Prompted by my father’s concerned voice message on Saturday, I was inspired to look into this Rolling Stone article. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been so cheap, because without buying the actual magazine it was pretty hard to actually obtain the text.
Being the perpetual penny pincher though, my turning to the internet yielded otherwise interesting results. Dahn yoga is whining about the Rolling Stone reporter’s bais!
An official letter was posted on Dahn Yoga’s site in response to the February 5th publication of a very unflattering portraiture of Dahn Yoga as told through the lens of the people set out to sue them in a class action suit centered around brainwashing. Seriously, where is my angry letter? Truthfully, I’m a little insulted that Rolling Stone got one and I didn’t. Even the Dahn letter says all their doing is rehashing the plaintiff’s side of the story…I mean, at least I likened/linked them to The Church of Scientology. Now, that is creativity my friends, and surely deserving of a strongly worded letter.
The Dahn people are all up in arms this time in a way that is so much, well, angrier than when that janky cable news station in Chicago ran the original story. It does seem that Rolling Stone will take this whole sticky mess to a new level of ugly by making it more public than it even was before. I’m unsure however, if they’re insulted or grateful that it is Rolling Stone who will most likely be the recipient of the legal actions that Dahn Yoga is going to (struggle) bring against them. Again, I’m terribly insulted, but at this point Dharma Chameleon is grateful to not be sued for libel, or slander or anything else. But, seriously, I’d love to have that angry letter. I did break this story before Rolling Stone did.
On another note, now that Rolling Stone is stirring the pot of this whole Ilchi Lee guru-cum-sex offender-cum-brainwasher issue my interest in taking a class is renewed. I really hope that they don’t go down hard because of this Rolling Stone nonsense, or I’ll feel very put out by my inability to test the waters of absolute brainwashing delight! Those colorful illustrations of active brain waves are just so,well, happy!
[Original illustrations by Marla; medium: Microsoft Paint]
My life’s work in yoga has recently hit a fever pitch — two classes a day is just not a novelty any more. Today, however, ask me why I didn’t even do one class. Go on, ask. Partially I really wanted to do my laundry, because if I don’t do it then paying someone else to costs like $20 and I’m not exaggerating. Oh, right. Well, there is also of course the matter of the 3 hour yoga class I took yesterday, and the soreness in the general area of my body. That tends to be generally discouraging of physical activity.
How I came to find this 3 hour yogic bliss directly was my friend through Bikram NYC, but more indirectly it was through a brief romance with Dharma Mittra at the end of the summer. I very much enjoyed the classes and atmosphere (nag champa incense) but knew that I would never quite fit the mold of a Dharma Mittra follower. Like Jivamukti, they preach veganism and animal rights and since I’m a heartless killer and consumer of animals, I know that the romance would eventually all unravel. At the end of the month/5 classes, I left Dharma Mittra thankful for the experience, but happy none the less for the experiences that awaited me. It was at that time, however, that Robin let me know about this “crazy 3 hour class” that happened at the end of each month. read more…
At this very moment, my hands are experiencing a rare moment of smooth dryness. It’s really quite nice, and unpredictable in a world where my hands are usually experiencing some degree of moistness.
Gross? Yes. Embarrassing? All my life. Trust circles, and partnered activities are never joyous occasions for th kids with the sweaty palms. It’s not our faults!
Guess what happens to the kids with the sweaty palms? Well, they grow up to be adults with sweaty palms, who don’t like to shake hands on job interviews. Also, they’re the adults that become extraordinarily frustrated during the many downward dogs that happen in the course of a yoga class.
Even you smug crispy-handed people know what I’m talking about. You’re having a great class, but it’s getting a little strenuous and all of the sudden you start to perspire ever so slightly. Then there is a small slickness in the center of your palms. All of the sudden you’re careening downward out of dog as little puddles form beneath your hands. Try as you might, you cannot claw your way stationary. Perhaps this is not exactly you’re experience, but you get the picture.
It has been discussed in my circle of friends that there must be an invention for prevention. I had thought of making the prototype myself, being the accomplished seamstress that I pretend to be. In this day of internet information saturation, however, one can hardly move to make a patent without a little web-based research.
Shit. These non-slip yoga gloves already exist. In fact, almost every yoga outfitter has its own version already. Well, I guess saving the world from a collapsing downward dog will not be my claim to fame. Sad.
Thank god Tom Brady, that handsome stud, knocked up Giselle Bundchen or else we would never have gotten to take this gigantic leap towards enlightenment.
Now, I know that Giselle Bundchen having a baby is old news, but a) I don’t care, and b) I just found this interesting article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Granted, this is not a piece of exemplary journalism, but it does provide a few interesting enough tidbits to gain re-covering by the ever sleuthing Dharma Chameleon.
According to this news masterpiece, Giselle Bundchen introduced her lil guy into the world via bathtub. I guess that’s fine, I came into the world via conical head-suctioning-vacuum-machine that I’m pretty sure was outlawed after the 80’s. I mean, it just sounds unpleasant. The tub-birth, however, is not in the least bit interesting to me. It’s the part where she says birth was not AT ALL painful. Giz, what drugs are you smoking my friend? I’m single and have nightmares about childbirth. But, you know, if a celebrity says it, it must be true.
