Chocolate, Beer, and YOGA?

Last night, I taught a great yoga class...we all worked really hard, and Bill Mead played some amazing percussive music for us during practice. We were all sweaty, and it was the beginning of the weekend for me. We had some beer left over from a party that was held at The Fierce Club a couple of nights before in the fridge; so I offered it, along with some post-yoga chocolate to my students.

The reaction was interesting.

"That seems so un-yogic. Chocolate and beer..." was the general response from some of the hardcore yogis. While this response was tongue-in-cheek, it spoke to me. I got it. Many people believe yoga means no fun. No life. Just rigorous exercise, sitting quietly in lotus position, and drinking kamboucha and wheat grass juice.

There are so many ideas about what yoga is, and isn't. Many Jivamukti yogis will tell you that if you aren't vegetarian, (they don't even use the word vegan--it's all or nothing with them), you aren't doing yoga; you're simply performing asanas (poses). The whole vegetarian controversy--and it's definitely a controversial subject in the yoga world--deserves, and will receive its own entry one of these days.

Other yoga teachers say that because most of the teachers I work with use English rather than Sanskrit names of the poses, we're not providing a true yogic experience. Sorry, but I'd rather my students know what I'm talking about. I don't speak in Sanskrit during my every day life, and neither do my students. We're not from India. I personally find it offensive when yoga teachers use the Indian origins of yoga to intimidate their students and shroud yoga in a cloak of mystery, so that they can persuade their students that they have the real "scoop" on yoga.

I worked around a lot people at my last job who were only attracted to the "mystical," "higher" aspects of yoga, but most of these people, (many of whom were long-time devotees of this or that swami,) were morally bankrupt--with little respect for their co-workers, students, or anyone outside of themselves. This isn't to say that sincere seekers are morally lacking...just that many of the ones who make a big show of how "spiritual" they are---it's just that--a show.

If your yoga teacher walks around with a big smile of mystical self-satisfaction on their face, and talks about life-changing trips to India, and how people in this country are not as spiritual, or other such nonsense, and don't practice yoga because they're not doing it the way it's done in India, well...I think I'd be on the lookout for a yoga teacher who can teach you how to bloom where you're planted. The last time I checked, most New York City yoga students live in New York City, not India, and it's my strong belief that the practices should be adapted to fit the demands of New York City. There is no one way. There is no one place that has a monopoly on yoga, and there are many teachers who will lead you down some interesting paths. Just make sure your teacher is interested in actually helping you, rather than promoting a personal agenda that ends up only gratifying the teacher.

In yoga, we strive for balance. So if you want to have a little beer once in a while, or enjoy a piece of chocolate, and you don't have a problem with it, I don't have a problem with it. I think we're given physical bodies in order to experience physical sensations, and to get a taste of paradise right where we are. The key is moderation, balance. I'm not training monks. I'm hoping to help you find joy and balance in your life, here and now, right where you are.

There are very few real yoga scholars in the world. The philosophy of yoga is so vast, so huge, that there are very few people who know anything about it. There are very few real "swamis."

One respected yoga scholar recently told a friend of mine that almost every yoga teacher is an "amateur" as far as the knowledge of of yogic philosophy goes. There's so much to absorb that it's practically impossible for most people to read it.

So don't come into yoga with a lot of preconceived notions about what it is. The best yoga teacher you can find is your own practice. You will learn what's right for you. You will go deeply into your self, and learn to shine brightly from the depth of your being. When you're shining like that, from a deep place of self-knowledge, you can make the world better just by being around.

Honor Your Gifts.

Anyone see Whitney Houston the other day on Good Morning America? Wow. So sad to me, where she is now, and how she wound up there.

I was never a Whitney Houston fan, but that VOICE, it was something! I could appreciate it for the thing of sheer beauty that it was. I remember as a kid actually being moved to tears by the perfection of her instrument, and the control she had over it--all that power, all that clarity, those crystalline notes, and it was just there; it seemed to come so easily to her...the creation of beauty. I know so many people who would have killed to have that voice.

It's not there anymore. A lot of people are saying that Whitney lost her voice because she got older. I would refer them to Cyndi Lauper, who is almost ten years older than Whitney--her voice, always regarded by critics as one of the strongest in rock, has gotten even better as she's gotten older. She's stronger, clearer, and more powerful...she's also more elegant in her phrasing, and more expressive in her delivery. She's still hitting those high notes, too, and her latest cd was pretty amazing by any standard.

