Dialogue with Guru…guru-an*

* a modern Pinoy way of coining a word from a root to mean “inauthentic” as in “bait-bait-an” from the word “bait” which means “kunwari mabait”

The following exchange took place in the ladies’ room in Pulse Yoga Makati after the Ashtanga workshop “Sharing the Practice” this morning.

Woman Claiming to be an Ashtanga Teacher (or CAT woman), who attended the workshop, addressing everyone in the room: Please attend our free classes every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday…(went further with other details). 

Chona: What type of yoga will be conducted?

CAT woman: Ashtanga. Sayang yun, it’s free. The studio is at…(continued to give direction).

Chona (not listening, butting in before CAT woman finished her line): Yeah, I know where that is. I’ve been to Pulse Yoga Greenhills.

CAT woman: No, this is not for Pulse. This is for…(mentioned name of a yoga studio).

Chona’s thought bubble: Ang kapal mo naman gawin yan dito.

Chona: Oh, the one owned by….

CAT woman: Yes. In fact, he’s in the workshop. Didn’t you see him? He’s the one beside me.

Chona: Who’s going to teach?

CAT woman: I am.

At that very moment I wanted to kneel down to thank the universe for sending me decent asana and yoga teachers in this life…and hug them so dearly and tightly.  

I believe that the authenticity of a yoga teacher is gauged neither by the depth of one’s poses nor by one’s teaching skills, but rather by one’s principles in life and how well s/he lives them out.

CAT woman has neither the principles nor the adroitness, even at the physical level, to teach yoga. 

I hope CAT woman is an “exception”, not the “rule”, in the yoga scene in the Philippines.