Reflections on "Guruji: A Portrait"
Interview with Guy Donahaye by Elise Espat - Part I
http://yogamindmedicine.blogspot.com/2012/04/reflections-on-guruji-portrait.html
How and why did you choose to ask the questions you asked for the interviews?
When I arrived in Mysore in the early '90s Guruji used to give regular
theory classes, but his ability to communicate was often thwarted by
language problems.
Guruji spoke a little English but he had a strong accent which was often
hard for English speakers to understand and mostly impossible to
understand for non-native English speakers when he started to talk about
philosophy.
In the first few years I was there, there were 15-20 students at his
theory classes. We were French, German, English, American, Dutch, Swiss…
a jumble of languages with varying limitations on the grasp of Guruji's
broken English and Sanskrit. So his efforts were often mired in
frustration. I felt for him (and for myself - I was also frustrated we
were unable to learn more from him in this forum).
There were also increasing numbers of students who did not want to think
too deeply. For them being in India with Guruji was perhaps a bit of a
lark and not an opportunity to absorb the fullness of what he had to
offer. Often they turned Guruji's theory classes into a bit of a circus.
Guruji was a scholar and had the desire to share the gems of the
Upanishads or the Yoga Sutra with his students, but as time went by, the
quality of the interest was often brought down to a lowest common
denominator by questions such as "Guruji, what is the best kind of yoga
clothing or mat to use?" or other perhaps important, yet mundane
subjects.
In the end Guruji would often shake his head in frustration and
resignation and say "You don't understand! Just do your practice and all
is coming!" This was accepted by increasing numbers as a motto, and for
some, as an invitation not to question any deeper. But I felt it was
said in the context of frustration that direct teaching through the mind
was not possible.
"Sat tu dirgha kala…" - perhaps Guruji's favorite words - "you practice
for a long time! 10 years, 20 years, your life long, you practice!" He
was able to convey this aspect of his teaching with absolute
effectiveness - but what did he mean by "all is coming"? I think this is
the subject of much of the book.
So my first motivation was to give Guruji a voice and to try to share
his philosophy. Of course it is not his philosophy, it is the eternal
teaching of the Vedas, Upanishads and other sacred literature of India,
but unique in the way it came to expression through him.
Originally the interviews were part of a video documentary project. What
I had in mind was to paint a portrait of Guruji, an Impressionistic
image or collage, by juxtaposing different shades and hues of answers to
the same questions. My questions were designed to be cut from the end
result, leaving the interviewees to speak for themselves. You will
notice there are very few questions which evoke a yes/no response.
I wanted to make the interviews as comprehensive as possible because I
was not sure which parts I was going to want to use. When the interviews
first started to take shape as an idea Guruji was still relatively
unknown (Yoga Mala had not been translated into English) but by the time
I started asking the first questions (1999), he was already traveling
and teaching extensively and had become well known in the West.
While I had been motivated to write a book myself, I felt that the
voices of others would give much greater authority and weight - and as
it turns out also wisdom, eloquence and insight! The questions covered
several areas such as: Guruji as teacher, the practice, theory, Guruji
as family man, origins of the series and the individual experiences of
the interviewees. As time went by the question list became more
comprehensive, but it changed with each interview as I noted particular
areas of interest or expertise. If I found the subject going in an
interesting direction, I would follow it.
I have always known yoga as a spiritual practice, but many I have met on
the path are more interested in the material benefits. Although the
book is called "Guruji" and does contain biographical and anecdotal
stories about his life, the larger part of the book is devoted to what
he was teaching. What is yoga? And how should practice be applied? What
are the benefits? And what is the metaphysical viewpoint which underpins
the yogic knowledge? Guruji is the lens, the teacher, but the main
object of interest is yoga itself. Because there was no clearly (or
universally) understood "Ashtanga Yoga Philosophy" amongst his students,
his philosophy became summed up by many as 99% practice, 1% theory, do
you practice and all is coming etc - and that was about it. I felt this
imbalance needed correcting.
Guy Interview