I think it's a matter of honoring your talent. We're born with talent and gifts that make us unique. While most of us do not have the gift of a voice like Whitney, or Cyndi, or Adam Lambert, we all have things at which we excel. I think we have a responsibility to our gifts.

We have these gifts because we are supposed to use them, and make a gift of them to others.
Whitney Houston was meant to belt out The Star Spangled Banner, and inspire millions with thoughts of patriotism. She was meant to sing those sweet love songs. She was meant to age gracefully, and become a legendary old-school icon in her old age, and to be joyfully sharing her music with the world for many years. Cyndi Lauper was meant to tell a generation of women to get some fun, some life for themselves. She was menat to become an artistic voice for the disenfranchised...the drag queens, the gay kids, and all the people who look to her now as an inspiration. She's using her gift to make positive changes, working on opening a group home for gay and transgendered kids, and singing out against oppression.

Whitney, well, she made her own choices.

Drug abuse is never a good choice. It's physically damaging, not to mention what it does to your self-esteem, your family, and your loved ones. Yep, I know people become addicted to drugs. I was addicted to one of the most addictive drugs, tobacco, for many years. I have a different voice now because I smoked for so long. I made a really dumb choice once when I decided to smoke, and repeated the choice because I became addicted. I stopped smoking, but I know I chose unwisely.

Whitney's gift, because of some poor choices, is gone. She says she's stopped using drugs. I hope she has.

Yep, she has a "comeback" album. I decided to listen to it after her really sad performance on GMA. While better than what she managed to do live, (blaming her poor performance on talking to much while being interviewed by Oprah,) it sounds pretty generic, vocally. The voice could belong to any number of singers. And from many people, it would be a pretty good cd. For Whitney, it sucks. She sounds old, and tired. She's no longer an ingenue. But she's not ready for the old folk's home, either. She should still be singing beautifully at 46. She should be in her "leading lady" phase right now. Listen to other "divas" her age and older. The ones that cared enough to take care. They have honored their gifts, and they have voices to show for that honor.

Whitney lost her clarity, her sparkle.

I'd like to challenge each one of you to honor what makes you special. To treat what you're doing as if it matters. To remember that what you're given is precious, and part of your dharma is to share that gift with the world. You have the power to make the world better. Your responsibility to your gift is awesome-it's basically a responsibility to the world. You're supposed to shine your light out for everyone to see...to make your contribution. If you have a gift, honor it. Commit to nourish yourself. Eat well. Get rest. Have fun, but remember to take care of what you're given. Drink water. Do yoga. Make choices that empower you. Kick the rest to the curb.

Your Joy!

I just saw a video on YouTube that rocked my face off, as my friend Brooke used to say.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8DCt3Lmi28&feature=related

Apparently, a lot of people have already seen it, so you might be one of them. If so, I apologize.

I've been thinking about weddings a lot lately, so when my friend Jody just told me to watch this video, I got inspired to write down my thoughts.

I've been to exactly two weddings in my life that were joyous. I've always wondered why, on what is supposed to be one of the happiest days of a person's life, the ceremony accompanying the happy day is usually so solemn, staid, and stuffy. It never feels like a happy day, especially to the guests. It just feels like something you have to do because your friend, brother, ex-girlfriend, sister, cousin, of boyfriend's brother, etc...is getting hitched. Weddings tend to feel like a chore.

So after seeing this video, I realized that when and if I ever get married, I want it to be like that.

I want people laughing, dancing, wearing sunglasses, throwing flowers, drinking champagne, and toasting me and mine from the beginning of the ceremony to the end of the reception.

If I get married, it's going to be because I am so in love, and so happy about it, that I want everyone I know to come and share in that happiness. I don't want anyone to stress out, or be put out, or worried about my day. I don't want anyone to be worried about buying new clothes, or getting me the right gift...I want a throwdown style party. No solemn music. No tears, unless they are from happiness and laughter.

Of course, right now, I don't have the option of getting married because some people believe that my love and commitment is less meaningful than theirs. Hopefully that will be changing soon. I'm in the mood for a party!

Something new.

