Just the other day I was listening to the radio and the subject of Olympic events came up, specifically, which events were to be “retired” from the Olympics. I cant remember which events met their demise but what caught my ear was the news that Yoga had petitioned to become an Olympic sport.
Well, the images that came to mind were hilarious to say the least. Loinclothed yogis entering into the arena for pose offs akin to the break dance battles that were popular in the 80’s, mantra matches, partner yoga that would make the most ardent Twister enthusiasts jealous…and the list goes on.
It’s interesting to me that yoga would even be considered. The true path of yoga is one of union, to ‘yoke’ or join the mind, the body and the spirit. In fact, at its highest manifestation yoga is a spiritual endeavor. The primary function of the physical postures is to prepare the body as a whole for the increased energy that comes from such a spiritual practice.
In essence, yoga is the farthest you can get from a competitive sport. The true nature of yoga is one of solitary unification with and understanding of your mind, body and spirit. You cannot work on one component of this triune model without affecting the others (we are not as compartmentalized as Western society would have us think).
So, how then, does yoga fit into an Olympic scenario? A competition consists of one or more competitors moving to the floor and performing a timed routine that consists of strength and balance poses. The competitors are judged on several criteria and the score are compared. The key term here is “compared.” One competitor when interviewed by the Washington Post stated, “I guess what you can say is the competition gives you a way to see where you are in your practice compared to other people.” Again, true yoga is not about comparison or competition, these two dynamics breed ego, the natural antithesis to liberation brought on by a solid yoga practice.
I personally can’t see yoga having a place in a competitive arena but by the same token I have to say that anything is possible and the strength of this practice is in its influence on our whole environment. Perhaps, if yoga is allowed to become an Olympic sport, the soft, calming influence of its energy will bring about a profound shift and example of the true embodiment of “Spirit” of Sportsmanship.
For those who would like to listen to the full NPR report check out:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91975547
Also, the Washington Post Online had a similar article where they had a question and answer session with a competitive yogi. For your review:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/24/AR2008012402134.html
Copyright 2008 Thunder Mountain Wellness
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