u/Warrior-Yogi

There is a rumor that a new teacher, from a very wealthy family, made a “contribution” to the studio in return for an unpopular time slot. Her father, an entertainment lawyer, hired a bunch of fitness model extras from a casting agency client. The new teacher than ran what appeared to be a very popular class for 6 weeks. The studio owners (absentee) looked at her numbers and gave her all the prime time slots that a very experienced teacher had spent 10 years developing. The new teacher poached all the experienced teacher’s students. The senior teacher basically lost her entire business. Last we heard, she was working as a Starbucks barista and a Lyft driver, trying desperately to earn enough money to pay for her elderly mother’s assisted living expenses.

This caused quite a controversy at the studio. There is a very vocal faction supporting the new teacher, blaming the senior teacher for failing to keep up. Some of the new teacher’s supporters blame the senior teacher for not “aging well” and say the she was starting to look “frumpy,” which is impacting their own marketing. Others support the experienced teacher, noting how they miss her serene energy and that they liked teaching at a studio known for a diverse demographic. They are appalled by her reduced circumstances and her struggles to support her elderly mother. When they tried to raise some money for her with some donation classes, the new teacher contacted the absentee owners who made the teachers give them all the donations, which they refuse to account for (“you were using our name, our business, and our space for the classes, the money is ours to use as we wish.” Apparently, the new teacher’s father “contributed“ an expensive vacation for them soon thereafter.)

How do you feel about this? Does this align w/ your yogic principles? I am still sorting this out and was hoping to get some guidance from everyone here.

Thanks!

Recurve and longbow archer - non-target oriented and view the target butt (straw balls) as a place to collect arrows as opposed to a target to strike with precision. My archery is about my breathing pattern, shot sequence, properly tuned equipment, proper bio-mechanics, and the joy of a well-shot arrow as it arcs through air.

For those interested in metaphysics, my archery is rooted in Dhanurveda, which classifies archery as mukta, a weapon or projectile released from the hand. Mukta (liberation or freedom) is the room of moksha, release from samsara, the endless cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth. For me, the arrow’s flight, momentarily free from gravity is a metaphor for moksha.

If you have questions, your own alternate approach to archery, or are interested in archery’s metaphysics - please join in or DM me.

Thanks!

Short Version - Highly Recommended!

Long Version - Usually make my own, and bought this to use as a template. Ended up being perfect for my style of slinging - exclusively golf and tennis balls for distance (the reasons for this style are a long tale that I will spare you unless someone expresses interest - but - be forewarned - it is a lengthy and arcane tale implicating warrior monks and metaphysics - so proceed w/ caution!)

The pouch works with both golf balls and tennis balls (I usually carry several different slings - some for golf balls others for tennis balls) the cords are extra long, the retention loop is a leather thong and the release cord has a round leather piece stopped by a bead and a knot. Improved accuracy over my DIY slings and got some extra distance. I am tall, so the extra long cords were manageable and worth the extra effort for the distance. It would be simple to shorten the long cords if you wanted to.

Low price - quality material (real leather not PU) - highly recommended for this style of slinging or shorten the cords if you are after targets.

https://a.co/d/0bN6buXU

Suffering from wrist strain from a combination of age (73), occupation (way too much keyboard and mouse time) and poor hand mechanics when gripping the string w/ a tab. Looking for options so that I can keep shooting..

I am experimenting w/ a strap tab (Black Widow made them back in the ‘60’s) and also a non-mechanical rotary release https://hikepro.net/Products/SlingShots/quickfireUSA.html

Both are showing potential but require tuning - the rotary release is about dialed in, the strap tab has a ways to go.

Any other options? I cannot stand gloves. I am miserable at thumb rings and I shoot a western style bow. I am working on rehabbing my wrist, dropped my draw weight, and working on better form - but I would like to continue shooting.

Thanks!

TL;DR: A personal reflection on the yoga of detachment.

I often, probably improperly, use this sub to explore a vexing contradiction. I am obsessed with yoga and at the same time distressed by western postural/studio yoga. I tried, often desperately, to fit in, both here and at various studios. I spent extraordinary amounts on memberships, classes, seminars, privates, retreats, as well as yoga clothes, mats,straps, blocks, books, notebooks, piercings, tats, and hair extensions. Each time, authenticity prevailed over subterfuge. I reverted, in increments, to my true self, sarcastic, cynical, condescending, aloof, and ultimately isolated and lonely.

I began studying vairagya, often translated as “detachment;” more precisely recognizing that we can control only our actions and not the outcome. Abhyasa, the effort to stabilize the mind, and vairagya are intertwined. While my understanding is in the very nascent stages, it has, nonetheless, brought a sense of peace.

Drawing on Dhanurveda, I went to an empty field with my shepherd’s sling and hurled golf balls. Not at a particular target, but rather for distance and for the joy of watching the balls fly, freed from gravity’s constraints. The field is a metaphor for an empty mind. I followed vairagya, controlling that which I could, holding the strings, loading the pouch, taking a stance, the swing, the whip and the release. Each action deliberate and mindful, a step along a path without a particular destination in mind. The ball’s flight was abhyasa, my mind was stable as the balls flew up and away, along its true path.

A simple exercise ultimately about holding space for myself.

Dermatologist recommended the face mask and sunglasses for skin protection

Reworked PMZ longbow by Nik Branstine. Glock field knife.

Thanks to everyone who responded to the post linked below. Let's keep the conversation going on the relationship between or combining postural yoga w/ flow arts, martial arts, dhanurveda, etc. If there is enough interest, we can form our own sub. Let me know if you are interested. Thanks!

https://www.reddit.com/r/yoga/comments/1tcmkn0/weaponup_questions/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

https://reddit.com/link/1tnpwdy/video/148sxa2zed3h1/player

https://preview.redd.it/dbwwbyjhdd3h1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1e905eb365c6a31d8546d0d4cfed081cff27932c

Nik Branstine reworks stock PMZ 3 piece longbows - excellent fit and finish, properly radiused shelf, center cut, properly tillered, comes with a performance string from Whispering Bowstring, with 2 thread nocking points and cat whisker silencers, twisted to the correct brace height - ready to shoot right out of the box. Excellent customer service from Nik. Highly recommended.

Some preliminaries - my lineage is far afield (literally) from studio-based yoga. We practice primarily outdoors (hence the field allusion) avoid the hierarchy inherent in the “teacher/student” paradigm (those of us who are called take turns leading class) and our practice derives from Dhanurveda. Thus, we view mukta (weapons that are released from the hand, typically arrows from a bow) as a metaphor for moksha, he soul’s release from samsara, the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth.

With this as context, at a recent practice in a secluded area, one of the group, after first asking if anyone would be offended, extended the metaphor and encouraged everyone to “release themselves from the tyranny of clothing.” Everyone joined in w/ various levels of undress, depending on their comfort level. There was no pressure and certainly nothing sexual about it.

I have to admit that I was skeptical at first. I am something of a traditionalist and our lineage encourages modesty and moderation. But, yoga is evolving and I am willing to evolve with it. We had a very good practice. I observed that there is a fair amount of ego associated with clothing. The clothing optional approach encouraged a greater feeling of equality. It also put us closer to nature. The metaphor held.

Anyone with clothing optional experience? Many of the group want to continue clothing optional. How do we hold space for the more modestly oriented yogis? Any other observations or suggestions?

Thank you so very much for your interest and comments.

https://weaponup.com/

Is anyone familiar w/ this? Is it yoga? Is it worth it? Do you actually need a sword or can you use a dowel or other stick?

Thanks!