I have a bad knee. (Just saying that makes me feel like an old man. The knee hurts when it rains, and sometimes, I can tell when it's going to rain.) I took a yoga class several years ago at a studio that shall remain nameless--actually, no, whatever, it was at Jivamukti. In the class they kept doing Warrior Ones, and urging me to square my hips forward. I'm often called out in yoga classes for NOT squaring the hips. The instructor in this particular class came over and squared my hips for me. As soon as she did this, I felt incredible, ripping pain in my left knee...which has bothered me on and off for years. I understand the idea of why they did it. Classically, in Warrior One, the hips are squared to the front of the mat.

It's interesting that so many teachers have hung on to this instruction, even though it completely twists the back knee out of healthy alignment. Just because it's been done for years and years, doesn't make something good, and just because something is new, doesn't make something incorrect.

In Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga, which is what I've trained in, and what I teach, we allow the hips to be at an angle in this pose. This keeps you from twisting the back knee in an unhealthy manner, and damaging the sensitive knee joints. Try it, it feels much more natural, and if you twist the upper body and square the heart forward while you pull your low belly in, you're also getting a great, healthy upper body twist that allows some deep core work. Try it this way. Your knees will thank you!

Something that move me today.

Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle.

The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours.

Ayn Rand

Yeah. Truth in that.

Showing Up.

Hillary Clinton recently made a comment that I loved. "Showing up isn't all of life, but it counts for a lot." So smart, so true, from a woman I really admire.

I think about it in relation to yoga practice. Just to get yourself off the couch, and into the studio, on the mat...it's that initial effort that matters so much.

I remember quite well my first trip to a yoga class in Manhattan.

I definitely didn't want to go. I was in a routine of doing my yoga practice at home, with my Bryan Kest Power Yoga video (this was 2000, so VHS was still in wide use.) I loved the independence of being on my mat, stopping when I got tired, skipping out on a savasana here and there if I had other stuff to do, and working out hard when I wanted to. But my hand was forced, and because I was physically dragged into Sal Anthony's Movement Salon, I met a woman who would literally change my life--or at least inspire me to change my life!

Thank God that when I walked into the studio, the teacher looked cool-not hippie-ish, which would have turned me right off...and she wasn't speaking in overly reverent, hushed tones, either. She was wearing black tights, a black tank, and a really pretty, long black cardigan. Her red hair was short, spiky, and sexy, and she wore lots of black eyeliner as well as a cool pair of black glasses. She smiled in a way that lit up the room, walked right over to me, stuck out her hand, and said, "Hi, I'm Sadie," in a way that made me immediately want to listen to her. I trusted her handshake, and knew that I would be coming back to her class. She made me feel that my effort to show up would be rewarded.

The effort was rewarded, to say the least. I immediately learned that I had been doing downward dog completely wrong, and that I was also not as strong in my core as I should have been, I was letting my arms and legs do all the work in the poses. I began transforming my yoga practice in the first 5 seconds of that class, and under Sadie's patient guidance, over the course over the better part of a decade, I have developed physical strength and flexibility, as well as the ability to look within, rely on myself, and make decisions that serve me well.

I stopped working so hard to please everyone, and I learned how to say no to things that weren't helping me shine....I also learned about giving from the heart. I learned that a true gift to others involves working on the self...when you're happy, and feeling energized, strong, and calm, you can give so much more to others. I learned how to draw inside, and mean it when I offer out.

I became a yoga teacher with the goal of helping other people find their brightest light, and shine it out. I became a Reiki practitioner, again because Sadie introduced me to someone who would be another major teacher in my life.

None of this would have happened if I had stayed at home and practiced with my excellent Bryan Kest tape. Now Bryan Kest is a hero of mine. He has a yoga studio in Santa Monica that is run entirely on a donation basis. It's the most incredibly sharing thing I can think of. I think he's an amazing teacher, and an incredible man.

But practicing at home with the tv on doesn't allow for the kind of interaction you get in a classroom setting. Using a dvd is fine in a pinch, and I think a lot can be gained from yoga dvds, and youtube. But that life-changing, earth-shattering connection I made with someone who has become a guru for me, that came because someone shook me out of my comfort zone, challenged me to go to a class, and because I made the decision to show up.

When it came out as a dvd, I bought Bryan's Power Yoga video again. I still use it a lot. But when I start to feel lazy, and think it might be fun to take some time off, and skip class, I remember Derek Milman taking me to Sadie Nardini's class at The Movement Salon.

