Catherine Price: “Why I Hate Partner Yoga” Striking; you decide.

I came across this article, while researching for a few classes of mine. I was struck by the title, obviously due to my upcoming Partner Yoga class. I decided to read it and see what the fuss was about, as it appeared that were 100’s of comments on it.

Written by Catherine Price:

Entitled “Why I Hate Partner Yoga” “Is Having my Face in a Stranger’s Crotch Really Going to Help my Meditative State?”  http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2008/01/23/partner_yoga

Well in all honesty, the pure psychology of the title screams this kind of western “victim of the east” mentality. You will always recognize someone with a self centered mind when they use this kind of passive aggressive wording. Through the title she insinuates that the stranger was happy to have her crotch in his face! Did she consider his view? Maybe he was thinking the same thing- who knows! I’m sure her attitude was enough to ruin any kind of lessons that could have been learned from the exercise. And furthermore, she degrades the practice by juxtaposing the words “crotch” and “meditative” in the same statement. As if this woman could possibly demonstrate any sense of real “meditation”. Meditation involves a passive yet focused, non judgmental attitude. It requires a willingness to simply experience whatever comes up; including uncomfortable, nagging thoughts about how much you hate partner work and interaction.

Did we ever stop to realize that when someone like Price “hates partner work and interaction” so much, that it is probably something that she should be looking into. I mean, agreeably, I would not spring partner work into a group class unless it was advertised “Partner Yoga”, however any such strong aversions like this, are things that need a closer look.

Throughout the entire article Price has this air of belittlement as she writes about her teachers and fellow students as if she is somehow “above” them because she dislikes them. As well she speaks with a “Traditional Hindu Guru” who claims that Partner Yoga, Power Yoga, Vinyasa, Ashtanga etc. are “atrocities” and “a bastardiztion of a spiritual practice”. Ah yes, because spirituality is based on stringent tradition, religiosity, and rules. I was unaware that using a practice such as Yoga, and molding it into something that can be used with relevance in an American society, was wrong? It is Yoga. Evolution is Yoga. Yoga is union. As we practice we change, in fact the very practice itself “advertises” change! So why then, do we meet “spiritual teachers” that sit in the same backward mindset as in the West.

I have met “high spiritual teachers” who have no spiteful words against those who practice new forms of Yoga, because they bring people joy. Simply because sitting in meditation for 6 hours is not relevant for the average american who already sits at a desk for 8 hours a day, does not mean that he cannot benefit from a Yogic practice, that has been adapted to fit his needs. After all, is it not a key Yogic Philosophy that states that “the student should not work to fit the Yoga, but rather the Yoga to fit the student”?  This goes for Partner Yoga as well.

Again, I don’t believe in “forced intimacy with strangers”, however I would never go as far to call them “jokes” or “bastardizations”. Yoga is about the individual experience. Why then, do we feel the need to stick our noses in what ever brings others a sense of fulfillment. If you don’t like it, don’t go. Simple.

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