September was National Yoga Month! Remember? And the NYM organization put together a mighty video of 25 anointed yoga masters to help promote awareness and also raise money for Yoga-Recess, but had us wondering about these “TITANS”, those that were omitted, and how we hear a clap of thunder every time the word is uttered…strange. Remember that? Well, director/producer and co-founder of National Yoga Month, Johannes R. Fisslinger, has sent his official response and makes no apologies for working hard to inspire us all with the personal stories of these yoga teachers and the relentless use of capital letters.
As the producer and director of TITANS OF YOGA I would like to comment on this article and reader’s feedback.
The simple idea for TITANS OF YOGA was to interview and tap into the wisdom of the top modern masters of yoga, meditation and mindfulness and create a documentary/movie to educate and inspires. It is so easy to judge or rip apart another person’s or group’s project. But as yogis we strive to go beyond our limitations and judgment, become more of a watcher of our own mind and tap into the consciousness of unity.
All I can say from our perspective is this: TITANS OF YOGA is solely intended to educate about the many benefits of yoga, interlace it with powerful personal stories of amazing yoga teachers (their personal challenges with depression, AIDS, suicide, health issues, drugs, addiction, etc.) and inspire hopefully millions to practice yoga, live a more conscious and healthy lifestyle. This was and is our only intention with this movie (and National Yoga Month). Yes, many teachers could not be interviewed, did not have the time or could not be reached, etc. But it is not really about these TITANS, but about the message of the movie (like Saul, Shiva, Vinnie and all other TITANS said many times, they don’t consider themselves as TITANS…. and … everyone is a TITAN anyway (someone with the potential for greatness, high reputation and achievements)… It is my deep belief that we need many more inspirational, conscious movies in this time of intense transformation.
Please watch the movie and see for yourself. Consider that the 25 TITANS OF YOGA have a combined experience of 700 years… how amazing is this!!! And you will feel the wisdom, passion and deep desire of these amazing teachers come through in the movie. I can only thank all TITANS featured in the movie for volunteering their time for filming… and for being such inspirational examples for all of us.
Namaste,
Johannes R. Fisslinger
director/producer TITANS OF YOGA
co-founder National Yoga Month
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Earlier…
I want to know how to become a “master of mindfulness” like those who are mentioned as a TITAN. what are the qualifications to be considered a master of mindfulness?
is that a degree? can I get a Masters in Mindfulness?
This is so stupid; it’s embarrassing. If someone called me to be featured in the film, and then they told me the title, I would have declined because prancing around letting someone else call you a TITAN makes you look like a colossal a**hole. And besides, we know what happened to the titans.
Methinks Mr. Fisslinger is a little hyper-sensitive. Neither the original YD article nor the comments were really all that bad, IMHO. But I can understand that after working hard on something that you really believe in and think is important, with a low budget and no great chance at commercial success, anything short of complete acclaim feels like a horrible letdown. I would probably feel exactly the same way. AND, I do want to see the movie, and bet that I’ll like it very much, silly title or no.
Still, not to see the intrinsic humor in constantly capitalizing TITANS – not to mention the Greek (versus Hindu) mythology irony aspect of the whole thing (as one commentator very astutely pointed out) is, I think, kinda blind.
The way he capitalized TITANS makes me just see the word “TIT” over and over again. Its much better to read it that way.
Good!
Oh god. Not the “combined years of experience” bullshit. I’m sorry but that ridiculous trope must be stopped — it’s profoundly meaningless.
He is a very sensitive TITAN isn’t he, though? Can we ask him why he insists on capitalizing TITAN? I think we’d all like to know.
I love TITANS, thanks for receiving them,
Cesar
Agree with cesar!Thanks
this is great! i love TITANS!
Good Article!Thanks