I think about how I probably would never have been inspired to teach yoga, or learn Reiki, or change my life. I think about how much self-confidence I gained through my yoga practice with Sadie. I think about how much stronger I am now, both physically and emotionally, and I think about how, because I got up, got off the couch, and went to class one hot summer afternoon, I found a new calling, new confidence, and a new career that truly allows me to share my love for yoga, and hopefully help people. Not to mention a great teacher and a wonderful friend in Sadie Nardini.

Showing up. It's not everything. But it sure can take you a long way.

Get on the mat. Come to the Fierce Club. Go for a walk. Say yes to something you truly want to do. Do something a little scary. Take a chance. Live a little! Hell, why not live a lot?

This Won't Win Me Many Fans.

A friend of mine posted an article on Facebook today that was pretty critical of Oprah. I liked it. I thought the article was pretty interesting, and though it's probably flying in the face of wisdom to say this-had some very good points. Basically, the idea talked about Oprah's choice of "experts" when people come on to present ideas that may directly impact people's health. The majority of the article referred to Suzanne Somers and her ideas about hormone replacement therapy. For those of you who don't know, or won't believe this, Suzanne Somers has now styled herself as an expert of menopause, and is giving medical advice, claiming to use natural ways of rejuvenating herself through some controversial therapies. Yep, Chrissy Snow from Three's Company.

I've always felt two ways about Oprah. On the one hand, she was amazing in The Color Purple. She also has constantly brought things that interest me into the light on her show. I remember seeing Shirley Maclaine talking about chakras on the Oprah show so long ago, I'm embarrassed to say. I remember her having topics on her show that were uplifting, and I always think of her as someone who generally takes the high road.

I've also thought she oversteps her bounds, and uses her influence to promote ideas that are not necessarily beneficial. She probably does think she's helping people, but many times, I just think she comes across looking stupid, and easily influenced, as well as prejudicial against the "establishment." Which is fine. I'm not necessarily someone who agrees with everything that comes out of a doctor's mouth just because it's coming out of a doctor's mouth, and I really HATE to take prescription drugs. I also believe there is a mind/soul/body connection, and that attitude, faith, and more practical things like healthy diet have a lot more to do with your wellness than most medicine does.

But, I digress. Oprah. Wielding her endorsement like a sword. "Read this book. Vote for this man. Don't get vaccinated. Shoot hormones into your vagina. Don't worry about what your Doctor may say. I do. Suzanne Summers does it, and look at us! We're awesome! Yep, I have a doctor on my show, but conveniently, he doesn't really usually disagree with my guests."

So. Basically, before you take medical advice from a talk-show host, why don't you check with a doctor? Why don't you use common sense and ask someone who has actually studied medicine, and biology? A doctor who doesn't have her interest in getting her own tv show produced by Oprah at stake? And then form your own opinions.

I'm NEVER one to take things at face value. I have some of my own ideas that run contrary to western medicine. But I keep them to myself. I'm not willing to put anyone else's life or health at risk for my benefit.

I've also seen a lot of people take responsibility for their own well-being and accomplish miracles. But again, that is a choice that is right for some people, not all people. Do what works for you.

Don't hate me. Think for yourself. Don't let Oprah do all your thinking for you. She's awesome and all, but she is as prone to mistakes as the rest of us. Ask yourself if you're really ready to trust Oprah and Suzanne Somers with the well-being of your physical body???

Don't hate me, ya'll. Just trying to keep it real.

See below:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/183842

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REVERSE IT!

One of my favorite yoga poses is "Reverse Warrior." It's an interesting pose because you really work in two very different directions. In life, as in yoga, we often find ourselves with opposing priorities, and sometimes even opposing, contradictory views. What I've found, and what Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga teaches, is that when we are pulled in different directions, it's important

to remember our center, and to work on expressing from there.

In "Reverse Warrior," you start from Warrior Two. That is, you start from a lunge position, with the back foot flat on the floor, and the front toes and knee pointing in the same direction...straight in front of you. The knee should be over the ankle, or close. The back thigh is pressing back, the front knee resists the urge to turn in, but tracks along with the third toe---straight ahead. The torso is centered over the hips, and the sides of the torso are long.

The pelvic floor (everything below your belly button,) is lifted. Core Strength Vinyasa Yogis like to pull the naval in and up a little bit, and press the lower ribs back towards the spine. We then lift the heart, and relax the shoulders down away from the ears, and the arms extend out from the shoulders. Your gaze is right over the middle finger of your front hand...the one that corresponds to your lunging knee.

