Crisscross Applesauce Pose

[Sahasranama]

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/us...chool/1137061/

While the Jois Foundation is a proponent of Ashtanga yoga, an eight-limbed practice based in Hindu philosophy with the ultimate goal of moksha, or liberation, the programme for public schools is stripped of spiritual teachings, chanting, and even the Sanskrit language.

For example, the lotus position was renamed the "crisscross applesauce" pose.

[philosoraptor]

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/us...chool/1137061/

While the Jois Foundation is a proponent of Ashtanga yoga, an eight-limbed practice based in Hindu philosophy with the ultimate goal of moksha, or liberation, the programme for public schools is stripped of spiritual teachings, chanting, and even the Sanskrit language.

So in other words, they are like every other modern yoga school these days.

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: Definitely sounds like some rhyming words a Grade 1 teacher would have made up.

Aum Namasivaya

[McKitty]

Vanakkam,

"crisscross applesauce" pose.

Ok you are kidding right ? Right ? RIGHT ?
*sigh*

[Necromancer]

Namaste.

What is wrong with still calling it the 'lotus pose'? That is not Sanskrit, it is English.

Hatha Yoga is more than just physical culture anyway. It combines asanas, pranayama and concentration together.

It would have been better if the school wasn't allowed to teach Yoga at all, rather than this abomination. They may as well teach body contortion instead.

Aum Namah Shivaya

[Jaskaran Singh]

Namaste,

While I find it slightly funny that they called it the "crisscross applesauce pose" rather than padmāsana, you have to remember that they did not specify the grade level. Would you really expect a Kindergarten student to know how to pronounce saṃskṛta śabda-s? Also, it is a public school and therefore should be secular; since yogam is often interconnected with Vaidika Dharma, they may be trying to remove some of the more "cultural" aspects. At least they're not engaging in something that is potentially offensive, like putting their feet on a Gaṇeśa mūrti like these "Yoga instructors" ---> http://thebabarazzi.files.wordpress....pg?w=710&h=946

[JaiMaaDurga]

Namaste,

I am not sure if this example is yet another example of "cherry-picking"
on the part of the people behind the Jois Foundation, or an attempt at
appeasement.

If it is cherry-picking, than they are no better than the myriad pastel-hued
vultures who adorn themselves with whatever exotica they find non-
threatening and attractive.

If it is appeasement, it should be understood that the "National Center for
Law & Policy" is using legal arguments that represent the exact opposite
of the organization's actual values and goals... they do not sincerely wish
to maintain a rigorous "separation of church and state", but are yet another
front for those that wish to erase that separation, erase the emphasis on
religious tolerance that the US was founded upon, and have at their
disposal the machinery of the state (especially the education system and
military branches) to further their dream of an American theocracy.

Such people should never be appeased.

JAI MATA DI

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: In public schools, yoga is not yoga, but advanced stretching. If you had a silent video of a good warm-up stretch session at a high level swim club, and compared it to a yoga class, it would be hard to discern which was which. At a football game, during the pre-game workout, the 20 minute stretch routine they do incorporates a lot of yoga type poses. Those 320 pound limeman are pretty flexible. Injury prevention is the goal.

So it's really just incorporation more stretching into PE classes, which, in terms of muscle tone, is a good thing.

Aum Namasivaya