“the intent of this blog is to incrementally build a body of thought that works toward integrating various topics, yoga, fitness, and the arts – it’s a process…”

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dvds vs live instruction, a comment

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intro

below is a comment i placed to an article titled, “the poverty of dvd yoga,” by colin hall

the article makes excellant points that are actually extremely important, but i disagreed with the presentation, mostly, i suppose 😉

i don’t know if the link above still works, or will be working in the future, as the article is posted on elephant journal and i’m new to their articles and not sure how long the article’ll be available –

i hope it is in some form since, as mentioned above, it presents very important valuable points

the comments, of which mine is only one, also appear interesting 😉 good discussion generated by this article…

directly below is my comment :

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a really large # of good points about the preference for more effective instruction, in this case yoga, when done live vs taped or scripted as in a dvd

the problem i have reading really well written points-thought-out articles, whether like this on teaching, or on the necessity for accepting oneself as a large participant, for example, is the intense rejection of what is being advocated against

for example, “The yoga DVD may play a role as a motivator if you have a hard time practicing at home, or as a source of inspiration if your teaching is getting a little dry and repetitive—but ultimately the yoga one encounters on DVDs is a yoga of poverty utterly bereft of the living experience of yoga necessary for actual yoga instruction.” –

the yoga dvd “may play a role” and “a source of inspiration if” both legitimately attempt to “see” the possible positives or use for an individual in certain circumstances – i like that, i can begin to relate to the thesis, then –

“on dvds is a yoga of poverty utterly bereft of the living experience of yoga” – wow

what happened to the understanding compassion?

is that what i am missing by not attending the live class?

is there a disconnect here? or am i merely “utterly bereft” also?

and in all fairness, though this is highly prevalent in yoga, it’s also seems highly prevalent in discussing immigration laws, women’s and minority rights, or either being very  poor or being very rich, and, certainly being in the middle, any middle i guess 😉

i totally agree that “live” instruction, whether in dance or singing or football or trading stock options, is “usually” better than taped or scripted or written non-interaction non-live mediums

does that mean the above article is merely then, the “same crap” as described in the article? – i certainly don’t think so

but neither are other articles that foster dialog or even “just” private thought

nor are dvds from, say, paul grilley or denise austin or stronger seniors, among many many others, i believe, faltering in “usefulness” –

would the inability of a living human being to attend or afford a “live” session, assuming it was taught or conducted by someone who actually cared to some hypothetical higher level, or was knowledgable as per someone else’s esteemed opinion, make the use of a dvd or tv program or tape unworthy, or invalid…useless?  “crap?”

i don’t think so, and that’s while also believing live “can” be best

my mildly offered apologies 😉 for the return-rant…

but i feel the author has such valid points, it hurts me almost as much to see them lost on people who need them, because of unnecessary betterment-battering, as it surely hurts the author above to see the value of “competent” live instruction under-appreciated

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2011/02/the-poverty-of-dvd-yoga–colin-hall/

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