We're still just in Warrior Two. To go to Reverse Warrior, You take that front hand, and begin to reach it back, over your ear, and let your back hand slide down your back leg, which stretches the side body. What always happens in the pose is that the lunging leg begins to straighten, and we go out of the lunge...coming back towards a straight leg in front. I have to constantly remind myself and my students that just because we are reaching back, we don't have to let go of the forward direction in the front leg. If you can get that front leg to a 90 degree angle, and hold it there as you reach your front hand over your top ear...that's pretty cool and a beautiful pose.

You'll most likely find at this point, that while your reaching forward with your knee, and backward with your hand, you've lost your center, and your pelvis has left the building. So take a second to find center again. Lift that pelvic floor up, and re-engage your belly and low ribs. You'll then have a longer, more powerfully supported reverse warrior. Take a few deep breaths, long inhales and exhales. Lift your torso back to warrior two on an exhale, and take a few breaths there. That's working from your center.

In life, it's the same deal. When you're feeling pulled in opposite directions, you should always take a second to re-engage your center. What are your core beliefs and values? What do you hold up as an ultimate truth? When you're coming from that place, and reminding yourself of that, you get an innate sense of which direction to adjust, where to back off, and where to reach forward. It's a powerful thing to remember, and a wonderful thing to practice.

Milk and Honey

I'm going to Milk and Honey tonight. I haven't been in a really long time, but I remember liking it and hating it simultaneously. For those of you who don't live in NYC, or just don't know what Milk and Honey is--it's a really small, really quiet bar. You have to make reservations, and once there, you have to mind your manners. There are rules. Men can't talk to women unless the women speak to them first...etc. The best, and funniest rule, is that you can't talk about fighting.

I wonder how they came up with this rule. Was there a long boxing discussion one night that got really boring? Or is it more about fights that the customers might have been involved in, or wanted to be involved in. I wonder what will happen if I say that my yoga class tonight kicked someone's ass---will that be enough of an oblique reference to fighting to get me reprimanded?

The other thing I remember loving about the place is that they make their own ginger ale. Awesome. The only music when I was last there, came from a tiny little boom box. I don't even think there was an ipod in the place.

Something about this enforced quiet, the regulated manners---well, it just makes me happy. I know that while I'm there, nobody is going to do anything rude. I'm not going to hear any douchebaggy conversations. That's pretty cool.

When You're Pissed-Where Does the Yoga Go?

It's always interesting to me, as someone who considers himself a yogi, that my bad temper has not gone away. You'd think with all the deep breathing, the commitment to react less, the helping people learn to unlock their inner teacher, and re-discover their radiance, that everything would be great, and I'd never get mad. That's what I thought that when I started practicing yoga seriously.

There are a lot of misconceptions about what yoga does, and what you must do in order to practice it. One thing people seem to think is that when you start doing yoga, you miraculously become a magical person---not angry, calm every moment of the day, and completely non-reactive. Well, not necessarily true-and in my case, far from the truth.

I get ANGRY. I always have. It's something I've always struggled with. I used to scream and yell a lot. I called people horrible names, and made people cry. Once, when I was about 6 years old, I got mad at some kid who was picking on my brother, and grabbed him and knocked his head into a tree a few times. He didn't pick on my brother anymore, and I got into a lot of trouble. The thing was, that lashing out, it didn't make me feel good at all. It just made me more angry, and then it made me feel really bad later.

I haven't hit anyone in a really long time....decades, but the urge visits often. I did throw a small bottle of oregano at someone a few years ago...but at their midsection, not their face....so I don't feel too bad about it...and yeah, they probably deserved to have a little oregano bottle chunked their way, come to think of it.

The point is, I had the urge to throw a bottle today, or maybe smash one on the ground or call someone a nasty name. I didn't, obviously. I know that would be totally pointless. Instead, I'm spending some time thinking about what really caused my anger, and trying to transform the anger into positive action. That's one thing yoga can teach you.

Usually, when I get mad these days, I don't try to get even. I try to improve my situation...analyze what happened, why it pissed me off, and what I can do to make myself feel better about the situation, or how I can work to change it.

