abilities of your students, and teach consciously… Enough from me.
Eliz
Yes, you are right, but that didn’t happen here, or, if it did, I was not aware of it. This was my first yoga class (1st of probably 3 or 4 more), and, as you say, most classes stress “preform at your own level.” I don’t remember that being the case with the class described above. Thanks for sharing!