Katchie Ananda: What I have to say

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Dear Community,

Many of you have reached out to me asking my thoughts and opinions on the recent accusations that have been made against Anusara Founder, John Friend, as well as how the Anusara teaching community is handling those accusations. With teachers resigning, and the press focusing on the more salacious aspects of the story, there has been much upheaval in the community. As a teacher of Anusara for more than 10 years, it has been challenging to process all of it.

Rocks balancing precariously on a pedestal

To tell you the truth – I don’t know. I don’t know how I really feel yet; as I have been running the gamut of emotions and thoughts, just like everyone else in the Anusara community.

What my Yoga and Dharma practices have taught me is that in uncomfortable moments, you hold still and you breathe. First and foremost, I want to make sure that whatever my action is, it is not coming from fear, anger, or confusion.

At this moment, I’m standing in the fire of uncertainty. It’s a paradox of sorts. Richard Freeman used to say that whenever we are confronted with a paradox, it is heralding the actual Yoga. It’s uncomfortable, and yet I am not ready to leave that discomfort. I want to make sure that whatever MY lesson from this is – it will be absorbed thoroughly. All I know is that things take time to be sorted out and that events have been unfolding at warp speed.

Here are some of my reflections (and themes you will probably hear me teach on in the coming weeks!):

We are in the year of 2012; and, in this year, we will see an unraveling of all that is not authentic and out of alignment with common sense and true potential. I believe we will see more of this, albeit on a much larger scale. We in Western Civilization, especially, have been long out of alignment with life and its natural rhythms. Soon things will start falling apart – in fact, in some places they already have begun to do so.

I am committed to making the changes that it takes to get back into balance and I will encourage you, in my classes, to contemplate yours.

Other themes will be around shedding light on how easily we are willing to project our power onto a charismatic leader, instead of claiming it as our own. And how quickly we are willing to condemn those we have put on a pedestal we helped create when they turn out to be flawed and not perfect.

I am taking this opportunity to look at my own shadow – how, when, and to whom have I been giving my power away?

I will most likely speak about compassion, forgiveness and loving kindness, as these have been part of my practice for many years. It is always a good time to hold all who suffer in compassion and love.

From Nisargadatta: Wisdom tells me I’m nothing. Love tells me I’m everything. My life is a river between these two.

With compassion and love

katchie ananda

For a more complete overview on what’s been happening, please visit: Anusara Controversy: Overview and Timeline

Creative Commons photo via Flickr by Sean Rogers1

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