Yoga Demystified–Each Moment a Precious Diamond

(I wrote this about the Yoga Journal Community, but it also applies to the whole Yoga “blogosphere”:)

I suddenly realized the other day why I love the Yoga Journal Community so much.  It’s like a big coffee house where all your Yoga friends hang out.

Like in a busy coffee house, things are a little chaotic here. 

You don’t expect to be able to be a part of every conversation every day.

You drop in when you can. 

You hear snippets here and snippets there as you move about.

You reconnect with old friends and make new friends.

Sometimes you start the conversation. 

Sometimes you jump into a conversation.

Sometimes you just listen to the conversation.

If you come back in a few hours the crowd is different.

You try your best to catch up, even though you know you never really can.

But whatever you do and whomever you see, it’s always just plain fun to hang out here and be part of the action.

Thanks for walking in, and please drop by again whenever you can.

I would appreciate it very much if everyone would read my latest article for Elephant Journal and write comments over there:

My Father: Starting Yoga at 87

I think you’ll really enjoy the article and I’m trying to help Elephant Journal expand its audience.

Many thanks.

NEWS ALERT

YogaDawg Sets New World Record for

MOST THINGS SPOOFED IN A SINGLE BLOG

http://yogadawg.blogspot.com/2009/12/holiday-tale-pose.html

yogirev is back.  Well sort of.  Just to say hello.  Says he’s too busy to blog right now.  But I solved that problem for him below in the last paragraph.

For all you new members out there, yogirev was the third member, yes you’re reading that right, the THIRD MEMBER of the Yoga Journal Community!  (Now we have over 13,000 members, not all active, of course, but who have signed up at one time or another.) 

How do I know that?  I read it in yogirev’s third blog entry form just over a year ago:

When I joined this group, just a couple of days ago, I was the third one. Now look at us! There are twelve and I bet more are on the way.

I have a lot of affection for yogirev because he helped me get acquainted when I joined a few months later, and because he always wrote the most irreverent and funny blogs.  Here’s his fourth post, probably written for 20 members:

Ok, I want to know if Ahimsa includes snails!  I mean, I just went out to my garden to pick a tomato and the little buggers have eaten all my tomatoes.  I am feeling very violent toward them right now.  I suppose I should practice aparigraha and not be grasping about my tomatoes, but I really wanted one.  I mean, kama is about having pleasure in life, right?  I would have had kama while eating a tomato.  Did the snail feel kama?  I bet that little jerk didn’t feel a thing. I do think I heard lettle snail giggling as I left the garden in a huff.

Shanti, shanti. (little jerks!)

You may have noticed (or not!) that I’ve kind of been MIA the last few weeks.

That’s because I’ve been on an e-binge working on my e-book and website.

The free e-book is now available for download and/or printing.  

I’ve also added a lot a great photos (like the one above–click on the photo) to illustrate my essays and poems, so the whole site has a new look and feel that I hope you will enjoy.

Now that I’ve got it done, I’m hungry for feedback and suggestions.  Please take a look and let me know what you think.

Thanks.

Please see my recent article in Elephant Journal:

First It Was “Yobo”, Now There is Ratra (Radical Traditional) Yoga

which is about the spirited debates we’ve had on the YJ Community and elsewhere about what is and what isn’t real Yoga.

I think you’ll enjoy it, and I’d love to hear your thoughts.

According to the ancient Yoga sages

Questioning the meaning of life

While living

Is like questioning the meaning of a roller coaster

In the middle of a roller coaster ride

Or like questioning the meaning of love

In the middle of lovemaking.

Who cares when something is so amazing?

The amazement IS the meaning.

The amazement IS the ultimate reality.

The amazement IS the life-force of the universe

All around us and within us

Far beyond our ability

To absorb or comprehend.

The amazement IS what some call God

And the ancient sages called Brahman.

In the midst of the ups and downs

Of life and love

Just relax, breathe deeply 

And experience the infinite thrill

of the amazing ride.