Is this yoga’s #MeToo time? Women speak out about abusive healers
Many women have fallen for the charismatic gurus who run wellbeing retreats. Now some are going public about the teachers who prey on vulnerable followers
Tsk.
Last year Tania Rose Willis, 32, met the man she thought she was going to have a family with. He was a thirtysomething British shaman, and such were his healing powers, he was considered royalty within the local spirituality community on a Spanish island. This community was united in its shared spiritual beliefs, beliefs that were rooted in shamanism, ie the practice of interacting with the spirit world for healing and guidance. To her delight, he wanted her.
“He was like, ‘I just want to be around you. I want to connect with you.’” (“Connect” is spiritual speak for getting it on.)
“I was like, ‘Oh wow, he’s chosen me. I’m so lucky,’” says Willis, a female embodiment coach from Hertfordshire, who helps women to nurture their sensuality, sexuality and body confidence.
So, he shagged her and shagged other acolytes.
Tsk.
The whole thing revolving around the fact that within the culture she was immersed in he had status. Therefore, as happens, that bloke with status gets the shags in that culture. That’s how humans work.
The King gets his pick of the aristo birds, the premiership footballer the nightclub Sharons and the Guru of the acolytes.
Shrug.
Now, the thing here is that near all previous generations of women have known this. That’s why inter-female competition is so vicious. And sure, we can say that if a bloke does this to some 12 or 13 year old then that’s very bad indeed and off to jail with you – and we do say that, even do that.
But this woman is 32. She’s had what, 10 or 15 years experience of men? She is that strong, vibrant and independent adult who gets to make her own choices, even advises other on their.
And she’s complaining that she didn’t know enough to work out that socially dominant men will go for the totty?
We might have to rethink this vote thing you know. Possibly even the letting them out of the seraglio.
“Wait a minute, that guy who looks like Russell Brand wants to have SEX with me!” – Women, nature’s keenest detectives
He wasn’t interested in my chakras, he was interested in my BOOBS!
Quite hilarious, even once you get past the fact that the pre-Raphaelite wannabe is a female embodiment coach.
The true comedy gold is in the “posed by model” photo of what the shagging shaman might have looked like.
Incidentally don’t worry about Tania Rose. In 10 years time (a.k.a. almost certainly too late to start that family she professes to want) she will be travelling around Goa spiritually connecting with anything in trousers.
“The King gets his pick of the aristo birds…”
What, a crumpled late-middle aged smoker who’s been done by loads of thick cavalry officers? I’d rather go the shamanic route, please.
Sam – I mean this most solemnly: if King Charles smoked grass, he’d be a lot happier and better adjusted.
It’s that painful awkwardness of his. People find it hard to warm to introverts. Must be a horrible curse, being so self-conscious in a job that requires you to talk to strangers all the time. A couple of fly puffs in the royal smoking shed would see him right and calm his anxiety.
Anyway, God save the King, and us too.
By ‘vulnerable’ do they mean ‘thick’?
BTW our Charlie ploughed his way through teams of top notch totty in his younger days.