Wholistic Fitness

THE CURSE OF SPECIFICITY//Skepticism//

“Wholistic Fitness; because specialization is for insects.”
– Coach Ilg/WF tee-shirt quote, 1986-89

Hatha Yoga Pradipika: II; 19. “When the nadis (subtle anatomical channels) become free from impurities, and there appear the outward signs of success, such as lean body and glowing color, then one should feel certain of success.”

Above; Coach ilg, encased comfortably within what he calls his, “Pratyharic bark,” practicing ‘Uddiyana Pranayama into Agni Sara Pulls’ taken the day after he attained the podium of a 2-day high altitude bike racing competition. Using the SUNRIDER herbs and HP Yoga as his Primary Training, not riding bicycles specifically, our Coach has been pulling such unique yogic feats for over 20 years.

“The common denominator in bike racing is cell respiration, breath and heart rate control, so, i base the bulk of my training on accurate nutrition, HP Yoga and pranayam while my competitors spend useless and even damaging hours on the bike. Most of them eat despicably and without reverence. I TAF this has given me a huge advantage over the years.

If you just examine the physique, posture and the food and word-choices from most athletes, you will see the damaging consequences of sport-specficity. Truth; Any sport imparts imbalance to the body which in turn, affects the mind which in turn affects the Soul Nature. I honestly don’t know yet what it will take to get sport specific athletes to train Wholistically. I am doing my best to lead both academically and athletically, yet only a few Warriors out of the millions seem to take notice. Meanwhile, the conventionally trained athletes remain riddled by injury and are virtually physiologically illiterate in anything but their particular sport. Often, when they burn out or can no longer compete, they get fat and their imbalances begin to exacerbate. Worse, perhaps, is the magnitude of the spiritual void which was once being falsely filled by sport.

Sport performance, my fellow travelers on the Path, is only a developmental Tool for the Atman (Inner Soul), not a substitute. My Teachers warned me early in life that sport-specificity, just like intellectualism, will carry a Curse in the Bardo! Besides, being able to do many different activities is incredibly rewarding while we are still alive! Why limit your fun, let alone your fitness and potential for Enlightenment?” – Coach Ilg.

*** EMPTY THY CUP BEFORE KNOCKING

Of the three main Impurities which cloud the Awakened Mind, ‘Skepticism’ is, according to the Scriptures and backed by Enlightened Masters through the ages, the first trait of the Unawakened.

Ignorance veils the skeptic’s ability to comprehend the moment when a genuine Teacher or Teaching or Pathway Tool arrives.

This is why the traditional and true Teacher must test the sincerity of a sadhaka (spiritual aspirant). If Skepticism reigns, then Trust is not established. The Teacher will refuse to Teach or will only teach at a low level. If the Student keeps knocking for more, the Teacher will continue to refuse or test until the Teacher is satisified that the Sadhaka’s cup is empty.

This testing period can last from a number of days to several years. Initiatory rites of sincerity are based traditionally upon a Student’s ‘ripeness’ which a Teacher can instantly recognize on several levels; karmically, the way their body looks, moves, and smells, their Word Choices, stuff like that. A true Yoga Teacher will only Teach to the appropriate Level of the Student and is not Attached to losing them as Students.

The best body/mind Teachers are often recognized similarly; by their body, Word Choices, balance of practice and intellect, presence, and by the average attainment level of their Students.

*** SKEPTICISM = SPIRITUAL RETARDATION
There are many who do not take Study in WF Online Training, yet are quick to disdain our Temple’s lifetime embrace of pivotal intradisciplinary fitness tools like yoga, strength training, lifestyle principles, and SUNRIDER herbs. their ignorance veils WF’s peerless body/mind/spirit integrity and pioneering embrace of ancient Eastern Teachings molded to modern Western society.

People which hold Skepticism at the SUNRIDER herbs is particularly sad, for each day that passes, their Skepticism is retarding their physical health, delaying their Awakening and injuring their Transformation. Most sad of all, their unwillingness to at least test for themselves the herbs, is ruining their most beautiful, potent, and helpful song to the UniVerse. Life is short, yet CHI is endless; i suggest doing whatever it takes to build the CHI. The Temple herbs build CHI like crazy! Yet, though people are quick to buy the best cars or houses or stereos…try to get them to eat the best CHI foods on the planet and they call you a “hypester” or a “fraud”…oh, oh, the UnAwakened! Why should it be so hard to just get people to experience that which nourishes their Soul instead of their Attachments?

My Teachers taught me to Teach.
However, even today after many years helping to pioneer the body/mind fitness field in the West, i find that most Westerners do not like to Trust a Teacher, even one as sincere as a WF Teacher. i still get accused each week as someone who teaches from greed though my Temple coffers are as empty as a monk’s begging bowl. I suppose the UnAwakened cannot quite grock, as Ram Dass would say, a yogi’s Path of Service. Their ego constructs are too hard, too rigid, too proud.

Too bad.

Well, my Noble Warriors of Body and Mind, enough about the Curse of Specficity and Skepticism! I’m riding down to the climbing gym to crank some plastic.

Next on DL, i want to share with you why
– either with SUNRIDER Herbs or without them –
being able to achieve
Ahara Jaya – MASTERY OF FOOD as Spiritual Practice –
is so important to your life.

I’ll talk a little bit about some of the most important pranayams, locks, and use the Scriptures of the Hatha Yogi Pradipika to back up precisely what WF has been teaching and leading the Way for Western Yogis for so many years.

i truly smile at the thought that my feeble contributions in DL today might be of benefit to just one devoted Warrior out there, willing to Rise Above the conventional approaches to personal fitness, to reach beyond the body into their Higher Mind and
perhaps,
just maybe,
begin Trusting in a Teacher
a Teacher that leads them
to what matters most;
Self Inquiry.

“The purpose of science is not to prove,
but to probe.”
– Albert Einstein
scientist/bicyclist

Namaste and may your Practice be full of Divine Presence,
the mountain yogi