Edit 15/11/2024:

First of I want to reiterate that I stand by my committment to individual soverignity and absolute freedom of choice of what goes into our bodies.

But with Gurujis recent passing I am filled with grief, grief that I wasnt able to practice with him those last seasons. And that the events of the recent years made me angry and bitter to the point preventing me from going back when it did open up for everyone.

Im still sad about the way the shala handled the divisive nature of those times, but I am also sad that my pride prevented me from going back when I had the chance. Its a bittersweet mix of knowing I held my ground on matters important, and also recongnizing the damage and sorrow it caused holding onto it for too long.

Now I will never have a new opportunity to be called in, "One more". Never again feel your hands guiding my hands. Never sit in the sweetness of conference hearing you laugh with us at our own sillyness.

Allthough I am struck with grief, your passing was your final teaching and reawakening of devotion in me. To be strong but soft, serious but silly, and above all to Love.

In those years only once, maybe twice; did I dare to touch your feet.
But I did. A choice was made, and I cannot take it lightly.

Thank you for everything Guruji.

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I want to open this letter by expressing gratitude and saying thank you. Thank you Sir Sharath and to all the absolutely lovely people I have met during our studies. The years I have spent studying at KPJAYI I have learned a great deal about my self, about Yoga and had some truly amazing experiences on and of the mat in Mysuru

The times spent in Mysore have been some of the best times of my life this far and I will be forever grateful for the experience, and opportunity to be there. And to the community of KPJAYI and now SYC, I love you all and I hope you have the experience you long for going back.

But it has come to my attention that the Shala is now requires students to be fully vaccinated, whatever that means these days; to be allowed to study there.

This is something I cannot stand by in any degree. The freedom to choose what enters our body and not, is the full right of the individual, and is not to be governed by any state or institution. And to see our school and teacher preach about non violence(ahimsa) as the foundation of Yoga and on the other hand asking students to potentially violate their own free choice to be able to study with him is not something I can support.

For some health may look like taking the injection, for some it definitely does not. And although it may be SYC´s right to choose who they admit, basing it on the individuals personal medical choice is not something I can condone.

Yes we have the free choice to attend or not to attend SYC so many will probably feel its the shalas right to admit or not admit based on vaccination status. But it is my feeling that many students want to go so bad that they are willing to take the risk, even if they really don’t want to take it. To me this is coercion and discrimination.

And in addition, a tradition and practice that is about breath, and to me expression; now mandating its students to wear masks and repress their breathing is in my opinion out of its integrity.

Whatever you want to put in or on your body is your choice. And no state, government, corporation or institution should be allowed rent in your mind, body, heart or spirit when pushing experimental, for profit injections out of fear; making it look like compassion.

Thank you all and all hope to see many of you again, maybe even go back to Mysore if tides and hearts change.

All the best and Godspeed.

Jørn

Jai Kali Ma!