Concern over yoga teacher's poses at sacred sites

By The Nation

 

Levin at Prasat Pra Thepbidorn Royal Pantheon

 

A Mexican yoga teacher from Canada is being criticised for photos she posted on Instagram showing her going through yoga exercises in sacred places in Thailand, including in the Emerald Buddha Temple.

 

Andreita Levin's pictures on Instagram show that she visited Prasat Pra Thepbidorn or Royal Pantheon in Bangkok, Rong Sue Ten temple or Blue temple in the Northern province of Chiang Rai and Sukhothai Historical Park in Sukothai.

 

The photos drew criticism particularly about her posture in sacred places.

 

Some Thais have called for authorities to take action to investigate how she was able to pose in such sacred places.

 

Some foreign Instagram users however were wowed by the photos with someone praising them as stunning and awesome.

 

Levin later deleted her photos at the Royal Pantheon and Blue Temple, keeping the ones at the Sukhothai Historical Park.

 

She described herself as dance artist and pilates instructor. She wrote in her Instagram that her tour guide facilitated and convinced her to take the photos in those places.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30370334

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-05-31

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There are a lot of knickers being knotted over this girls pose. There is nothing offensive about it, IMHO. It is almost a classical Hindu position. Thai hypocrisy.

I doubt much would have been said had the poser been a Thai girl.

their rules don't like it move on..

The Thais that criticised her are no doubt shriveled up old shrews who can no longer do that as they stopped opening their legs years ago. No doubt if she did that in just about any temple in Thailand the Abbott would be straight out offering her a way to enlightenment. ????

Edited May 31, 20197 yr by geoffbezoz

Another farang behaving badly in Thailand for the netizens to trip out over.

 

I will never be able to understand Thai morality, everything a foreigner does in sacred places (even beautiful things) is condemned, if the same things are done by Thai, they are not even mentioned.

12 minutes ago, 30la said:

I will never be able to understand Thai morality, everything a foreigner does in sacred places (even beautiful things) is condemned, if the same things are done by Thai, they are not even mentioned.

That's because Thai morality is poles opposite then many other countries.  You kill somebody on the road and drag his body and you get away scot free. You run the largest network of undocumented money laundering known to man and you claim you are a Buddist Monk. Murder is a no problem option for the "haves" in Thailand, it's only if you are poor or don't have means to pay a family off you spend time in prison.  In fact accepting a payout seems be the preferred "go to" mourning methods when a driver has just run over  a member of your families head.

No its morals, but not as we know it Jim

 

It's a sad reflection of Thai life I'm afraid, but fortunately not all Thais are like that but suspect 70% are. So when it comes to complaining about visitors they should first look in the mirror.

Edited June 1, 20197 yr by geoffbezoz

Poses are actually quite tasteful, as are most shots on her insta, but damn this yoga pants are a burden on the imagination. 

 

She's beautiful af

Two problems that she didn't consider:

1. Yoga is from India, and therefore inferior to Thai Buddhism (which also originates from India, but that doesn't matter)

2. She should have mentioned to have made a monetary contribution to the temples she visited, as that is the highest form of respect possible and would have extinguished any other imagined disregard.

Yoga poses a no no.

 

Throwing your garbage on the scared grounds ok, as long as you are Thai. 

Yeap, you gotta respect the rules. I mean, they’re often made up as they go along, and cherry picked. But boy, does telling foreigners you have to respect them make you feel important and special. 

 

 

Never seen a Thai do such things in temples n sacred places in 30 years visiting n living in Thailand!!!!

selfies n photo ops yes but legs wide open to a camera No

lifting and pointing the soles of the feet towards buildings stupas places that hold sacred script and Buddha’s and around the sites Never ... is not on, wearing tight leggings into a temple ? Wrong.

posing on statues Wrong!

 

Lovely performed yoga asanas by a proper yoga teacher, as for Kru thai can only be jealous of her since they’re useless at everything they do ????????‍♂️ Sadly it’s their rules which only apply to foreigners, had it been the usual high ego Thai showing off at every occasion they get they would get away with it as in everything they do, how unjust and hypocritical this country and it’s people is beyond me ☹️ 

14 hours ago, Wilsonandson said:

Another farang behaving badly in Thailand

"her tour guide facilitated and convinced her to take the photos in those places"

TAT must be proactive to educate and warn all tour guides of potential Thai cultural issues.

If TAT is unable to effectively reach out to tour guides, then it should post signs at such sites that would enable tourists to "behave."

