Little Revelations and Me Getting In My Own Way

Last Sunday, August 17, I attended my first 90 minute yoga session, led by the owner of Yoga To The People. I had some wonderful moments-like being in child's pose (see photo above) and feeling a connection/vibration I had not achieved before. I resolved to really focus on breath and find the inner strength to endure whatever this tough instructor and class bring.

The result was intense bliss afterwards. I felt my mind and body engulfed by honey sparkle sunshine. I could not help but smile.

Let me back up to the previous Wednesday class at Three Jewels. I had a session with Lisa-and I was the only student! The thing I love about Lisa is her knowledge of bringing deeper integrity to your pose and helping you stretch a bit further. Some poses like camel (see below) don't have to involve extreme backbending to be the most effective. I think I can study with Lisa for years, she is so open and knowledgable.

Now to my lapses, not in yoga practice, but in diet. After my sessions at YTTP, I'll go to my fave bar, d.b.a., where my friend Tawnya works.

Well, I did this last night and hung out with Tawnya till the wee hours. Of course, I am paying for it today. I've already administered Motrin to my affected area-the throbbing cabeza (head).

I meant to detox and live clean, I meant to quit coffee, I mean to.....blah! Blah! BLAH! Truth is I'm kind of afraid to detox, quit coffee and knock out a huge chunk of my social life by stopping the drinking.

But I'm going to do it!

There have got to be creative alternatives to meeting people in bars and drinking to have fun or enhance sex. And I will still be fun and more productive. I just booked my new untitled musical for next year, I have a solo art show coming up on September 11 and my monthly variety show. In keeping with a gentler way of living, I'm changing the name of my show. It is presently called The Sexahol Revue. Don't worry readers, I will let you know the new name soon!

I love what yoga is doing to my whole self and its time to embrace this adventure.

A Bit of Spirituality - I'm Starting to Get It!

Three Jewels with Lisa - and only one other student.

Firstly, I am thankful for an intimate class. If it was my choice, I would have my own private teacher, something I've always had with other belief systems I have been involved with. But, there's something to be said for anonymity in a larger class, no singling out, less pressure.

So we start with some meditation and chanting to Hindu deities. Lisa is using some kind of floor accordion that opens and closes from one side (I will get the name). We dedicate our session to someone that needs it and we do an honoring of a teacher from our past.

I chose a spiritual brother/teacher who passed over about 15 years ago, Shadow. He was a marine sergeant, Special Ops in Viet Nam, a spiritualist priest and strong in Native American ways-all things he taught and passed on to me.

This is another thing I love about Three Jewels, you dedicate your healing Yoga (and its struggle) to someone who needs it and you can call in a long lost teacher back into your life, continuing to benefit from their experiences. It shows me yoga has its own universal center where all belief systems have a common ground.

This session proved to be strong and fulfilling. I can't say "as usual" because every session is different, because I come in with different things each time. I did surprise myself because I was able to do Wheel asana (see photo).

Lisa high fived me, still twisted upside-down.

Yoga Beginnings

Welcome all you fellow twisting pretzel-like lovers of Yoga and wannabes - to my personal Yoga journey. At this point, I'm not even sure if the word "Yoga" should be capitalized. This is all fresh and new to me.
My walk in this life thus far has been along many heady and spiritual paths from Native American to African spiritualism, some of which I embrace to this very day.

It was my body that drew me to Yoga.

Living in this city tends to make me focus inward, creating excellent survival techniques in the head, but disconnecting the body from spirit.

So, after a few months of being unemployed, I felt saggy, falling into the comfortable cushions of my couch, becoming them, trading exercise for daytime television and Little Debbie's treats.

I can't remember the exact moment I decided to try Yoga, but I can give you my simple reasons for writing this blog:

1) to dispel any illusions you or I have about Yoga,

2) to bring you my journey of discovery from a place of knowing absolutely nothing about Yoga and

3) to review different classes, DVDs, workshops and teachers - with interviews - for those new to aforementioned Yoga.

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
For all you provincial midwestern types and fundamentalists: this blog may contain gay content. Although not the focus of this blog, as a gay man, my experiences may reflect all aspects of my life - quel horreur!