"The wholesome image of yoga took a hit in the past few weeks as a rising star of the discipline came tumbling back to earth. After accusations of sexual impropriety with female students, John Friend, the founder of Anusara, one of the worlds fastest-growing styles, told followers that he was stepping down for an indefinite period of self-reflection, therapy and personal retreat. Mr. Friend preached a gospel of gentle poses mixed with openness aimed at fostering love and happiness. But Elena Brower, a former confidante, has said that insiders knew of his penchant for women and his love of partying and fun. Few had any idea about his sexual indiscretions, she added. The apparent hypocrisy has upset many followers. Those folks are devastated, Ms. Brower wrote in The Huffington Post. Theyre understandably disappointed to hear that he cheated on his girlfriends repeatedly and lied to so many. But this is hardly the first time that yogas enlightened facade has been cracked by sexual scandal. Why does yoga produce so many philanderers? And why do the resulting uproars leave so many people shocked and distraught? One factor is ignorance. Yoga teachers and how-to books seldom mention that the discipline began as a sex cult an omission that leaves many practitioners open to libidinal surprise. Hatha yoga the parent of the styles now practiced around the globe began as a branch of Tantra. In medieval India, Tantra devotees sought to fuse the male and female aspects of the cosmos into a blissful state of consciousness. The rites of Tantric cults, while often steeped in symbolism, could also include group and individual sex. One text advised devotees to revere the female sex organ and enjoy vigorous intercourse. Candidates for worship included actresses and prostitutes, as well as the sisters of practitioners." Read the rest here: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/28/h...ly-plenty-of-scandal.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all Hmmmmmmmm......... the ol' Murkster isn't surprized at all..... mmm...mmm...mmm
