from my previous post
Mysore Yoga Traditions is an inquiry into the cultural background of yoga in Mysore, how it has evolved, and the philosophy upon which this global practice rests. The film will be an intimate glimpse into the yoga of Mysore as the elders, scholars, philosophers, yogis and spiritual leaders of the community express their views on what yoga is, its original intention, and how they feel about the way it is being taught and practiced around the world. Much has been said about yoga in Mysore by western scholars. Now it is time for the people who are the keepers of this vibrant yoga tradition to speak about how they see their own legacy.
Production of the documentary is underway. Funding is needed to finish this monumental documentary which will add to the rich cultural exchange between India and the international yoga community. To donate, https://www.gofundme.com/yogafil
In the spring of 2016 Andrew Eppler and a group of yogi friends including Joey Paz, Kelly O'Roke, Dallos Paz and Bryce Delbridge went to Mysore India to begin filming a documentary about Yoga. The original intention of the documentary was to commemorate the life and teachings of our teacher Sri BNS Iyengar. However, at the last moment Guruji changed his mind. He has always been firmly against self promotion and the egotism associated with it. He flatly refused to do a documentary. We knew better than to press him about the issue. This was a real yoga lesson for all of us. Because of our teacher’s decision not to be the main focus of the documentary, things took an amazing turn.
Undeterred, we decided to go ahead with a documentary about the cultural history of the yoga that has originated in Mysore. Through a series of unbelievable and unexpected twists and turns, we were able to secure interviews with many of Mysore's most respected yogis, philosophers, and scholars, including the Queen of Mysore, Maharani Sri Satya Pramoda Devi. During our interview sessions, we were invited into the royal palace of Mysore, the archives of Maharaja Sanskrit College, and the homes of some of Mysore's most well-respected citizens, the keepers of this ancient system of yoga knowledge. The access we were granted, and the information we were able to capture on film, is unprecedented.
The keepers of Mysore's vibrant yoga tradition granted us more than we could have ever asked for, and were gracious enough to speak to us on camera not only about yoga philosophy, but also topics such as the role of the royal family of Mysore in the development and preservation of yoga, cultural appropriation and the role of the west in the practice and propagation of yoga, whether western gymnastics had any influence in their yoga tradition, and the crisis we are facing of yoga texts in the form of palm leaf manuscripts being lost forever. Most documentaries and books come from an angle of deducing facts about the Indian traditions through extensive research. We simply want to give the intellectual community of Mysore a voice to speak candidly about the way they see their own tradition. We are now sitting atop a veritable gold mine of information, anecdotes, and philosophy that has never before been revealed to the world of western yoga. We believe this film will truly add to the richness of the cultural exchange between India and the international yoga community. If you ever wondered where yoga came from, you have to check this out!
Also happily worth noting, before we left Mysore, Sri BNS Iyengar agreed to sit with us in front of the camera after all, and proceeded to give us the most substantial interview about his life and teachings that we could ever have hoped for. We have begun cutting the documentary together, and hope to have it completed by January 2017. But in order for that to happen, we need to secure some funding so that our team can continue to dedicate itself to completing the film. We are beyond excited to share this information with the world and we hope you will consider taking part in this monumental work!
Sincerely,
Andrew Eppler, Bryce Delbridge, Dallos Paz, Joey Paz, & Kelly O'Roke
Ashtanga Yoga Studio, Norman, Oklahoma
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But perhaps there is a context to this practice, Krishnamacharya taught and practiced in Mysore, as did all the boys of the palace, Pattabhi Jois assisted, led at times on his teacher's behalf...., and later Pattabhi Jois generously welcomed his own students into his home, his shala, he welcomed us.
All walked those Mysore streets to practice in the early morning and/or late evening. However different those streets may be now, the morning air and later, the sounds of the birds, the insects, no doubt many of the sights the smells are perhaps the same as when Pattabhi Jois himself walked to practice with his teacher.
A new movie on Mysore is in the works that you may wish to support and/or look out for.
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| https://www.gofundme.com/yogafil |
Mysore Yoga Traditions is an inquiry into the cultural background of yoga in Mysore, how it has evolved, and the philosophy upon which this global practice rests. The film will be an intimate glimpse into the yoga of Mysore as the elders, scholars, philosophers, yogis and spiritual leaders of the community express their views on what yoga is, its original intention, and how they feel about the way it is being taught and practiced around the world. Much has been said about yoga in Mysore by western scholars. Now it is time for the people who are the keepers of this vibrant yoga tradition to speak about how they see their own legacy.
Production of the documentary is underway. Funding is needed to finish this monumental documentary which will add to the rich cultural exchange between India and the international yoga community. To donate, https://www.gofundme.com/yogafil
The Story Behind the Film
Undeterred, we decided to go ahead with a documentary about the cultural history of the yoga that has originated in Mysore. Through a series of unbelievable and unexpected twists and turns, we were able to secure interviews with many of Mysore's most respected yogis, philosophers, and scholars, including the Queen of Mysore, Maharani Sri Satya Pramoda Devi. During our interview sessions, we were invited into the royal palace of Mysore, the archives of Maharaja Sanskrit College, and the homes of some of Mysore's most well-respected citizens, the keepers of this ancient system of yoga knowledge. The access we were granted, and the information we were able to capture on film, is unprecedented.
The keepers of Mysore's vibrant yoga tradition granted us more than we could have ever asked for, and were gracious enough to speak to us on camera not only about yoga philosophy, but also topics such as the role of the royal family of Mysore in the development and preservation of yoga, cultural appropriation and the role of the west in the practice and propagation of yoga, whether western gymnastics had any influence in their yoga tradition, and the crisis we are facing of yoga texts in the form of palm leaf manuscripts being lost forever. Most documentaries and books come from an angle of deducing facts about the Indian traditions through extensive research. We simply want to give the intellectual community of Mysore a voice to speak candidly about the way they see their own tradition. We are now sitting atop a veritable gold mine of information, anecdotes, and philosophy that has never before been revealed to the world of western yoga. We believe this film will truly add to the richness of the cultural exchange between India and the international yoga community. If you ever wondered where yoga came from, you have to check this out!
Also happily worth noting, before we left Mysore, Sri BNS Iyengar agreed to sit with us in front of the camera after all, and proceeded to give us the most substantial interview about his life and teachings that we could ever have hoped for. We have begun cutting the documentary together, and hope to have it completed by January 2017. But in order for that to happen, we need to secure some funding so that our team can continue to dedicate itself to completing the film. We are beyond excited to share this information with the world and we hope you will consider taking part in this monumental work!
Sincerely,
Andrew Eppler, Bryce Delbridge, Dallos Paz, Joey Paz, & Kelly O'Roke
Ashtanga Yoga Studio, Norman, Oklahoma
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See perhaps my earlier post on BNS Iyengar