It's about bramacharya (a Sanskrit word often interpreted as meaning celibacy, but that can actually mean restraint of energy.) When you practice a retention, a hugging in...it offers you time to reflect. Instead of going to the person who pissed me off and hitting them, or calling them a "scumbag" or "motherfu**er," I'll talk to them when I'm ready. When I'm calmer, more in control of my emotions. I'll take a moment to save my own ass, their feelings, and to prevent loss of control.

So yeah, yoga might not save you from ever getting mad, but it might remind you to control your actions, to be bigger than the person who makes you angry, to hold your tongue, or to work for change.

Anger might be actually considered a positive force, or at least the inspiration for change. We'll talk about it more.

Inspiration for my last tattoo.

As large as this ether (all space) is, so large is that ether within the heart. Both heaven and earth are contained within it, both fire and air, both sun and moon, both lightning and stars; and whatever there is of him (the Self) here in the world, and whatever is not (i. e. whatever has been or will be), all that is contained within it.

Love Comes In Many Forms

I was thinking about love stories, romances. These are some of my favorites,
and some that are definitely worth checking out if you haven't seen them.

Some Unusual and Spectacular Movies About Love:

1. Harold and Maude-Dark, funny, improbable, and perfect. Human, messy, and inspiring, while remaining completely twisted.

2. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg-My vote for one of the most romantic and beautiful movie musicals ever.

3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button-Just saw it. It's damn near perfect. Was prepared to hate it, but it really surprised and moved me.

4. The Color Purple-Love of self, love of family, love of forgiveness, self-discovery, revenge, empowerment, love of god, discovery of god within every bit of creation. It's a movie about yoga.

5. Auntie Mame-A great love story between a boy and his aunt. Sweet, funny, and inspiring.

6. Shelter-Just watch it. Sexy, romantic, and sweet. We find families where we least expect to.

7. The Object of My Affection-Relationship between gay man and his best girl explored in a way that is true to life, hilarious, and sad.

8. Beautiful Thing-Just perfect. This is what falling should feel like.

9. Away from Her-Growing old together explored with a brutal honesty...it stays with you.

10. Frida-A woman in love with art, life, and her man. Stunning visually, and totally inspirational.

The Law of Atraction, Bliss Versus Joy, and Jack Daniels fueled Makeout Sessions.

I came across something interesting in a book a friend of mine gave me the other day.

The book, first of all, is not something I would normally pick up, it's about "The Law of Attraction." Basically, for anyone who doesn't know, the Law of Attraction states that like attracts like...If you're thinking good thoughts, you reach a certain levelof vibration that brings good stuff to you. Ok. I'm sure anyone who would read this blog has seen "The Secret," or at least heard of it, but I've always actually believed in this theory, or law, or maxim. I don't see how anyone who goes around complaining, bitching, and griping constantly can bring or allow anything good to happen. If something good should come their way, they are certain to find something equally distressing or upsetting going on, and turn their attention towards that.

So I think that yes, the "law of attraction" makes sense on a lot of levels, that the more you think of or expect a good outcome, the better off things tend to go, or at least, the better your perception of things will be.

So what I was read had to do with the "law" on one level, and with the way I perceive things on another...and it made me think about how much the expression of an idea can affect the way the idea is perceived.

You've probably heard that Joseph Campbell famously said "Follow your bliss." I've always heard it, and always thought it was a dangerous statement. What if one's bliss is let's just say, having 7 or 8 Jack and Cokes, getting completely wasted, and making out with a strange guitar player in the bathroom at Don Hill's? It sounds fun on some kind of rock star on a bender hypothetical level, but not necessarily good for either party. But if one is following her bliss, shouldn't that be ok? If one is thinking positive thoughts, it will all work out fine, right? Something about Campbell's phrase made me feel queasy, and I've never uttered that sentence because of it. It sounds like a slippery slope to me.

In The Attraction Distraction, by Sonia M. Miller, Miller says that following your bliss means "letting that which brings you joy lead you." It's a great statement, at least to me, because joy...that's a word that brings images of something quite a bit different to mind...at least for me. Somehow, to me, "bliss" implies a loss of the senses, a melting into some kind of gooey, watery abandon, and surrender of the will to a point where anything goes. In my mind, you can trust that something that brings you joy is working for your good, and instead of blindly following something, you are allowing yourself to be led, and guided somewhere. And the guidance, really, is coming from you, from what brings you joy.

