Yogzilla » Humor

Grizzly Man

Sraddhā — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:36:19 +0000

I recently watched this film again, may be for the 100th time. Every time someone watches this film, they always tell me what a nut case Timothy Treadwell was and nothing more. Yet to me, this is a fascinating film. Werner Herzog is such a brave director to have made this film even though the first reaction for most people is that Timothy is just a madman.

I cannot help finding parallels between Timothy and so many yogis that I meet, including myself. This is a typical day in Mysore, for the westerners who hang out there for months. They return to Mysore summer after summer, just like Timothy going back to Alaska. Their agenda is fascinating.

The yoga class for the morning supposedly starts at 6 am. But all the yogi nutcases are there by 5.30 am. So the class starts at 5.45 am instead of 6. This can happen only in Mysore. After this, they talk about all things mind, yoga, stillness and mostly what sounds like onset of madness to me. Most yogis then attend a back bending session which is one of the toughest classes, I hear. Then some more self practice or free classes by yogis. At the end of the day, yet another astanga class. I am usually done for the day after my first astanga class in the morning and do not seek enlightenment at such a pace. But the Timothy yogis do yoga all the waking hours running from one class to the other watching their grizzlies and sometimes recording it on film. I am not sure who the grizzlies are in this movie. May be it is the wild minds of the yogis. The Mysore story ends with the mind eating all the yogis. Consumed, that’s what it is.

I wish someone would make a spoof of this film with Mysore yogis as Timothy. That would be such a fun film to watch.

I recently watched this film again, may be for the 100th time. Every time someone watches this

film they always tell me what a nut case Timothy Treadwell was and nothing more. Yet to me,

this is a fascinating film. Werner Herzog is such a brave director to have made this film even

though the first reaction for most people is that Timothy is just a madman.

Life is a bitch

Sraddhā — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:04:32 +0000

I see French people. Everywhere and all the time. Sometimes I get confused if I am in Canada or France. All the same, I am having fun meeting people with such different accents. There is so much scope for confusion and laughter. The more I speak with them, I realize the confusion of the bitch and the beach is not just for the people who speak with Indian accent. Bitch and the beach is constantly interchanged even by the French. So, what do we have for dinner tonight? Soap, it is.

Here’s a video on Sandy beaches which is about Indian accent.

Kundalini rising

Sraddhā — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:46:08 +0000

There is so much yoga jargon that one hears, the entire thing feels so fake. I have gotten somewhat used to the yoga speak, more or less. I came across a hilarious writeup Yoga speak for dummies , written by an ex yoga fanatic.

One thing that feels way too artificial is the topic of kundalini mixed in with tantra and sex. First of all, the word sounds funny to me. And then there’s always the quantum physics and karma being brought in.

Here’s something I read in a real blog.

Kundalini awakening… however fearful it may seem to be… is representative of the positive powers of the Cosmos overtaking the Satanic powers forever.

Earlier this week I finished another 40 day Sadhana. My practice was a New Energy Balance. This kriya was a lovely set that nicely stimulated the lower triangle centers and then yoked the energy up to the higher centers.

For example, today I practiced the kriya, Master Your Domain. I have practiced this kriya before, several times in fact. In the past I’ve noticed a welling up of energy in my 3rd center, after practicing Master Your Domain, due to the navel work mixed with pranayam.

One mantra used in Kundalini Yoga is, I am. This week I had the fortunate experience to listen to Deepak Chopra in Madison. His talk was fantastic, he took us through some quantum physics and provided some wonderful insights as key take aways. One thread of discussion especially caught my attention, it dealt with karma.

Here’s more on kundalini blast. I have not seen anything more stupid in the name of yoga. See for yourself.

Ana Brett & Ravi Singh’s dynamic style of Kundalini Yoga is the best of both worlds: its spiritual depth and energy work will satisfy your Eastern yearinings. Its cardio element, with lots of ab work, stretching and toning will satisfy that Western need to get everything covered!

RaviAnaProduction
June 10, 2009

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Ana Brett & Ravi Singh’s dynamic style of Kundalini Yoga is the best of both worlds: its spiritual depth and energy work will satisfy your Eastern yearinings. Its cardio element, with lots of ab wo…

Olga kills Yoga Journal

Sraddhā — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 06:35:10 +0000

I used to buy Yoga Journal when I was a yoga novice. I subscribed to the magazine for a year and soon realized I did not want it. But, this magazine charged me $120 on my credit card for the next year when I did not even choose to extend. I could not talk to anyone on their support as there really was no support. The call would get redirected to some cowboy magazine and I lost all that money. I am happy yogadawg has made this awesome video. Check it out.

My guruji can beat up your guruji

Sraddhā — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:42:34 +0000

Here’s a hilarious post written by Papi on being Indian when Bollywood music, Slumdog Millionaire, and yoga are cool.

I’ve long cherished the notion that one cannot be authentic as well as cool if one is Indian. It is either one or the other. Read more here.

India eats Republican

Sraddhā — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 07:29:56 +0000

Yogese, how to walk your dog in SF, class I

Sraddhā — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:30:50 +0000

To begin the class, come to a downdog. Explore your dog today.

Inhale, come in to three legged dog. Stay here.

Inhale and flip your dog. Nice.

Inhale to come back to three legged dog. Release to downdog.

Take your dog for a walk to forward fold.

Grounding into the earth, grow taaallll to reach the sky.

Tuck your tail under.

Once again, come back to downdog.

Inhale to three legged dog and roll leg open, to downdog at fire hydrant.

Pause. Release.

Back to downdog.

This time, walk your dog back.

Woof woof.

Om…

Yogese

Sraddhā — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:41:22 +0000

Main Entry: Yogese
Pronunciation: \Yo-geese
Etymology: New-fangled English and Sanskrit
Date: 20th Century, recent happenings, current


Usage: the language of the modern day yogis, yoga speak. It is a nonstandard form of speech used only by yogis. It is usually delivered with a smattering of Sanskrit or not, but always delivered in the most calm and serene way usually with a smile (inner) unless in Bikram situation, where a boot camp language is in vogue and considered cool.

You know you are using Yogese, when the word editors underline almost all the words that you type, but they are perfectly understood by yogis.

Some examples of Yogese are -

Grounding into the earth, grow taaallll to reach the sky, tuck your tail under, tadasana

Swan dive to uttanasana, your spine flows over your thighs

Inhaling hands on shins, straight spine, spin your heart out, opening the heart chakra, ardha uttanasana

Crappy Yoga?

Sraddhā — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:58:54 +0000

Inhaling from Uttanasana followed by Exhaling to Malasana leads to this. Especially when teachers use this sequence with 360 degrees rotation on the floor, it gets crappier.