Quote Originally Posted by withm View Post
On the other hand, another class I attended, the instructor prefaced every corrective move with "may I touch you?" to the point of total distraction for the rest of the class. It's one thing to be "touched" as in gently guided into the "correct" posture, but another thing to have your arm forcefully maneuvered after being told "NO" when the range of motion was not there to support the movement.

I've not seen the other videos - I just found that article today when searching for the link for the first. I thought it presented another side of the story quite well, and it simply confirmed my own dislike for the "mumbo-jumbo" side of yoga.

Food for thought.

When I used to teach scuba diving, we stressed for each class the likelihood of being touched, held, or otherwise assisted while gearing up, entering and exiting the water, both in the pool, and in open water. Certain drills and activities require a degree of trust and the need to be touched. We strongly urged students that had a problem with this should not take the class, and in the all the years I was involved with this, only one student dropped the class and got a refund. Basically scuba diving is a contact sport and any kind of pre or post dive assistance, or in-water rescue requires touching and saves lives.
I understand your lack of appeal for the spiritual and mental aspects of yoga, but do you have to refer to it as "mumbo jumbo"? It seems to me that even if you don't practice yoga in that way, you can at least respect that many, many others have and do; there's no need to belittle it.

As for yoga being very "yuppy." I don't wholly disagree with you, Badger, but it does cost money to maintain a studio with good instruction. That, however, is by no means the only way to practice yoga. It's very possible to build a home physical and/or spiritual practice. Most of the studios in Indy do offer cheaper or contribute-what-you-can classes, which is an affordable option for many.