So if I think about the things that bring me joy--teaching or practicing yoga, hanging with my seven year old niece, cooking the random fancy dinner, being with loved ones, and yes, the occasional (or frequent) make-out session with the one I love, as many horror movies as I can stand, and writing--basically most creative endeavors seem to elevate the joy factor... I think I'm doing things that definitely keep my vibration high, and keep my soul feeling good--feeling able to attract more nourishing possibilities, more amazing opportunities, and more abundant experiences.

Think about things that bring you joy. When was the last time you were led by joy? When is the last time you allowed yourself to be guided by the things that make you sing inside? Are you moving towards joy? When you do, you move towards your highest good. These good feelings engender more good feelings, and when you are at that level of joy, of true good vibrations, there is nothing that can stop you. You are, at that point, connected to the cosmic, the eternal. You began to be aware of this connection, and to remember that, underneath it all, everything is made of the same energy, and to me, that is the essence of joy--the destruction of the illusion of separation.

So, long post short, joy sounds better to me than bliss. Being led by joy sounds more sound than following some bliss. It can sometimes be in the turn of a phrase that alignment with a principle is discovered, and something you once thought meaningless can develop into a profound truth.

Bea Arthur--Why I'm a Golden Girls Geek.

I was at the studio today, when I got a phone call... "Baby, I have some sad news." It could have been anything-my dog has gotten old and sick, a couple of family members are ill, so I braced myself.

It was something I had just thought about this week. Bea Arthur died. I don't know
why, but I always thought that Bea was indestructible--when I went to see her show
a few years ago, onstage she seemed so alive, so vital, and though in her eighties, so strong.
This week, though, I was watching The Golden Girls, and thinking..."it's so sad, but
another one will probably die soon."

One of my favorite professors at Auburn told us if we ever wanted to learn about comedy, we should study her. I guess that's when I started getting obsessed. I watched everything she had
done one summer, and then The Golden Girls every day with two great friends the last year
of grad school--two in a row, each afternoon on Lifetime. The three of us, Neal, Joe, and myself, would watch the show, and laugh hysterically, especially at Bea's sarcastic wit. Joe
would practice her stinging gaze...we called it "the Bea," or "getting Bea'd."

I bonded with another great friend over a mutual admiration/love for Bea--David. I remember calling David long distance from Florida when a great episode of "the girls" would come on...we both loved the one where Dorothy comes out of her shell and sings at the Rusty Anchor...much to Blanche's dismay.

We always joked that Bea should have her own one woman show-and that it should be called "Beadazzled!" We were so excited when it was announced that there was indeed going to be a
Bea Arthur show...and not at all surprised to find each other in Nyack, NY on the same Sunday afternoon for a performance of the hilarious, touching, and rather filthy show.

As my friend Michelle Barge said today....she was the "original Fierce." She was. She was fierce, funny, independent, talented, sharp, and...intelligent beyond measure.

After seeing her show, some of us made our way around to the back of the theatre to hopefully get a pic, or a hug....and she came out of the back door with the most genuinely surprised look on her face. She seemed really shocked that there were so many people who wanted to see her. She regretfully explained that she couldn't stay...she was feeling tired and hungry, and needed to eat something. The thing was, we all knew she was telling the truth. Up close, you could see that she was a little bit older...just a little frailer looking than she seemed on stage. She was so happy to see us all, though. She was beaming. She looked radiantly happy, but, as I said, a little frail and tired. She thanked us, blew kisses, and happily laughed as the driver helped her into her car. She turned around and waved as the car pulled out.

I looked around the parking lot at all the happy people, and was struck with the realization of how much joy performers have the potential to bring into the world, how much light. It is a rare gift to be able to inspire so much laughter. Laughter, you know, is very healing. Bea was a healer, and a yogi, because she did exactly what she loved; by following her own passion, she created moments of happiness for millions of people. She also was a great humanitarian, and a passionate animal rights activist, as well as a great friend to the gay community, fighting to help gays gain acceptance long before it was a popular stance to take.

I read something wonderful the other day--a quote:

"Don't ask what the world needs. Figure out what makes you come alive and do that, because what the world needs is more people who have come to life." Howard Thurman said that. I really feel in the case of people like this---these immensely gifted people...they are living this...when we live our life according to what makes us come alive...we are able to shine out the very best of ourselves, and in the process, illuminate the world around us.

Bea...she was a fucking rockstar. Maybe the funniest actor I've ever seen.

