What's Up with the Traveling Self-Righteous Yoga Crusaders?

in #travel6 years ago (edited)

11141348_10153218391973711_3832870880865751785_n.jpg

When I was invited to the farewell party of my friend, I narrated in my yeah but people post the quite alarming rise of the self-righteous positive-thinking traveling yogis. They consist mainly of the young, pretty and bendy white middle-class who are trying to 'find their purpose' by traveling and integrating with other cultures. Perhaps you don't get that type in your area but in a more touristic place where traveling culture is so big, you will likely encounter these self-righteous yoga crusaders. Excuse the hatred, but with all honesty, I just have enough. I happen to be unlucky to be meeting this type of people all the time and be their target. Oh on a spiritual point of view, it is my fault because I cannot see through them. You can't blame me if I now try to avoid this group of people to avoid further disappointment through real-life bashing. Sure I know, not all of them yeah? But I do not want to waste mental energy anymore trying to differentiate each one of them. Not that I'm generalizing, It is just hard to point out who stands out these days. They all claimed to be 'different', otherwise known as 'holier than thou'.

Two types of the self-righteous yoga crusaders:

  • They look down their noses at others
  • They look holier than thou and compare themselves with those they deem less worthy

Let's face the reality, the whole eastern philosophy has been completely bastardized and used for neoliberal propaganda. Yoga and spirituality are supposed to be the way to make a difference. But it turns out, radical self-love only perpetuates oppression, racism, inequality, and injustice. Another way to otherize people. Most of those who view themselves as healers, yogis or spiritual teachers are doing something dangerous subconsciously, spreading further divide and aggression under the guise of love and light.

Now I don't want to be a hypocrite here and say that I have never tried yoga and be an oh-so spiritual lady. I am just as broken and empty just like most of the traveling yogis. Oh yes, I did try joining a spiritual community in some remote area in Brazil where I was amongst the self-righteous, snobby yogis. They are not arrogant, they will only point out that they are better than you, that's all. My first yoga experience, I just farted loudly in the middle of a very calm yoga crowd and peaceful moment. So I stopped and realized that it's not for me. But surely my disinterest has something to do with not wanting to belong and be further disappointed.

I read some crazy yoga-bashing on Youtube and how the Balinese people are getting so sick of the self-righteous traveling yogis. But in the end, as always, the locals are only getting accused of being jealous. Why do people when called out think that others are only jealous of their privilege and status? Have they never been called out and oppressed in their entire molly-coddled lives? Then it sucks to be them.

Just because you're a bendy traveling vegan does not make you superior to the rest. Wear the vegan t-shirt and yoga pants by all means, but it does not give you any right to disrespect and look down on others. It does not mean your country does not do any shit to the world on a massive scale. These yoga crusaders should be aware of their own shit before they start traveling or going around pointing the flaws of the natives. I've seen this utter ignorance myself. The people have already suffered destructive colonialism, neocolonialism, and centuries-old oppression and yet here they are again, subconsciously repeating the history.

There seems to be a passionate, perverse joy that can be found from yoga and feeling oh-so-superior to those being denounced. Those pretty, shallow airheads do the trick. Are they some social rejects in their own societies and the only way to feel better and validate themselves is to travel in some posh yoga $5000+ retreat somewhere in Bali? And look down on locals for their disgusting ways that are so inferior to the so-called civilized western society. If you are indeed better, why travel halfway across the world to cure purposelessness and depression brought about by culturally conditioned empty lives.

I don't mean to add up to the full-throttle yoga sutra negativity and trash the yoga fanatics, I just need to say what the masses don't know behind those glorified traveling bloggers and yogis. Most importantly, I need to release this hatred slowly brewing by speaking my mind, not necessarily synonymous to hate speech or political incorrectness. I understand that travelers need a proper job aside from teaching English. They are too good for dishwashing and nanny jobs. These jobs are reserved for those who genuinely need to make a living and not to travel around the world to do yoga. Most of the yoga centers that hire high paying yoga teachers are owned by neocolonialists who market themselves as soulless sellouts and neoliberal automatons. There's no yogic spirituality anymore, only another form of cultural appropriators and colonialist exploiters.

