Reading now the background that Douglas has shared, I wonder if this shift from the principles held to and taught by him as Rajanaka, (as he delivered them from his own lineage), was not downplayed intentionally so as not to bring additional focus on the creation of a new, or at the least modified belief system, now called Shiva-Shakti Tantra. As one who thought that it was Tantra as taught by Douglas that was at the core of the Anusara system, it is somewhat of a revelation the extent to which this new core belief system was not in alignment with the principles taught by Professor Brooks. His own words make that much clearer than I could ever attempt to do, so I won’t.

As I said, having spent some time listening to Douglas review principles and share stories of his goddess centered studies of Indian spirituality and mythology, he provided a very solid center to what I took to be the core of the Anusara belief system. This was done as an educator, not is a manner that was proselytizing or constructed to force me in any way to accept all of his beliefs as the one truth. And also might I add, with a control and command of the English language that is equal to any speaker I have ever encountered.

So when I read the stories and reports of the activities that John engaged in from teachers I do not know and have never met like Amy and Sarah, these are not anything like the principles I thought were at the basis of the system based on my admittedly limited understanding and experience of the system.

The last thing I would share would be hopefully a more positive spin on the Anusara system. Although I did attend the workshops with Douglas as I discussed, and have developed meditation as a much larger focus of my practice as a result, my primary interest was in the maintenance of my health and body through the practice of asana.

With that goal, I attended a Therapeutics workshop with Naime Jezzeny. It was very helpful and very sound in principles designed to produce a practice that would help my body heal and keep me on a path where I would not injure myself through bad alignment. To the extent that Naime learned these techniques through John and Anusara reflects very well on the system and the school of Anusara.

Again, as a casual observer, a proponent of yoga as a positive life-affirming practice whatever your core belief system happens to be, and as some one exposed to at least a few different styles; I would plead that of all the voices being raised with suggestions, that the remaining Anusara team really, really, really listen to the suggestions of Dr. Brooks.

By the way, my son is now a graduate with a degree in Religion and Political Science, so I have absolutely nothing to gain from this recommendation. It’s just my observation that the man knows of what he speaks, he speaks from the heart, and there is wisdom in what he is saying.

My final recollection is that as nice as it would be to have this wonderful expansive center for yoga in CA, when Bharat wanted to have a center, he bought a row house in Wilmington DE and started the Sivananda Yoga Center in the bottom floor while renting the top floor to sustain it. It lasted some 30 years or so, and then he sold the building and donated the money from the sale to start schools in India.

Now that my friends, is a guru.

I have participated in some events associated with the Anusara school or style of yoga. I have been inclined to follow this story and read many of the postings, letters, and observations on the violation of trust that is the result of the actions of John Friend, as the leader of the Anusara organization.

Having been touched by many of the heartfelt postings, I felt a desire to share some of my observations, which perhaps might be of interest to others who have been touched in some way by recent events within the Anusara organization.

Just to share a bit of my background, I was first introduced to yoga in 1975, while a college student by taking classes offered at a University by a wonderful yogi by the name of Bharat Gajjar. Bharat had a “lineage”, (as many have discussed) in the Sivananda style of yoga, having as his own guru Swami Vishnu Devananda, who then had as his teacher/guru Swami Sivananda Saraswati. One of the things endearing about Bharat was that as essential as Yoga and his Hindu religion were to the core of his beliefs, he also was well grounded in modern American life as a scientist, professor, husband and father. Bharat, I suppose did not need to see yoga as his profession, and practiced what he referred to as “karma yoga”.

So after this introduction to yoga, and having practiced admittedly intermittently over the next 30 years or so, I found myself in yoga classes at a fitness center discussing what appeared to me to be a new style of yoga (as incongruent as that sounds), and hearing about Anusara yoga for the first time from an Anusara “inspired teacher”, not quite Anusara certified. During these quick after class discussions, the name Dr. Brooks was brought up, and I was thinking, wait a minute I have heard that name before, that is one of my son’s Professors at the University of Rochester.

So now really intrigued by what I am hearing I explore Anusara further and end up taking 3 weekend seminars with Dr. Brooks and 1 weekend session with John Friend at a local college outside of Philadelphia. I find value in all these events, although I am struck most by the attention to technique and alignment I receive at the Friend event not by John, but by one of his teachers who is constantly coming to my aid. My thought at the time was I must have stuck out like a sore thumb to warrant all this attention, but it was offered in such a positive and affirming way that it was helpful (thank you Michelle S.)

So there is my background with yoga and Anusara. My heart truly goes out to all the teachers and students affected by recent events, as the upheaval to your lives as followers and proponents of this school is not being overstated when referred to as catastrophic, as it has been by senior level members.

After the event with John, I did begin to receive emails from the organization about Wanderlust and other travel and training events. I recall hearing/reading about the introduction of Shiva-Shakti Tantra. What was not clear to me, and perhaps I am not alone in this misunderstanding, is that this was a clear diversion from the teachings of the “Auspicious Wisdom” or Rajanaka Tantra of Professor Brooks.