Definition
Mechanism
Rajiv Malhotra pointed this “U-turn” out. [web 13]BDvid
- In the first stage, a Westerner approaches an Indian guru or tradition with extreme deference, and acquires the knowledge as a sincere disciple.
- Once the transfer of knowledge complete, the former disciple, or/and his/her followers progressively erase all traces of the original source, repackages the ideas as their own thought, and may even proceed to denigrate the source tradition.
- In the final stage, the ideas are exported back to India by the former disciple and/or his followers for consumption. Malhotra cites numerous examples to support this theory, dating from the erasure of Upanishadic and Vijnanavada Buddhist influences on Plotinus to the modern day reimportation of Christian yoga into India.
Examples
- Other pagan cultures
- Egypt - Isis cult here.
- Ayurvedic medicine
- Yoga
- (FB-CH15) “Understanding that the roots, tradition and evolution of yoga dharma are from India and are a Hindu construct both in practice and theory…practically and philosophically, is not a manner of ego or ownership. It’s not about taking away the freedom for new yogis to do whatever they want to do with it, even if it’s absolutely profane, mundane or adharmic; and it’s certainly not about taking away anyone’s livelihood. It is about recognizing the cultural, spiritual and religious contexts and history of the practice, and recognizing that without theory or philosophy, practice becomes superficial and loses it’s taste. It’s also about transparency, honesty and integrity. So let’s be real…literally real! A tree without roots doesn’t stand for very long. If yoga is a practice of cosmic as well as terrestrial truths, it will evolve in like to the way it already has in India and her cultural realm over millennia. The future of yoga in the West will mirror what it has become already in the East. You can buy some Georgia peaches and fly them to Alaska, but that doesn’t make them Alaskan peaches. Dig?”
- Meditation
- “Borrow but curse” dynamic in schisms WP2.
Motivations
- Make foreign imports feel less alien.
- Pride
Consequences
- Consider a follower of a native tradition who learns about something from an alien who has appropriated it and hidden the source. He naturally feels less proud about his own native tradition, and feels more highly about the alien culture.
- Erosion of a feeling of gratitude and sympathy towards the culture of origin.
- An example observed in the context of debates on Yoga appropriation by Americans: “From previous observations, I had gathered that American practitioners were eager to take what they want, make it their “own” and then disparage or work against Indian Hindu concerns, all the while retaining a sense of smug superiority.”