Probably one of the least offensive practices that I have seen at temples in Thailand. Most of them seem to just exist to provide money making opportunities with cheap tat shops, loads of food stalls, collection boxes, lottery sellers blocking your way before you can even get in. The deeds committed by the so called “monks” bring shame on the reputation of the Buddhist religion.

 

With all the scammers operating unmolested  around tourist attractions like the temples and  Grand Palace here, I think the Thai people should be cleansing their Augean stables before complaining about someone using them for photo ops.

What!!  do they think the building will fall down, I mean what exactly is going to  happen if you pose like this?? the answer is absolutely  nothing except in the minds of the idiots  complaining.

"A Mexican yoga teacher from Canada"

 

She's either Mexican or Canadian; which is it? 

 

They could possibly be suggesting the the Yoga is from Mexico but that's unlikely.

3 hours ago, 30la said:

I will never be able to understand Thai morality, everything a foreigner does in sacred places (even beautiful things) is condemned, if the same things are done by Thai, they are not even mentioned.

But its  just fine to maim and kill on the roads!

9 hours ago, samjaidee said:

"A Mexican yoga teacher from Canada"

 

She's either Mexican or Canadian; which is it? 

 

They could possibly be suggesting the the Yoga is from Mexico but that's unlikely.

No, she is teaching Mexican Yoga.

26 minutes ago, Tropposurfer said:

Never seen a Thai do such things in temples n sacred places in 30 years visiting n living in Thailand!!!!

selfies n photo ops yes but legs wide open to a camera No

lifting and pointing the soles of the feet towards buildings stupas places that hold sacred script and Buddha’s and around the sites Never ... is not on, wearing tight leggings into a temple ? Wrong.

posing on statues Wrong!

 

Complaining about nothing "wrong"!

I know I am stereotyping but many yoga teachers think their angelic smiles, burning incense, and being “followers” of Buddha makes them special. (Little do they know about culture differences when outside their bubble) 

14 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

Probably one of the least offensive practices that I have seen at temples in Thailand. Most of them seem to just exist to provide money making opportunities with cheap tat shops, loads of food stalls, collection boxes, lottery sellers blocking your way before you can even get in. The deeds committed by the so called “monks” bring shame on the reputation of the Buddhist religion.

 

With all the scammers operating unmolested  around tourist attractions like the temples and  Grand Palace here, I think the Thai people should be cleansing their Augean stables before complaining about someone using them for photo ops.

You forgot to mention gathering up flowers from statues to sell to the next busload of tourists, seen that done. 

I refused to purchase the recycled 2nd hand flowers and was informed I was disrespectful, informed the seller I had seen gathering up the flowers to recycle them, and found that disrespectful

 

Petty..people...

 

They would rather focus on social norms than their own salvation...

 

Thank god (pla put ta jow) for the liberal arts...

aren’t there enough topics to write about that the poses of a foreign yoga teacher are been criticized as if it would be a huge crime? tstststststs.....

55 minutes ago, Tropposurfer said:

Never seen a Thai do such things in temples n sacred places in 30 years visiting n living in Thailand!!!!

selfies n photo ops yes but legs wide open to a camera No

lifting and pointing the soles of the feet towards buildings stupas places that hold sacred script and Buddha’s and around the sites Never ... is not on, wearing tight leggings into a temple ? Wrong.

posing on statues Wrong!

 

Self righteous indignation, Right! 

33 minutes ago, Chazar said:

But its  just fine to maim and kill on the roads!

Ah the apples to oranges defence. Always a winner. 

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

A Mexican yoga teacher from Canada is being criticised for photos she posted on Instagram showing her going through yoga exercises in sacred places in Thailand, including in the Emerald Buddha Temple.

 

Doing things just like she was at home. 

"Wherever there is a Mexican, there is Mexico." --Former Mexican president Felipe Calderon.

One question for those criticising Thai reaction. Would you be do the same in any Christian or Muslim temple without outrage? Maybe look in the mirror first and don’t do anything you wouldn’t be able to do back home. 

5 minutes ago, Pamil said:

One question for those criticising Thai reaction. Would you be do the same in any Christian or Muslim temple without outrage? Maybe look in the mirror first and don’t do anything you wouldn’t be able to do back home. 

I wish I had flexible enough legs that I could do it. The result and outcome would be no different whether she did it in Front of Buddhist Monks, Moslem Ammans or the Archbishop of Canterbury and his underlings,  they would all try to bang her given half a chance if they could go undetected.

17 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

their rules don't like it move on..

Well done for getting this comment in so early.