Tonight's Playlist for Class

High Voltage Yoga Mix #1

I See Houses-The Verve
Dragon Queen-Yeah Yeah Yeahs
In the City-Chromatics
Your Beat Kicks Back Like Deat-Scout Niblet
Back In Your Head-Tegan and Sara
My Superman-Santigold
Say Aha-Santigold
lieee-Tori Amos
First Class Riot-The Tough Alliance
Crazy World-Ladyhawke
Magic-Ladyhawke
Feel the Love-Cut Copy
Hearts on Fire-Cut Copy
Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love-Coldplay
Moon and Moon-Bat for Lashes

THE FIERCE CLUB

I teach yoga at a great spot in New York City, The Fierce Club. It's almost exactly the kind of place I would have opened if I were opening a studio. It's airy, sunny, and bright. White walls,

and tall ceilings, some great murals on the walls by cool local artists, and staffed by funny, talented and original teachers who have something to really add to the world of yoga. Fresh

perspectives, insights, and moves that draw on traditional postures, creatively sequenced

in order to strengthen the core, stoke the inner fires, and focus the mind.

The other day, a yogi I know said "The Fierce Club. It's a really aggressive name for a yoga

studio." The thing is, in NYC, every yoga studio advertises itself as "an oasis in the middle of

the concrete jungle...a retreat from big city bustle and noise....a quiet sanctuary" or something

similar. We are about yoga in the city. We're about finding quiet, finding your strong center even in the middle of noise and chaos, in the middle of drama. We're not a retreat from that, and we don't believe you have to run away from the world in order to find peace.

We offer you a chance to learn how to thrive, to live a centered life no matter what's going on around you.

If you look at yoga, it's not some sappy new age practice anyway. Three of the most common poses are the "warriors." I might have said to my friend "well, with that logic, we should rename the warrior poses--they sound too aggressive." I don't believe yoga teaches you to be passive. I think it teaches you fierceness...there's even Ukatasana--which translates as "fierce"

pose.

At the Fierce Club, we're not suggesting you live your life screaming at people and getting up in everyone's face. We're more about the FIERCE life---we want to live lives that are important, lives that are about giving out from a place of inner alignment, lives that are reflective of our core values...and though I can't speak for anyone other than myself, I believe the chief philosophy behind the fierceness relates more to reflecting your inner values in your outer life more than any kind of "aggressiveness."

The owners of the place, Sadie and Shannon, are awesome, and both of them continue to inspire me with the way they run their business--ethically, honestly, and with a lot of integrity. That's fierce!

Yoga Teacher? You???

I always am interested in the reactions people have (especially people I'm re-connecting with

on Facebook) when I tell them I'm a yoga teacher now. Because I spent my twenties in a series

of awkward relationships, and in a swirl of irresponsible financial decisions and hard partying, people assume that I can't possibly be a yoga teacher now. Also, I eat meat, and like rock and roll, and don't really like for "new age" music.

I think the stereotype people have of yoga teachers is a result of the image that some yoga teachers tend to perpetuate--they talk in soft voices, and pretend to be in some preternaturally blissful state, smiling beatifically, and gazing at you as if you're a mere mortal, and they no longer fart because they're a yoga teacher. I'm pretty down-to-earth most of the time, and though I'm really interested in spirituality, I like to wear jeans, cowboy boots, and t-shirts, I really enjoy some trashy 80's rock and roll blasted really loud, and I might meet you after yoga class for a cocktail. Yes, I may rock some mala beads on my arm from time to time-but they are there because I use them....I just won't make you chant along with me. I'd much rather make you smile in my class by blasting some Madonna, or an old Journey song in the middle of a sweaty flow. I don't talk in a soft voice, I don't try to let my tone get all "mystical", and I will never pretend that yoga makes me blisssful all the time. It doesn't. But it does remind me to take a deep breath before I yell at the douchebag talking at the top of his lungs in an empty restaurant, and it does help me to turn frustration or anger into positive action.

I love yoga teachers. I just don't like people who make promises they can't keep, or pretend to be something they aren't. I don't believe that you can solve all your problems by coming to a couple of yoga classes, nor do I think it's great to meditate constantly in order to clear your head of worldly distractions. We are in this world, baby, and we have to be able to function in it! Most of us aren't monks, and the bills have to get paid, you know?

The people who come to my class come because they're looking for the real thing. They aren't looking to "purify" themselves. They want to live life, and feel good about the choices they make, and I want to help them anyway I can.