Yoga Workshop Reporter July 2004 (warning long)

[Loretta S.]

Originally Posted by Sophie

The clique thing is interesting, Charlene, and Jane is right - it's not something I noticed in Vancouver, but I seem to remember either LisaTV or Sharon noticing it.

I sort of thinking that it may have to do with whether or not he already had a lot of followers in a particular city. Vancouver seems to be an area that he's relatively new in, so he was sort of trying to woo (rather than WOO-WOO ) new sutdents. In the cities with a lot of existing following, you get the "more yogic than thou" cliques who want all the attention from John. Interesting.

[Kimberly33]

Originally Posted by Charlene

. . . (I was *so* tempted to point out that plight and blight both have light in them too... ). . . .

Charlene

Oh, Charlene, we would have so much fun together at a workshop!

Seriously, I appreciated reading your experiences, here. I like getting all the different reactions.

Kimberly

[Loretta S.]

Originally Posted by Kimberly33

Seriously, I appreciated reading your experiences, here. I like getting all the different reactions.

Kimberly

Definitely. Thanks for posting your impressions, Charlene.

[SharonNYC]

Originally Posted by Charlene

The funny thing is, overall I liked the workshop, and I am surprised by that because of how many things just rubbed me the wrong way, including, at times, John Friend himself.

Charlene

I had a similar feeling about JF. I think he does change a lot from venue to venue and is probably currying favor with the emerging anusara coterie here and there.

In NYC the attendance was huge so nobody really got much special attention -- although I noticed several regulars from my studio encamped near the stage -- and they were there at all sessions.

I think he made an effort to get to everyone though. I think we all got a hands-on or 2 from the master -- and I think that was intentional. He enjoyed swooping down and calling out somebody's name in a surprise attack "hello Beverly". Sometimes it was very funny because he had just been at the other side of the room.

But there are legions of anusarians here and yes it was certainly cliquey in that way -- especially if you know who the senior teachers are, and I do. And I do know some of the clique personally so I didn't feel unconnected. But somebody who had no idea about the pecking order might have been confused or maybe not have noticed it at all.

What bothered me more than anything were the gagas -- they weren't inner circle people either just so blissed out on...well, bliss that every time the tabla was struck they would leap up and get into the dervish groove. It really seemed like major acting out to me. During kirtan it seemed to me that the senior teachers kind of hung back -- except maybe Amy Ipolitti, but then her partner was on tablas.

As much as I enjoyed the workshop we didn't really do anything there I haven't seen in my anusara class, including the 2-person wheel assist. It was great to be able to do it for 4 hours a day though. And it was interesting to see that many people working together. Not something I'd like for an everyday thing.

[Lisa TV]

Originally Posted by Charlene

First, there was (the usual) group of people who presented a really strong 'more yogic than thou' vibe. Those people are everywhere .

They are--and I've found them an anusara and ashtanga workshops alike. I absolutely know what you're talking about here. Drives me nuts, and it really reminds me a lot of high school with the "cool kids" and all.

Another thing that irritated me - the woo woo was more along the lines of WOO WOO. :rolleyes: . At times it seemed a little forced - okay, maybe not forced, because he seemed very genuine, but just... you know. Plus, at the same time, it does tend to bring out the smart ass in me . For example, at one point, John mused that 'one of the things I love about the word delight is that it has the word 'light' in it'.....

I find this stuff very annoying. I like a level of woo woo in my classes, but I also reach a point where it brings out the smart ass in me as well. I get particularly annoyed by this in classes when I've got some 20 year old new teacher telling me about spirituality or how to deal with life or stress, when it's likely they've not yet encountered real life adult challenges yet. Then it doesn't strike me as wisdom, it just sounds scripted.

What really made the JF workshop for me was the musician Benjy Wertheimer. When I saw he was on the docket, I signed up for him really more than for JF though I was curious about him as well, to see what the big deal was. I'd probably go again just because I like workshops a lot but I was right--it was Benjy I got all geeked about. Many had JF sign their mats. I had Benjy sign my cd jacket instead.

The Monday after the workshop I went to class and people were practically swooning with enthusiasm over JF and how great he was. I truly wondered if we'd been at two different workshops! Don't get me wrong--I thought the workshop was good. I enjoyed myself and I learned a few new things and ended up within a group of really funny women. But I didn't feel like I'd met the be-all-end-all of yoga by any means. My thoughts were along the line of "JF was decent, but I've had better." :rolleyes:


Lisa

[Sophie]

Originally Posted by Lisa TV

My thoughts were along the line of "JF was decent, but I've had better." :rolleyes:

I don't even want to say why I find that so hilarious! ROFL!

Re: the clique thing - as Loretta said, the newness of the anusara community in Vancouver was likely a factor. His host, Elisa Gumeshel has not been in Vancouver for long, and had been invited to teach a few classes at a local studio. She teaches at a few different locations and doesn't have her own studio, so it's not like there's a real all-anusara all-the-time hangout. When she gave a little speech Saturday morning, she was all "oh wow this is so cool, I can't believe how many people came, I'm so happy you're here" that was quite genuine - and at 70, Vancouver must have been one of the smallest workshops given!

I wonder, if that will change over the years, if an elite clique does start to develop, and if a JF Vancouver workshop in, say, 2007 still has the same innocent vibe.