To the topic of contests in yoga, I must say that I have in the past voted for my local studio in a “best of” “contest.” I have always seen this in a positive way, as supporting a local concern rather than detracting from another. I now actively support an entrant into Yoga Journal’s talent search, but again, only as a way of supporting a friend’s journey on and off the mat. I also see both of these as of a different order than self-promotion.

Lastly, I wish to comment on the commerciality of yoga. I have recently finished reading Stefanie Syman’s The Subtle Body: The Story of Yoga in America. I have discovered that many pulsations, including one between spirituality and commerciality, have existed from yoga’s earliest introduction to these shores. Yoga studios are businesses. They seem to require this, to a greater or lesser degree, to survive in this cultural context. To me this is first chakra territory, or better still, part of the manifesting current—limitation is as required as liberation. I prefer to think of this, then, non-dually. People need to make a living to be able to offer others a path to their self-liberation. While we may clearly identify excesses in this regard, we will not eliminate this need while in this form, at least not at this time in history. However, I do feel it would be constructive to converse about how we may better bring yoga to underserved populations.

On balance, I am grateful for your post to the extent that it identifies that we have yet much to work out within this community, as we seek to live out our aspirations more fully and authentically.

In the good weather, I start the day in the garden, taking a “survey walk” to see what has popped up and admiring the color of the sky in those early ambrosial hours. Then I meditate on our porch and kick the day off. In the chilly weather, I go right to my meditation mat, which is in front of a window with a beautiful view of trees and sky. All seasons are good for starting the day quietly. I am an early, early riser so very often I am at my computer by 6:30 or so but I have that lovely slow start to the day under my belt before responding to lots of email or posting on this blog. I am sure this effects my writing and mindful responses for the better!