Putin-asana? Wait, did yoga just get a glowing endorsement from Russia’s most virile and intolerant leader? In a showing of uncharacteristic fallibility, Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted to India’s Narendra Modi that he’s never tried yoga (never?!) but that he would finally face it boldly and give it a go (and conquer it handsomely, obviously, [...]
Russia
While we were savasaning, Russian officials went ahead and changed their minds and reversed the yoga ban. Just like that. Maybe they were just kidding about yoga being “inextricably linked to religious practices” and that it could “spread new religious cults.” Maybe they bowed to pressures from the public who thought their fears were unfounded and ridiculous. [...]
Ugh. The inalienable right to practice yoga is not felt internationally, apparently. Russian officials have hopped on the anti-yoga train claiming the practice is “inextricably” linked to religion (aka Hinduism) and could “spread new religious cults and movements.” Via Time: According to the Moscow Times, which cited a report in the Russian Kommersant daily, the owners of two of the [...]
Yogi bear exists! Again! Yet another yoga-ing bear, Mikhail, performs his poses for the admiring crowd at the Kaliningrad Zoo in Russia. According to zoo-goers, grizzly Mikhail eats up the energy from his audience and will often hold the poses for 5 minutes. And he does it all with a grin! (of a bear who [...]
If birds dropping from the sky and dead fish washing ashore by the thousands weren’t signs of the impending Apocalypse, baby swinging yoga has confirmed our doom! Baby-swinging wah? Yes, videos have surfaced of a Russian video entitled “Baby Yoga with Lena Fokina.” Many thought it was fake, including Gawker sleuths, but upon further research [...]
When you think of Russia, what’s the first thing that pops into your head? Yoga, right? We knew it! Well, when Russian President Dmitry Medvedev refers to himself as an “ardent yoga practitioner,” meets with BKS Iyengar on the Guru’s return to the country after a 20 year absence, and former first lady Naina Yeltsina [...]
We mentioned BKS Iyengar’s return to Russia this week, 20 years after his first visit in 1989. Needless to say, much has changed in the icy region over the past 2 decades, but we’re not sure even the “lion” himself expected such a warm reception. Earlier this week, at an event attended by a host [...]
You don’t know how lucky you are, boy… It’s a clash of the Titans! This is some pretty cool news. So guess who gets to meet the Lion of Pune? The top dog of Russia! BKS Iyengar will be touring Russia next week, hobnobbing with President Dmitry Medvedev, an “ardent yoga practitioner,” who knew?? Iyengar’s [...]
