Monday, October 11, 2010

Yoga Raving...


...Thursday night at the Do Yoga Philly! festival looked intense: shamanism, Jedi training, three hours of very intense asana practice with yoga legends Ray Crist, John Vitarelli, and Simon Park...and something called a blender bike...not that it stopped me taking a twenty-five mile bike ride in the gorgeous fall weather, beforehand....nearly killed me...but in a good way...

...dreamed that night about yoga...somehow ending up riding in the back of a boxy little red car with a strange blonde haired woman I’d apparently just gotten married to...feeling suddenly terrified, realizing I’d inexplicably gone off the deep end, done something quite possibly irreversible, wondering how I’d gotten myself into something like this...was sitting there about to quietly lose it when realization dawned that it was a dream......felt a peculiar sadness mixed with the relief, though, realizing whatever might have been wouldn’t, and I was never gonna to see her again once I awoke...

Fear says ‘I’ll keep you safe.’
Love says ‘you are safe.’
Mahan Rishi Singh Khalsa

...in the morning found out I was on youtube, making smoothies for the yogic multitudes...that evening went to a class with noted teacher and Yoga Journal cover model Marni Sclaroff, who talked about childhood experiences that cause us to contract...I thought that covers pretty much everything from about age seven to seventeen...then, in the past, I’ve tended to think in terms of damage....and when stuff gets damaged, sometimes all the kings horses and all the king’s men can’t even begin to put it back together again....something that contracts, on the other hand, can, with patience and effort, be inspired to open up again...

...the deeper you go, the higher you fly,
the higher you fly, the deeper you go...

John Lennon

...feel like I’m entering a new phase of the yoga practice...deeper...beyond merely looking good in my Lululemon pants*....did sixteen hours or so of yoga over the long weekend...including seven and a half on Saturday...culminating in something called avatar yoga, complete with black light, pounding yogic techno, and a roomful of people whooping it up decorated in glow-in-the-dark body paint....kinda like a yoga rave...acid without the acid....(it could be argued that, deep down, I’m still some kinda hippie freak)....(but definitely one hardcore yoga dude)...



* note: the author doesn’t actually own and has never worn a pair of Lululemon pants...he’s not even sure they make them for men...

13 comments:

Bob Weisenberg said...

Loved reading this blog, Jay. So full of life and dreams and ideas and yoga and hope and inspiration.

Bob W.

the walking man said...

If they make them will you buy them?

Brittany said...

How was the Do Yoga Philly? I was tempted to go but opted out. Regretting it now!

Melinda said...

Wow, it sounds like your intensified yoga is manifesting itself in your dreams, Jay! Although I won't be surprised if I hear that you've suddenly fallen in love with a blonde who drives a red Miata (or shall we make it a Beemer convertible?) and your at once being whisked off into yoga bliss at sunset . . .

Great, fun post, Jay--it made me smile, as your writing often does.

Take care,

Melinda

Unknown said...

That all sounds good -- very good! -- to me. Philly rocks, too.

Marne Strickland said...

What a great blog...thanks for your interesting perspective! Fun!

Eleanor said...

Lovely post Dr Jay, if you feel you've entered another dimension of yoga you probably have!

Beautiful.

Peace & love

Eleanor

Yoga classes said...

Thanks for an interesting blog on yoga.

Eleanor said...

Look forward to your next instalment!

Brooks Hall said...

Yoga raver, Dr. Jay! I hope the smoothies were good—especially after seeing that you worked so hard to make that happen. "Blender bike"—nuts!

earthtoholly said...

That was a great video, drjay, and you were moving along nicely considering the previous workouts and the *small* bike. Are you sure you didn't dream about the wicked witch...in the Wizard of Oz...on her bike? No resemblance, of course... :o)

By the way, that is a beautiful reflection shot.

Laura said...

so hardcore your scaring my Lululemon pants off me...wait....I can't afford those...ok, my pajamas...DON't picture!!!! oh my skinny, atrophied chicken legs...YUCK...well, I'm gonna be doin' PT twice a week starting today...how's that for gettin' my groove back...I'm plannin' on walking first...downdawgs...warriors...just you wait!!!! meanwhile...pt, metta in bed...and maybe some qi gong and acupuncture to add to my drug regimen (no not acid...the legal, prescribed for me and taken in the proper dosage as needed variety!)...so glad you are enjoying your life and reinvigorated by your yoga practice...I say this with genuine mudita...I am feeling joy in your joy my friend...my yoga is the off the mat variety right now...and sometimes in the bed (don't get all dirty dude...I mean I practice supine asanas when I have the energy!)...and so far so good.

gentle steps my yogi buddy...gotta check you out on youtube!!!

shikha said...

thanks for interesting blog related with yoga