Instagram Yoga 2 - The Elucidation
During the teacher trainings, I notice people who are reluctant to hard work and can’t wait to learn complex asanas just to show off and feel cool.
As last week’s post gathered quite a bit of interest, I’d like to clarify a few things because, from some of the replies I received, I think it was partly misinterpreted. I only have admiration for those who use Instagram in a professional way.
At the last winter teacher training, we had, among other students, Micol Dell’Oro, to whom I send my fond regards and who is far from being an Instagram slave, rather she’s a bright young woman, never afraid to work hard, always attentive and capable to use Instagram as a source of income. To criticize her, would be like criticizing Yoga magazines that are empty of contents using their image to sell products or whoever uses Instagram as an advertising tool. Nowadays anyone wishing to sell something must come to terms with social media, whether they like it or not.
What I find alienating is the fact that there are millions of people all over the world buying stuff they see advertised on Instagram by other people performing yoga poses, or worst, who enrol to courses because they see a teacher in a super plastic pose which carries the implied message: “sign up to my fucking course and you too will be able to do this and everyone will look at you and know your name”. What I find abhorrent is the buyer not the seller. Those who sell, take advantage of a psychological need of unstable people, though they are not the ones who created said need. These people are the same that I see in our courses, fortunately in a minimal percentage, absolutely reluctant to hard work but who cannot wait to learn complex positions just to feel more cool and show it to the world.
They spend their time trying to do a handstand as if it was an all-pass to heaven and when you make them work, they look at you with an expression that says: "But this is not Yoga!”. Yes, you're right, it's not Instagram Yoga. The human animal devoted to Instagram Yoga is not interested in receiving benefits from the practice (body, mind awareness) but rather is interested in using the Yoga medium to satisfy the need to be seen by someone.
I do not understand, although this is my limit, how can you post your own picture in a Yoga position and feel better or different from those who simply show their ass or a pair of tits in selfies. Given that, in any case, I prefer to see ass and tits to any "parswasomething", in essence what’s the difference? It remains a sick and sad desire to appear seasoned by spiritual "drivel".