So, assuming that we will laud all celebrity drivel as the gospel and that “birth didn’t hurt a bit, ” we can at least assume that birth hurts some people. (Recall any movie scene of any person ever giving birth) Why then, did Giz get off so easily?
YOGA and MEDIATION .
Well, assuming I’m not heading down the long lonely highway (at breakneck speed) to cat-lady-dom, then I should be all set on the “painless birth” front. Three classes a day, here I come.
[Image via: Weblo]
Sarcastic as I may usually be, I honestly think that the universal effort to provide relief to the victims of the horrendous Haitian earthquake is phenomenal. Wyclef Jean approves.
Last night, I did my part and yoga at the same time. Bikram Yoga NYC’s own Mary Dillon helped to organize (and teach) a late night rendezvous at the Bikram Midtown location to raise funds for Haiti. The studios’ founders’ Donna Rubin and Jen Lobo planned to match the donations collected for this class. $20 minimum X 40 people + studio matching =$1600 at least. All raised within 1.5 hours, yoga class included.
Nice work guys.
[Image via: Urban Movement]
[Dharma Chameleon thanks Patrick for the punny title]
Oy, I’m too lazy and tired to actually write about this article. There is a reason, however,that the NY Times is the country’s most revered newspaper.
So, well, read up my faithful.
I, personally, can’t wait until my love of food and yoga are glorious joined and able to be together in public. Food and yoga, the next gay marriage hot button.
[Image via: College Candy]
Please, don’t be mislead by my friend Mr. Yuck, or by the word Midtown for that matter.
There, truly, was nothing yucky about my experience this evening at Yoga Sutra in *gasp* midtown. I mean, that is unless you are not a friend of sweating…because lets just face it, I need only think about doing any physical activity and the flood gates open. My sweat = yucky, open for interpretation.
Yesterday, during my two fer day, I cornered the teacher at Jaya and question him about his training. He sort of rolled his eyes and told me he had trained with OM originally and that it can get one a job after training..yada, yada, yada…but, he said, a really great training program could be found at Yoga Sutra. Much less could have been said to peak my curiosity about a new studio for me to explore.
So, today I trucked it up 5th to find this new yoga haven ala Kyle from Jaya. Now I’m as frugal as the next 80 year old, so you know I was pleased to find that the first class at Yoga Sutra is free. Huzzah. Ok, ok, this is a common enough practice among studios, but I’ve learned that you cannot take it for granted. Great beginner’s specials are also especially nice. I left this evening with a 7 day unlimited (that begins the next time I go, and not tonight, which is nice) for $30. I look forward to abusing it. read more…
Taaaa-dahhhhh! It’s just about 9 PM and I’ve completed two yoga classes.
I feel great.
Yay for me.
Jaya Yoga was great. Kyle was very into using props throughout the class and even though I found myself burrowing into and out of blankets it really was quite nice.
I wish that I could do two yoga classes every day of my life. Maybe one day.
Now, I’m going to eat a casserole with my roommate, drink an organic Samuel Smith lager, watch Big Love and hit the sheets.
[Image via: Orion]
It is 2:00 pm on Sunday and I’ve just returned from yoga 1. (Again, thank you my dearest Yoga Pass Book) It’s a pretty grey day out there, so I can’t really think of anything I’d rather do than build myself into a yogic hermitage.
Having already exhausted all of the Park Slope yoga passes, I ventured out to the not so far destination of Cobble Hill (I think, who really knows where one naib begins and another ends??). There a darling studio lies in wait for the yogi with keen eyes for spotting quaint little studios.
Easeful Body Yoga Center is located in probably the best two room studio, sunken living room garden apartment situation I’ve ever seen in my life. I’m not sure if I’m alone in my early adolescent mall lock-in fantasies (definition: dreams of being locked in a mall after closing, living in a tent in the outdoorsy store, swimming in the fountains, taking the change and “buying” anything you might possibly want from said mall) but I was sort of having a lock-in fantasy moment at Easeful. Aside from me wanting to move in, the apartment did impart a feeling of homey-ness and comfort. They had all manner of candles burning and even a little fire burning. Toasty…mmm! (Is that a Quiznos tag?)
The particular class I had elected for my “morning” class was Iyengar with Rachel. I recently realized that although I was very dedicated to reading Iyengar’s texts, specifically Light On Yoga, that I had never actually taken an Iyengar class. True to the Iyengar style from what I understand, Rachel was extremely gentle, compassionate and didactic. I can’t say it enough times but a teacher that really pays attention is an invaluable part of a yogic practice. I’m not sure if it was that thorough Iyengar training style, but Rachel was extremely attentive and constantly was offering examples and amiable corrections.
More appealing than bacon and eggs to me on a Sunday morning, is the yoga. I’m glad that Easeful was able ease me into another day in the life of a yogi. I’ll see you at 6pm sharp Jaya Yoga…get ready.
[Image via: Beloit College]
I’m going to two yoga classes today. I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes.
Monday- No yoga
Tuesday- No yoga
Wednesday- Express class
Thursday – No yoga!
Friday – Bikram
Saturday- Yoga lock out, no yoga!
Sunday – Funday!
[Image via: Sports Blogs]
