my dears,
have you seen this documentary about an average, smart (albeit skeptical) guy who travels the globe in an attempt to understand and learn about the practice of yoga?
i watched it last night, and i have to confess... i have such mixed feelings. i don't usually write negative things on this blog, but as someone who practices yoga regularly and wants to be a yoga teacher, i feel like it's important to set the record straight.
so much of the movie is over-the top, biased, stereotypical, and poorly edited. not to mention that the writer and producer of the movie clearly has a strong agenda. she projects spiritual questions and possible "awakenings", she consistently patronizes him, and last but not least, she seems disappointed that he doesn't end up having some sort of karmic transformation. seriously?
this is not what yoga is about. it actually made me a little embarrassed. i literally watched most of the film with my arms crossed.
i hope that people who have seen, or will see, the movie realize that it's one viewpoint that doesn't do the practice of yoga justice.
yoga, as i know it, is a personal practice. it is not something that i can force upon others (or would want to). it's a physical practice that has non-physical benefits for some. it is non-dogmatic, all-inclusive, and non-judgmental. and no, it is not customary to be forced into a pose, be asked about your birthday, or be expected to bow down to anyone.
not surprisingly, the only part i really loved about the film took place in india. and that is because india is a magical place. the end.
now i'm really really curious... what did you all think?
i totally felt the same way when i saw this. i tried not to have expectations going into it, but i was disappointed with it. i didn't like the poor editing job either. it felt to me like she is the one who had questions about yoga. she should've done the search herself instead of "force" the journey on him.
ReplyDeletethe best part of the film had nothing to do with the story. it was when it was a silent shot of them on the boat in india.
i'm with you here nina. wasn't what it could have been. she had the potential to make a lovely film on yoga - to make it accessible to people who have never done it. i don't think she succeeded there. i think she could have scared some off.
check out yoga unveiled, if you haven't already. a beautiful history of yoga.
peace.
I can't do yoga, so this movie would probably drive me crazy. I could probably star in it.
ReplyDeleteI just watched this a couple of weeks ago, and I agree with you. I feel like she had an agenda (even though in the beginning she couched it as unbiased research) and then got frustrated when he just wasn't feeling it. The "spiritual connection" in yoga has to come from within, not FROM yoga. Yoga is A means for something that's already inside of you - it's not going to bring blood from a turnip.
ReplyDeleteI have loved yoga since I was in middle school (when I started buying books and teaching myself) and fifteen years later I am still a student. This movie made me more wary of yoga than I had EVER been - and not in a fair way, I don't think. It almost felt as if she deliberately tried to make yoga look wacky! Well, it's no wonder dude didn't find a spiritual connection.
I haven't seen it but I'm not sure I want to any longer! I feel the same way you do - Yoga is about growth and stretching and NOT getting it perfectly. It's being okay with falling out of your headstand and letting go of control and realizing some down dogs are better than others and thats okay. I think yoga is alot like therapy - some days you have a great awakening and some days it's just the simple practice of DOING. I love the way Elizabeth Gilbert described her experience in Eat, Pray, Love and I'm anxious to see that movie this summer. My favorite scene is when she is seated on a mountaintop (or something) and feels called to be still and a little tiny fly lands on her arm. She's desperate to swat at it, scratch it away, itch the itch, and she feels her yoga practice has taught her, "Don't always scratch the itch. Learn to sit with it." I loved that.
ReplyDeleteI have not seen this film, but I do understand your disappointment in the biased nature of the work. I find that you can rarely find a documentary that explores an idea objectively; it's really too bad.
ReplyDeleteI have never done yoga, but I have been contemplating trying it out. I would love to hear your thoughts on what the best way is to get started. Would you recommend a specific home video to try at home? I cannot afford to take a class at this time. I would appreciate any advice you have!
I was disappointed in the film also. I thought it was such a great opportunity and I felt they blew it. What about all those interviews with yogis from all over? Wouldn't have been great to see those interviews? That part bothered me. But, I do think at the very end in the on the street interviews, the film hit the heart of yoga by asking, "what is yoga to you?"
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Nina. The premise that yoga has a goal and that goal is enlightenment weighs this film down. I mostly found it very disappointing that a better film didn't arise from the amazing access the filmmakers had to some of contemporary yoga's most interesting minds.
ReplyDeletePS: Nina, I asked you a question in the comments section of your Jan. 7/09 "Ask Me Anything" posting... xxoo
I totally agree. The yoga studio I go to here in Phoenix is the anti-dogma studio! I love it. It's called Sutra Midtown Yoga and it has the most incredibly laid back vibe. There is no pressure and everyone is so friendly and happy you are there. The classes are great for everyone whether you're a beginner or expert.
ReplyDeleteI watched this documentary couple of months ago and had similar reaction. Most of the time I was just going, 'no, no, no...' I was mortified when this poor guy was put into a headstand after only practicing for few months. I think that the guy did have a spiritual experience but not thanks to the movie director.
ReplyDeletei'm so glad you posted this. i haven't seen it, but i practice yoga and it makes me sad that the wrong impression is given. i'm curious to watch it and see what you're saying! i hope people don't take the film word-for-word, that would be sad. :(
ReplyDeleteNina ~
ReplyDeleteAn absolute disappointment. Yoga is so many different things to everyone who chooses to practice it, and this documentary made it seem you can't practice it if you don't find some sort of spiritual awakening. Sad.
Melissa
Sounds interesting, I'll add it to my queue.
ReplyDeleteYoga has transformed me but i would never think it could do that for anyone else. I won't add this to my queue but i agree with you that Yoga is not something that can be forced onto others although i would love my friends to have the same fullness i get from my practice. Kudos to you for going to Yoga school - I love yoga so much i've really been considering it myself. Love your blog! Have a GREAT weekend!
ReplyDeleteLayla
this looks like something i might have enjoyed watching, but i don't think i'll bother now.
ReplyDeletei know what you mean about posting negative things on the blog though - we really debated about whether we should discuss the shark cage diving thing and we're glad we did but now we need to moderate comments because of it.
hey ladies, i remembered my first yoga lesson 5 yrs ago, i was told to do it with an open mind.
ReplyDeletesame applies when watching this documentary.i'm glad i watched it with an open heart.
(i shared w my bf that naturallynina doesn't like it and so are the comments, he told me to see it myself)
and i wasn't disappointed.i see good things in this documentary.
there are many people "behaved" like what the documentary has showed.we might not agreed with them too.
but nobody has to understand what yoga is about.except yourself.
Namaste :)
I haven't seen it yet, but I agree that India is magical. Have you been there?
ReplyDelete