Saturday, June 16, 2012

The Only Living Yoga Cynic in New York...or, the Yoga Cynic Meets Dharma Mittra

Half of the time we’re gone but we don’t know where,
We don’t know where...
Paul Simon, The Only Living Boy in New York

...always found Manhattan kind of intimidating...so big, so uptight, arrogant, and loud, so much flagrant wealth and power, so many people so driven, so ambitious and competitive...ain’tchoohungry for success success success success...

...I like to get out on the rich-but-still-incessantly-hungry streets and just walk...


...walked the High Line...lovely, artistic, and green in a post-apocalyptic sorta way...from 14th to 23rd, then headed in past 6th to get to the Master Sadhana yoga class at noon...finding a room full of hardcore New York yogis relaxing with feet behind their heads...if you can reach enlightenment theeeere, you can reach it anywheeeere....and just sat their doing my usual neck rolls, feeling even more intimidated, thinking the famous yoga master we were waiting for was gonna make organic vegan mincemeat outta me...

 ...(gotta admit, when I’ve encountered yoga bigwigs, they’ve been awesome, but, in the area of actually overcoming the ego, have seemed, if anything, generally a step or two behind the rest of us)...

 ...until this unassuming, gentle, and totally unpretentious older dude I barely noticed ‘til he was up at the front of the room started the class...making jokes in a heavy accent, smiling at the little kids running around the room (the kinda thing that drives me nuts, trying to teach yoga at the homeless shelter, but which seemed to be perfectly welcome, here)...as well as giving time to my generally neglected inability to fully relax, the hands that won't fully unclench in savasana...reminding me that, despite all that fast-forward-moving energy down in the streets, the path leads to where I already am, wherever that might be...

4 comments:

patti said...

This post reminds me that we are all on a path and that your lovely yoga man is enjoying every step!

earthtoholly said...

Hi drjay...long time, no visit by me.

At first I thought you and W may've passed each other (he's in NY), but looked up the High Line (I hadn't heard of it) and see that you were further north--he's near the Manhattan Bridge. He loves walking NY, too.

So glad you were pleasantly surprised by the "famous yoga master." Sometimes the things we dread most turn out to be the least dreadful.

timethief said...

I'm a cynic too and have avoided contact with all gurus for decades ... lol :D However, I have met a wise teacher or two and sat at their feet for awhile. The thought of visiting New York is off-putting to me as I'm so attached to country living. Love and peace, TT

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