Cultural Appropriation

[RoseMorninStar]

No elengil, I would not think you are a jerk/were trying to be a jerk. My comment was general.. it is a complicated subject.

For what it's worth, it's not strictly the Sakura (cherry blossom) that is associated with Judo, it's the Kodokan emblem and it is often confused with Sakura since it's such an iconic symbol of Japanese culture. Maybe that's why your husband thought your flower was 'too flowery' Maria?


I was recently in New Zealand. It was interesting to note the differences and similarities in culture, yov.

[elengil]

No elengil, I would not think you are a jerk/were trying to be a jerk. My comment was general.. it is a complicated subject.

Nono, I know, I was more agreeing and giving yet another example of the complications. Am I appropriating? I really don't know. Is it better that I am simply hoping to gain the tangible benefits of the activities and not coupling them with the traditional spiritual side, or does that make it worse, divorcing it from context? I really don't know.

I realize meditation does not belong to any one culture or belief system - many cultures and religions practiced forms of meditation, but at least in modern day, some of that diversity is lost and meditation becomes a "Buddhist thing" even though it never was exclusively, but in rejecting that association, does that make it better or worse to say it doesn't have to be a Buddhist thing?


Voronwë, let me know when you do start that discussion.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I will!

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[RoseMorninStar]

Nono, I know, I was more agreeing and giving yet another example of the complications. Am I appropriating? I really don't know. Is it better that I am simply hoping to gain the tangible benefits of the activities and not coupling them with the traditional spiritual side, or does that make it worse, divorcing it from context? I really don't know.

I realize meditation does not belong to any one culture or belief system - many cultures and religions practiced forms of meditation, but at least in modern day, some of that diversity is lost and meditation becomes a "Buddhist thing" even though it never was exclusively, but in rejecting that association, does that make it better or worse to say it doesn't have to be a Buddhist thing?

This was my thinking exactly. I was going to respond to Maria's comment about Sakura/cherry blossoms and I found myself having the 2 sided Gollum conversation. On the one hand, Japan does not have exclusive rights to cherry blossoms, they are grown and admired throughout much of the world, but on the other hand, they have become an iconic symbol of Japanese culture especially when coupled with Judo/martial arts or other specific Japanese cultural pursuits. And then I got too confused to comment.

[yovargas]

some of that diversity is lost and meditation becomes a "Buddhist thing" even though it never was exclusively, but in rejecting that association, does that make it better or worse to say it doesn't have to be a Buddhist thing?

Honestly, I can't imagine why it would matter either way.

[Frelga]

Can you imagine a workout based on the Catholic Mass, done to uplifting music, where you stand, sit, kneel, and perform energetic arm motion in the shape of the cross?

[RoseMorninStar]

I believe our local Y has a yoga class something like that.

I wouldn't mind if it were a general spiritual type meditation (as most of the classes are), but I would prefer no specific religious focus.

[Impenitent]

I find it interesting that I've always associated yoga and meditation with Hindu practices...because all my teachers have cime from the Iyengar (Indian) tradition.

And while BKS Iyengar - whom I still consider my guru, or primary teacher/inspirer - was a practising Hindu, I have never felt any pressure or urge to adopt the Hindu faith. I've adopted some concepts which resonate for me, such as ahimsa, but there was never any hint that Iyengar wanted his students to adopt his faith; his stern expectation was all about thoroughly understanding and adhering to the strict tenets of his yogic practise.

All of my teachers regularly returned to Pune every second year for a 6-week intensive with Iyengar to recertify. Iyengar actively sought to teach his methods to all who wanted to learn them, westerner, easterner, whatever.

I understand the healthy desire to respect culture, but we can get so anxious about borrowing, misusing, appropriating that we carefully stay on our own safe path and tread ourselves a deep, hard-packed rut that we can be sure of. It's safe, but things don't grow in a rut.

Typed on a tiny phone keyboard on Tapatalk - typos inevitable.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Well said, Impy.

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[RoseMorninStar]

I understand the healthy desire to respect culture, but we can get so anxious about borrowing, misusing, appropriating that we carefully stay on our own safe path and tread ourselves a deep, hard-packed rut that we can be sure of. It's safe, but things don't grow in a rut.

I wholeheartedly agree.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

The latest bizarre twist in the bizarre Jussie Smollet saga is that the Osundairo brothers (who allegedly staged the hoax attack with Smollet) have sued Smollet's attorneys for claiming that they actually did attack him.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/celebrity/ ... spartanntp

[River]

I'm going to wait for the Coen Brothers' version.

[RoseMorninStar]

That case is just weird piled on top of strange, sprinkled with bizarre, with a huh-wha? on top.

[RoseMorninStar]

An interesting article from David Frum/The Atlantic on cultural appropriation. Every Culture Appropriates

[narya]

emerged autochthonously in a timeless ancestral homeland

.

I need to bring this up in my next conversation!

[elengil]

For my fellow Americans and our upcoming Thanksgiving celebrations:

[River]

ROTFL!

She also did this classic: Contouring 101 (LANGUAGE WARNING!)

[elengil]

"I regret buying both."

"Men love pterodactyls! *screeeee-*"

[RoseMorninStar]

I've watched her before. She's hilarious.

[River]

She has one on bedroom eyes that about knocked me out of my chair. Not just because of the running monologue but because, when she's about halfway through doing her thing, some guy wrapped in a towel comes in and starts twerking in the background.