There has been a big buzz on the internet about 3 popular Anusara teachers leaving the fold.
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The reality is that this is nothing new. People have been changing their minds since the beginning of time. The reason it seems to be such a big deal is branding and the proliferation of yoga in popular culture.
Even before the westernization of yoga,there were different schools and approaches. However, as yoga gets more popular, there is a bigger push to define a style and set boundaries and rules for it it. When a person becomes a teacher, they usually choose a style to study. When a studio opens,the owner choose a philosophy and a style so that people know what they are getting when they get there. They then hire teachers that fit this style or mandate that all teachers teach a certain way.
I am not against branding. It make sense for consumers and businesses. If I want to learn Ashtanga, I like the fact that their is a list of teachers that specialize in it and I can get exactly what I want. It is good for the Ashtanga teacher because they won't get anyone coming to their classes and workshops that are not interested in what they are trying to convey.
If something is not growing it is dead. As a yoga teacher learns and grows, change is inevitable. For some it is just a deeper awakening into their current style and for others, it is abandoning that style all together.
Since yoga is is all over the place these days, teachers growing into different styles will just be more public. It doesn't mean there is something wrong with the teacher or the style. It just a sign of change which is constant.
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