From East to West

July 8th, 2008 at 10:17am Aspen Life 373

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.”

Click here to read the full article at the Aspen Daily News 

Aspen Community Yoga 

Entry Filed under: Fitness, Aspen, Aspen Club & Spa