For Lasch cultural narcissism’ means that we are living in a kind of society that creates narcissistic conditions. From birth to death we operate in strongly competitive organisational environments ‘, kindergartens, schools, universities, corporations, and finally old peoples’ homes – a life almost entirely spent within hierarchical organisations. Lasch’s obvious social-psychological argument is that such a life significantly forms us – among other things it conditions a narcissistic body culture turning body and appearance into symbolic (cultural) capital.
This means that we can return to modernist yoga culture now re-constructed as a part of a narcissistic fitness culture led by images of celebrities produced by the mass media. Not all modernist yoga styles fit into our narcissistic body culture. We have seen how meditative yoga forms have been subdued in the West. But some styles really do fit into our current mass culture like Krishnamacharva’s spiritual fitness yoga and Swami Kuvalavananda’s medical therapeutic scientific yoga. They both signify an identity of youth, health, well-being and beauty. They do not offer life-styles (like Sivananda’s yoga does) – but they can if required also deliver spirituality. These yoga styles offer a transformed body and mind charged with symbolic value: energised and yet balanced; relaxed and yet powerful; flexible and yet tough. They are so to speak offering building blocks (signs), which are easy to incorporate into our post-modern build up of self-identity. This symbolic value is exactly what many of us need in order to survive and prosper in an institutionalised and corporate style of living.
Keeping your upper back firm, tilt your head backward into Chair Pose Yoga your hands. Look up at a comfortable angle. Balance these two goals: Move back Chair Pose Yoga through the sides of your upper neck and ears. Leep the front throat open and long. Stretch up through the crown of your head. Root down through your pelvis and legs. Do not forget to breathe while you hold the pose! Return to center and release your hands down. THE THINKER Viparita [reverse] Cosmic Head Rest Purpose: To strengthen the neck flexors, which will help to free the extensors and prevent unnecessary compression.
