First watch this:
Now if you are interested there are hundreds of places that this video is being talked about, mostly poo-pooing it for its “sexiness”. But this is my rant and here is what I am thinking right now.
I don’t mind the yoga itself, the asana rather. It’s beautiful and if you look at the woman’s face you can tell she’s is enjoying her practice. I sort of don’t even mind the half naked guy in the background because I myself have snuck out of a warm companion’s bed to sneak in a few sun salutes, though my pjs were less flattering. And really what dedicated yogi hasn’t being stunned by a beautiful view atop a lookout, who hasn’t done a few down dogs or Natarajasanas to celebrate and appreciate the beauty, or been sleeping peacefully in a lovers arms and woken up in that sweet glow of love and felt your heart so open that the only thing that makes any sense is to do a little yoga to give thanks. so as far as yoga as a form of celebration and gratitude I’m all for that.
What I’m not all for is that yoga is supposed to make us love our bodies and this video seems too fall right into that ‘sexy sells’ world of advertising that young girls and women get bombarded with, from all angles every day. If you’re not this skinny then you need to get to the gym, or the yoga mat?! Ladies let me be the first to say, yoga will NOT make you look like that? Yoga will take the body you bring it and make it healthier, stronger, less prone to injuries and leaner but it will not make you look like that black lace clad woman. (side note: my underwear never stay that well behaved during yoga class, there was double sided tape involved there for certain!)
I think Equinox is trying to play both sides of a double sided coin. If you are a practicing yogi you might see this video and think see a beautiful display of yoga. Graceful, powerful and peaceful. I for loved that after each crazy arm balance she rested in child’s pose as a way to refocus and return to the breath, a concept I teach in my classes. And it does illustrate the strength and control yoga can give us. But the other side of his coin is very dangerous. It play right to our insecurities, it dangles in front of us almost unobtainable things, luringly and provocatively so we begin to think “so this is what yoga is.”
Well it’s not. I’ve been practicing for almost 10 years now, I’m naturally skinny and strong and I will never be able to do those things. What yoga really is, is the knowledge, compassion and acceptance of my body just as it is right where I am in my practice. Should yoga only be done in organic cotton free flowing “yoga” clothes, not necessarily, should it be done in lacey underware, if that works for you, is yoga wild arm balances and gravity defying transitions, it can be, is yoga one down dog a day with good intention and mindfulness, you bet. Like I said double edged sword. So watch the video, think about your yoga and decide for yourself. Like I said these are just some thoughts I’m having this morning so to wrap up, I think the video is beautiful, I think my own practice is beautiful, I thin kid rather were my thrift store workout wear but I might look into some cute black undies for a special occasion.
Namaste.
