The Three Jewels - My First Live Class!

Located in a quiet part of 4th Avenue in an old loft building, The Three Jewels (threejewels.org) is a small, spiritual treasure in the commercialized world of Yoga. They also offer workshops, free morning meditation and work in the efforts to free Tibet.

They offer classes in Tibetan Heart Yoga, meditation and Conquering Lion Vinyasa, which I took. There is also a small store which offers t-shirts, books and prayer beads, among other things and classes are paid by donation by an honor system. If you can't afford the $12, then pay what you wish. I feel funny not paying full price, so I did.

The class was led by Annie and consisted of only six people. I loved not only the vigorous, mind and muscle building poses, but the "om-ing" and the caring attention to the integrity of our individual practices.

Even though I will try other classes in other places, I know already that I will return to Three Jewels.

First Immediate Effects

After one or two sessions at home, I went out with a Native American friend and former teacher to hang out and have a bite to eat. We both were reaching a blood sugar low in the intense 90 degree heat on the upper west side of Manhattan, so we stopped into an old, wonderfully dingy Irish bar called Malachy's. I had a club soda with lime and fried chicken fingers and fries.

We then walked down the block to a Bikram Yoga studio (next to an OTB) to check out Yoga mat prices.

The cute gay guys at reception were very "ooh, come sweat with us in our 100 degree heated studio!" Blah! I thought the idea of sweating with these guys was hot, but I hate intense heat! So, Bikram is reserved for another day. I did buy the mat, though.

What I later discovered about mats is that you want a non slip mat, I recommend a Manduka mat. The one I bought is a bit too slippery.

Okay, we're shopping around on West 72nd Street and I start feeling sick with the runs-oh no! Need bathroom NOW! It was then I realized my body wants to ease up on the fried foods.

After that experience, I find I am eating only till I'm full, craving more fruit and veggies and am working on taking my daily eating habits to a new level.

My body is starting to tighten up, my butt is tighter, there's more definition in my abs, pecs and my legs are pretty amazing-lol. Even my walk is different, more open and I am standing taller.

With Yoga, you start to really pay attention to your body and it tells you what it needs. It doesn't matter how much you weigh, either. Just approach it gently and your yoga will increase intensity slowly and naturally.

Stay tuned for my detox adventure!

Baron Baptiste's Power Vinyasa Yoga

So where to start my practice? Good ol' faithful eBay seems to always have the answer!

I found Baron Baptiste's beginner DVD "Journey Into Power." Apologies, Baron. I am currently unemployed and want to test run Yoga without breaking the bank. But, I strongly suggest you buy direct from his site, baronbaptiste.com.

Baron has a gentle, soothing voice that lacks the condescencion of other "gurus" that I have had the displeasure to deal with. You just know he is not an a-hole and really cares that you live your own yoga practice, make it your own.

I recommend in your first approach to not worry about doing perfect poses, ease into it, even pausing constantly or returning to Baby Pose whenever its too much.

Baron talks about always being mindful of your breath and maintaining a soft gaze on one spot to calm your nervous system. Everything he says really works.

I also recommend his companion book of the same title (which I payed full price for at Barnes and Noble). There are great, simple tips for diet, detox and meditation.

Although not in order of exploration, I have recently purchased the Level 2 DVD +more difficult, but approachable after only a month and a half into my practice.

And please, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to email me!

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!