I have few real friends and you should know why by now. But I do have a lot of enemies (government, tyrannical powermongers, oppressive ruling elite, yeah but people, holier than thou people, neocolonialists, and cockroaches) and no I will not love them, hell! But I know them clearly. And if we want 'change', like real change, know thy enemy as they say. And yes, so many of them, such a select club of those with real virtue! Maybe change starts when you start recognizing your own freedom. When you are no longer afraid to freely express and be yourself to the world.

Sort:  

I've myself crossed more than a few wanna-be "spiritual teachers" and their groupies.
They are into symbolism, mannerism, and traditions, rather than real research of enlightenment.

Sacredness is shit.

Sacredness is shit.

True!

Sounds like a religion to me. Just practice, don't preach I guess....unless someone asks :).

How are you doing today?

I'm fine thanks. I hope you are too.

Just practice, don't preach

True!

I just knew instinctively that your yoga came with flatulence! :D Hey, really, it's all piss and vinegar anyway...
Yes, I call it The Gumby Protocols...

I am just jealous that I cannot bend my body without contributing to global warming.

Approved 💯%! The fact is you don't even need to travel to see those people, because a lot of them are addicted to social media, they need their life-style to be validated by someone, somewhere, anywhere, and so they create that loop effect.

Thanks for the approval lol. True that, you don't need to travel to see them. I don't need to associate myself with them either and be disappointed. I'd keep my peace.

Well said :) Let's go our own way :)

I know the type you mean dam their annoying. I do yoga wouldn't call myself a yogi though. And I get tarnished with that brush when people find out I do yoga I get the whole speech about well you drink and aren't 100% pure. Yer annoys me, to me its all about balance in yourself and no one else, sometimes i'm vegan but when I want a slab of cheese i'll dam well have it. Today society is all about conforming to our labels... whoa I can feel myself going of on a rant here haha. Just saying there some normal people who do yoga 💯🐒

I have no problems with people doing yoga and all that vegan stuff but I noticed these days there's something annoying in that high club. Oh well, people are like that yoga or not lol.

I blame the media encouraging narcissism and turning it all into a competition. I find some classes so competitive and have walked out of a few before now. Yoga is not competitive yet in the UK many now class it as a sport says it all, as you said before western bastardisation of a good thing again! We have a long way to go 💯🐒

classes so competitive

better go somewhere in nature, meditate and do yoga on your own if that is the case.

Very true I often go to the woods and have a fire! I do my own yoga in the mornings but go to a class Wednesday eve finally found a good one. Only six in the class and all selected nicely haha 💯🐒

Hey @diabolika, I feel you on this!

It's one of the things that also initially bugged me when I first landed in Boulder, CO. Not to stereotype anyone, because there's certainly a mixed bag, but I did find it polarizing how pretentious some of these communities appear to be.

I did find it polarizing how pretentious some of these communities appear to be.

I know what you mean!

I really enjoyed your astute observations about 'the yoga people'.

I also enjoyed your discovery of where change starts. More revolution! That is twice today!

I'm happy to provide some daily enjoyment/rant lol.

That "I am better than you" attitude that you talk about here is certainly annoying. I once knew a yoga instructor who seemed to fit the category that you describe and it was more of an act than any anything else. When I questioned his personal philosophy , it began to fall apart. It became clear that he was more concerned with seeming enlightened than actually being enlightened.

Haha the term Yoga Crusader makes me picture a bearded man in chainmail contorting himself on an ancient battlefield lol.

Good post.

It became clear that he was more concerned with seeming enlightened than actually being enlightened.

We can now tell who is more concerned with seeming enlightened. Enlightenment is actually the harsh path itself, the ones who go through it. It's not only about the comfy yoga studio, spiritual books and fancy vegan dish.

Very true. I view them like the people who study simply to say that they hold a degree but don't care whether they actually get a real education or not. Anything rewarding comes at some cost, usually.

Anything rewarding comes at some cost, usually.

True!

It is obvious if you go against the flow you will have a lot of enemy like influential people, govt etc. Yes recognizing yourself initiate the change process. All the best @diabolika

I gave you a rare 100% upvote for the title alone. I will now read your post.

With that, I now feel more encouraged to have catchy click-bait titles. Carry on reading and hopefully, you will not regret giving 100% upvote on my rant of the day.

your rant of the day was hilarious and very familiar.

I am not aware that I have some comedic talent.

be aware... be very aware

Coin Marketplace

STEEM 0.17
TRX 0.15
JST 0.028
BTC 62007.73
ETH 2389.39
USDT 1.00
SBD 2.49