In a world where trends come and ago, commercialism and consumerism
thrive, and the corporate atmosphere is permeating emerging markets,
the concepts of authenticity and purity are steadily being challenged.
With the explosion of communication and media, how do we really protect
a sense of integrity with certain aspects of our lives? How do we
maintain certain rituals that have traditionally transcended money and
pop culture?
The sudden expansion of yoga in the United States is topic that
synthesizes many of these questions and dilemmas. It seems everyday
that there is a new yoga studio popping up around town, or a different
lineage of yoga that is suddenly the trendy practice, or a different
guru penning a new book on the topic.
What makes yoga such an interesting case is simply the history of it.
Developed originally in India, yoga was understood as a spiritual
practice that could also prepare the practitioner for meditation, which
begs the question: How has the practice of yoga changed? Is the intent
the same? And, is the assimilation of yoga into western culture
actually a good thing?
In response to these questions, two local instructors have recently developed a new approach to teaching yoga.
River Morgan, 28, and Mary Cate Hauenstein, 26, both raised in Aspen,
have spent years studying the different lineages of yoga while also
contemplating how to preserve and teach these practices to a western
audience.
Most recently, they have developed a system that tries to separate the
claws of commercialism with yoga by stripping away the root of the
problem — money.
Starting last week, Morgan and Hauenstein began conducting
donation-based yoga classes held at the Aspen Club that are open to the
public, and not just members. This system allows the yoga students to
pay as little or as much as they want, therefore removing the financial
pressure of attending the classes.
“When there is money involved,” said Morgan, “there can be an
expectation for results. They want the value of the money, which can
change the nature of the class.”
When money is removed from the equation, Morgan noticed a dramatic difference.
“It definitely takes away the politics of yoga,” she said. “It is no
longer a situation in which you pay for an experience. Students come to
class with a different perspective — they are open to learning, to
deepening their practice without any pressure.”
Morgan is also a proponent of finding ways to incorporate yoga into the greater community.
“When there are more people in the class, it enhances the practice.
There is something important about not only being in silence, but being
in silence among the community, together. It can really catalyze our
spiritual growth among others, instead of simply isolating yourself
from the rest of the world.”
So far, the donation-based classes have received a tremendous amount of
support throughout the community, starting first with Michael Fox, the
CEO of the Aspen Club and Spa, who donated the space for these classes.
The classes have also garnered respect from the community because all
donations are given directly to Neighbor to Neighbor, a local
foundation that distributes money to local non-profit organizations.
Yet outside of the financial aspects of these classes, Morgan is a true
believer in what yoga can do to both the body and mind of the
practitioner.
In this modern day of stress and endless distractions, it seems harder
and harder to incorporate a sense of focus into our lives. Morgan
addresses this issue directly by imbuing a sense of relaxation into her
classes.
“We have this concept that being 'relaxed' is the same as being lazy,
even though they are very different. When we are relaxed and our mind
is calm, we perform at highest levels. For example, you can see this in
an athlete, such a tennis player — their motions are fluid and free of
tension. Being relaxed is actually when we are the most sharp, focused
and aware.”
Moreover, it is this issue of balance that Morgan hopes to give her students.
“A lot of people that come to yoga classes are very externally
oriented,” she said. “But when they are able to balance that with the
inner landscape, it really does give them a sense of equanimity.”
bastian@aspendailynews.com
