12 Feb 2008 Wiesbaden, Germany
Category: Yoga
A yoga teacher was here for a healing session today. She has learned in a school of a certain tradition and has followed their teachings for five years. However lately she felt that she would like to change her way of practicing and teaching because she felt many limitations and boundaries in it. She already started to change and followed her feeling more than sticking to the rules. She asked me today if this was okay. I told her what I think about that. It is like she had been on a narrow street and now comes to a point where the street is wider. In nearly every tradition there are rules about what to do and how to do it. Some are even very strict and many set limits to the free will. They even create a lot of fear in people. What will happen if you do not follow the rules? This is why I do not want to follow any tradition. Europeans tend to care too much about rules and try to be perfect by sticking 100% to them. But this is not the way. You should not be afraid of doing what your heart tells you. No one should be manipulated to do what somebody else wants him to do. Everyone has his own heart. There can be guidelines to help you and if your heart tells you that your way is in something else you should listen to it. Don't be afraid.
We had a wonderful evening with friends in Mainz. Zelma had cooked a very delicious dinner and afterwards Mike gave a special little private piano concert. We all loved it!
Tags:: Fear, Yoga, Tradition, Manipulation, Rules
10 Comments
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I completely agree with you, there is so much emphasis on following the rules and obeying them. I am not saying that I'm against them as there is power in routines and having a regiment of what you should and should not do, but also at the same time there are such limitations to that, there is no freedom in that. So I have decided to live by faith and the main idea...
Reply By Tricia on August 25, 2012 01:37
Somehow every tradition is strict and doesn't leave any space for a dissenting opinion. Sure, traditions have also positive effects, they bring people together and they are able to stabilize the present social rules. On the other hand they are not open minded and every innovation, every new idea doesn't have a chance to come in.
Reply By Mirela on August 19, 2012 02:46
I agree that many traditions keep us stuck in the past where we don't belong. They no longer make sense in modern society, or they limit people from expressing who they really are. On the other hand, some traditions are lovely to repeat and bring us joy and remembrance of our family and our ancestors. These kinds of traditions are a very positive thing. So I think it's important that with any tradition, we have a choice in participating or not. If we would enjoy it, then so be it. But if it limits us from growing and being who we are, we shouldn't be afraid to stop doing this tradition. Just follow your heart.
Reply By Emily on October 27, 2011 02:19
I think that some traditions and rituals have a positive way of bringing people together.When people are manipulated, treated unfairly, or punished because they don't follow traditions perfectly, this is when it is not right and people need to reevaluate why they do them in the first place.
Reply By Rachel on April 24, 2011 03:58
I do see the value in having rules and guidelines... just not in following them without evaluating them.
Reply By Theresa on December 26, 2010 04:30
Today was the last day of the school year 11/12. The children got their report cards, the olde...
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