Sunday, March 15, 2009

Questions to Meditate On...Or Not...


This is the third Yoga for Cynics post in the past week or so that’s featured the word not prominently in the title—could my need for this yoga retreat in Mexico thingy be any more stark?

In the immortal words of Neil Young: tell me why is it hard to make arrangements with yourself when you’re old enough to re-paint but young enough to sell?

What the hell does that mean?

Before Mexico, I’m taking a shorter trip...to New York City....could anything be more appropriate before a yoga retreat than a visit to the world capital of angst?

In the words of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards: work and work for love and sex, ain’t you hungry for success success success success? Does it matter?

Are Mick Jagger and Keith Richards people you'd normally turn to for a critique of materialism?

Is to be or not to be really the question?

Why is a person with love considered a loser in tennis?

Is it possible to snort crystal meth mindfully?

Do you think there are people who fantasize about masturbation during sex?

Written in a shelter register on the Appalachian Trail in a very wet month of May, 1992: if April showers bring May flowers, what do May showers bring?

In the words of a guy named “Rudi” in Stephen Cope’s The Wisdom of Yoga: in the end, we all have to write our own scriptures, don’t we?

14 comments:

3L said...

"Is it possible to snort crystal meth mindfully?" LOL

Thank you for another honest and down to earth post.

Anonymous said...

Old enough to Repaint--

Old enough to remake oneself

Young enough to sell--Still got the Mojo.

:)

Yes I think we do write our own Scriptures. Or steal them.

TheRiverWanders said...

I've pondered your questions and have some potential answers.

1. "What the hell does that mean?" - it means you're not drunk enough.

2. Mick and Keith have a good perspective on materialism; I think they were born before it was invented.

3. *To be or not to be* may or may not be the question.

4. If one has love in tennis, clearly the competitive edge has been lost.

5. It is possible to do anything mindfully. After crystal meth, though, no telling where the mind will go.

6. I think it's possible to fantasize about anything - anytime, anywhere.

7. May showers bring wet June brides.

8. Yep.

Anonymous said...

I think your final quote sums up the rest. All that went before were writing their own scriptures. If one could only work out who were the dazed and confused at the time of writing, or completely within one's wits? Lol!

The Buddhist Conservative said...

I am grateful for the clear insights you offer with your blog. :)

I have been too wrapped up with life the last month to comment but appreciate the thought cycles your writing places me on.

Enjoy your retreat and remember that tennis is for those who can't sit quietly anyway.

Namaste

Anonymous said...

In the time honoured tradition of responding to a question(s) with a question(s):

** When your trash is someone else's treasure, what happens to that thing once it eventually becomes that person's trash, too?

** Do all such items participate in a never-ending cycle of trash/treasure til their eventual decline in structure prompts them to be firmly placed in the trash and never ever again reclaimed as treasure? Or... not?

** There's probably a cookie in every batch that never quite gets eaten as a cookie. Its only ever consumed as dough. Does the cookie feel like it never reached its potential?

** If we are only manifestations, moment to moment, fluctuating in and out of being, how do we know where to reform when we're on a plane travelling at very high speeds? We must be cleverer than we realise...

** The phrase pull yourself together never really made sense to me. But that's before I considered its possible other meanings... still not sure it makes sense though?

As you know, I'm gonna miss you terribly while you're away, good friend. :)

RB said...

Mick Jagger has become a parody of himself. My favorite line from that song is still, "I can't give it away on 7th avenue." Of course, now that Times Square has become Disney World Junior, it's less preposterous.

Once I got into Keith Richards cab and he held the door open for me. Only a total materialist would exhibit that kind of chivalry, I think.

New York York: You should take a yoga class while you're here. This there's thing I like to call, "New York Yoga" embodied by the mantra: "My-yoga-shirt-cost-90-dollars-and I-held-my-handstand-for-longer-than you. Om."

Anonymous said...

Believe it or not--I knew one very twisted soul who actually did snort crystal meth mindfully (I know--leave it to me).

Hey--Have a great time in New York City--one of my favorite places on earth. It's dirty, crowded, smelly--but it is also the pulse of the universe if you ask me.

And how wonderful you are going to Mexico--one of my favorite vay-cay places. Enjoy both the trips--what a yin and yang they are!

Melinda

bereweber said...

buena suerte en México
y
good luck in New York

great rock 'quotes'

receive an abrazo and a hug, do many downward facing dogs ;)

Eco Yogini said...

Nice! This is a fun space :)
I also knew someone who tried to do crystal meth AND mesculine mindfully- he proclaimed that it made him more connected and helped with his philosophy degree. Strangely he is actually doing very well, married with kids and finishing a PhD. Weird. I don't think he's still doing drugs. I don't think. lol.

Thanks very much for your comment on my blog- I agree with you, I think that there are people out there that must need that kind of rigidity in yoga. I for one would also do much better with a flowy, creative and supportive teacher.

I will be visiting here often :)
Lisa

Anonymous said...

"Why is a person with love considered a loser in tennis?"

When my fiancé is kicking my butt at tennis, he likes to say "at least you still have love" to make me feel better. It does make me smile. And reminds me that scores and games don't matter when you have love. :)

~ Kristi

Anonymous said...

Hi drjay...

Speaking of NY, reminds me of someone on the forums asking for suggestions on the top three things to do while in NY. W said, "Tell him to go to the top of the Brooklyn Bridge and turn right and that'll take care of the other two." I did tell him and he actually liked it, although he didn't take the advice as I've seen him around since... Just thought that was funny... Anyway, don't do that as we're already missing you terribly and taking such a right turn would be so, uh, permanent!

bereweber said...

i must agree with earthtoholly
when i was in NYC for the 2nd time i decided to cross the Brooklyn Bridge walking, it is one of the best walks i have had in my life! beautiful breathtaking landscape, the people you come across... and nothing better than to take a break in lovely Brooklyn's Prospect Park...

& take your Paul Auster book with you (the quintessential New York writer, to my taste)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Auster

Lana Gramlich said...

What if there were no rhetorical questions?