More people outta ask, “Where is the CHI in today’s spiritual teachers?” Above: Coach Ilg, demonstrating the HIGH PERFORMANCE YOGA� variation of Hanumanasana in the Cascade Range of Washington. photography by John Terrance Turner.
You can bet your bottom dollar that i was scared shitless to make this pinnacle jump! Those of you who have the WF Blessed Mala Beads know exactly what Sacred Mantra i was running before, during, and oh so thankfully AFTER this jump! And you wonder why i eat the SUNRIDER� Herbs to keep me empty, light, and strong!?!? SO I CAN FLY, BABY!!!! I wonder if other Certified Yoga Teachers are ready to play some: Pinnacle Jumping Yoga? Oh? No? Why? Hmmmm. Overcoming the Endangering of their physical body by mental control does not somehow fit into their notions of Yoga Teaching Certification? Odd. Must be me, then. Cuz’ i come from a crazy fit tribe of Mountain Yogis who thrive upon constantly testing and retesting skill of mind control within environments of Fear and Pain. Oh, you mean the current version of a Spiritual Teacher does not dig the whole, “No Pain, No Gain,” theme, eh?!? Okay, well, see you later. Enjoy your Pampering Yoga! Good luck as your body starts to quiver and convulse upon your dying Bardo Entry Moment! 
No Pain? No Inner Attain, baby!
Remember Yogi Jesus Christ? What?…
you still think that somehow YOU don’t have to encounter His brand of Yoga before Enlightenment? Guess again. We ALL must endure that which we are most scared to endure. I say, let’s get started; together! 
Applied Yoga; beginning a free solo of an apron climb in Indian Creek Canyon, Utah. Photo by a nervous Ananda.
I know some of you must think i just stand around in Sacred Places of the American Southwest, dreaming up crazy ass fitness workouts then launching myself into the pain and presence of it so i can one day retool that experience into a WF Online Training Program for you, right?
Yup. Dat’s purty much what i have been doing for the past quarter century.
which is precisely why you read about the Awakenings of WF Students! We have a HeavenSent of a Path!
The thing is, we live in spiritually dangerous times. Too many Teachers only willing to talk the talk; not many out there testing the Radical Self Transformation of genuine, Ancient Yoga. Too many Certification Programs. Not enough Chi Testing! This type of pandemic academia in Yoga Teaching spoils Ripe Students and ruins weak ones.
If you just talk the yoga talk about Union of Mind and Body without ever nearly peeing in your little Prana� Yoga Pants from deep, deep down FEAR, then you are nothing but an intellectual yogin that is gonna wuss out at the Bardo Entry…and in my Path, i will not tolerate that. Because you deserve a Teacher and a Path that knows a Direct Experience Thing or Two about overcoming Fear, Doubt, Weakness, Injury, Dis-ease, and Inconstancy of Practice. 
So what if we are bit Wacky about things like the “Secret Herbs”?! So were the Ancient Masters! Hec, from my Lineage, the Master’s would walk barefooted as pilgrimage over 60 miles to get their Enlightened Hands on the choicest herbs during their Peak Concentration phases! Don’t you dare complain about the ‘cost’ of SUNRIDER herbs! you wanna know what the going rate of Enlightenment REALLY is?! i say, so WHAT if we are a bit Whacky about our training and living life like we mean it!?!? REALLY MEAN IT!?!? We have Guru’s paralyzed in hospital beds Attempting to TEACH US to LIVE OUR LIFE BABY, cuz we got two legs, a pair of lungs, and a heart to MOVE THEM! So let’s DANCE, baby!!!!! So what if we turn in our Body Shells at our MahaSamadhi moment beaten, scarred, ripped up, yet still fitter than most!!?!? I would rather my Tribe be filled with Whacked but Tapped Warriors than intellectual studio yogis that work the Spiritual Journey only to the boundaries of their cherished comfort zones of money, family, occupation, and fitness strengths. screw that! you can’t keep any of that! You know what all that stuff is called at the Bardo Entry? Baggage.
“Angels can fly because they take themselves Lightly.”
Welcome to Wholistic Fitness� Transpersonal Training; Please Check Your Baggage at the Temple Gate.
Peruse the current magazines, books, and blogs talking all about yoga and quoting the Masters with such easy, intellectual flair. Probably is making Patanjali roll over in His graveless grave. I can hear His Voice now, “Uhhhh, wait a second, can i please have my Sutra’s back? They were meant to be imparted one on one; Teacher to Student. I didn’t intend for them to become a NY Times Bestseller item coupled with a yogini starlet’s line of “yoga clothing and jewelry!”
It’s easy to talk about the UNION of Body, Mind, and Soul…it’s another thing all together to replace our cherished and clever intellects and regurgitation capacities with a single, real Individual SHOCK OF CHI! I truly must Trust that the current crop of today’s multitude of Certified Teachers of the spiritual arts really are doing the deep Inner, Solo Work to produce the balls to reach down and JUMP!!!! across the Abyss of their own Fear. 
I am pleased to say that the genuine Mountain Yogic Crazy Wisdom of Wholistic Fitness� comes deeply refined from my decades of myself applying yogic principles taught to me from my Teachers into “extreme sports”…years before those two words, “extreme sports” were exploited to include “Extreme Sports: eating competitions” and “Extreme Poker.”
To me, a Teacher of Union expresses Union through an endless array of Versatile and Spontaneous Adaptations within the context of their bodies, practices, and lifestyle.
To me, a Teacher of Union is someone with the deep fiber veracity and sturdiness and endurance that ain’t afraid to take your hand, look at you, at the Edge of your Edges and ask, “You ready to JUMP? Cuz, i have JUMPED and i CAN navigate this Abyss…c’mon!” 
Well, i’m off to ride my bike down to Sedona for a couple of days. i’m gonna go meditate in some vortexes, ride and run some slickrock, and well, maybe jump me a sandstone pinnacle or two.
Why? Cuz’ i TAF it is Go(o)d for my Soul…
and i TAF
it makes me a more uniquely experienced Personal Fitness Teacher for my Beloved Sangha; YOU!
Maybe i will see you later, Oh Noble Yogi of a Genuine Path of Radical Self Transformation!
If i don’t? Well, Just visualize that i hit the Bardo Entry on a Conscious Exhale…
OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM…
that is all,
coach ilg
These teachings are the "Rasas" or "sap" of Wholistic Fitness. You’ll find insights to ponder, student chi to keep your own chi topped off, and plenty of proven training techniques to test on your own body, mind, and spirit! Also, you’ll find my very popular Race Reports, and news of our Sangha’s (community’s) latest transpersonal fitness adventures!