Archive for October, 2009

The horrendously tragic story about the fifteen-year-old victim of a recent gang-rape in California brings to bear more than just questions about “WTF is up with kids these days”, but really, “How the hell did it get this bad and what can we possibly to about it?!”

This past week Deepak Chopra was on Larry King to offer his unique insights into the incident and the perpetrators in particular, one of several on a  panel discussing the issues and motivations precipitating the heinous crime.

Despite the flashy, diamond encrusted spectacles (he wasn’t wearing them this night) and the fact that at this point he rivals only Danielle Steel in literary proliferation, I still really like him.  And I couldn’t help but nod in agreement with everything he, and his colleagues, had to say.

With the number of incidents of these kinds of crimes only growing among teens, made worse with their documentation for posterity and public consumption on sites such as facebook and YouTube, the conversation inevitably turned to the children’s ‘emotional intelligence’, or lack thereof, and their disregard, or more likely, their complete incapacity, for compassion and empathy.

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Historically throughout my years of oscillating practice, the pleasure of Eka Pada Rajakapotasana- or One-Legged King Pigeon OR just plain ol’ Half Pigeon- has, quite frankly, eluded me.  In fact, more often than not, when given the opportunity to avoid it, I’ve been more than happy to do so.

Frog Pose: Mandukasana

I tend to be tight, tight, tight through the hips.  Hamstrings?  No problem… there’s nothing like the sweet surrender into a deep and delicious forward bend.  Shoulders?  Mmmmm… Eagle me, baby!  Hips?  Well… another story.  At a Boot Camp a few years back part of the evening practice required we remain in Frog Pose for a seemingly endless amount of time.  By the end of the week I had discovered any number of ways to support myself in the posture: blankets, blocks, complete and utter denial… let’s say, I really came to understand “going to my happy place.”

But, I digress… be these hips as they may, lately, and perhaps it’s a function of now being in an actual class where I am bound, gagged and manhandled more consistently encouraged into Pigeon, I’ve found a little more joy in this wonderful hip-opener.

OK… perhaps ‘joy’ is overstating it a tad, but I am definitely better able to embrace the discomfort a little more, breathe into the tension of the tendon and muscle, and allow some much needed open-ness through this tight area of the hips and groin.  Honestly, after squeezing out three over-sized babies I wouldn’t have thought it ever to be an issue.

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If you’ve ever had the experience of walking in- or past, for that matter- a LUSH shop you know that the delectable smell is downright overwhelming… in the BEST possible way!

The delicious smelling beauty products are all unique in name and ingredients and, from the lack of uniformity from piece to piece, are also obviously beautifully handmade, such as the Buttercream soap and Bubble Bar.

There’s nothing like seeing the baskets and shelves overflowing with these goodies, where you can touch and smell each different chunk, ball or bowl of goo… and currently the internet isn’t quite able to echo the experience completely, but if you visit LUSH online, there’s bound to be something you won’t be able to resist.

I’ve tried the bath bombs and I love the massage bars… oh, and the facials… don’t get me started about the facials.  Just don’t mistake them for muesli… no, really.

As I resume a regular routine of practice- the autumn always seems the season where I am most prone to structure- it occurred to me this morning that, regardless the disorganization or mess surrounding me, on the mat, if I allow, it all seems to dissolve into the atmosphere.

Not having an appropriate space, or an appropriately neat and tidied space, has always provided me with a handy dandy excuse to sit around watching Oprah with a bag of Miss Vickies put off practice, often delaying it until the day just gets away from me and then it’s time for bed and I collapse into the arms of JayLenoDavidLettermanConanOBrianDailyShow a good book and off into dream land with noble yogic intentions for the next day, where FOR SURE I will tidycleanvacuumredecoraterenovate the perfect space to best enjoy my practice.

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