We are at a confluence point where two rivers meet. A modern, Western practical and scientific understanding of the body, the function of its joints and sports performance is about to meet and fall in love with the beautiful and exotic yoga tradition.
Like any good love story, each one adores the other and sees only the good. Each one sees something in the other that completes themselves. Together, they strengthen each other, building each other up to be the best that they can possibly be. It’s a fairytale East-meets-West moment.
Not all of their friends approve of their loving union. Some of the sports coaches still think yoga is flaky and weird. Some of the yoga experts think sport is egotistical and not worthy. Nevertheless, this Romeo-and-Juliet romance is already well under way. Athletes the world over are signing up to learn yoga and there are more and more people believing in the relationship.
There will be conflicting views about how a healthy body and mind should be kept. Any cross-cultural relationship is bound to have some challenges, right? But if we choose to focus on the places of synergy and synthesis, and where the cultures overlap rather than the places of contradiction, we find many fields of knowledge merging organically. Like any relationship, it will require us to appreciate the strengths of the other and also understand and accept their shortcomings. Coming from an attitude of curiosity and openness of mind, this book is about that synthesis. I think that we will find that West and East can get along well and be a formidable team.
Yoga is not a passing fad, and it is inevitable that it will continue to evolve. It is a part of our contemporary society in the same way that weight training and running are.