Your Bumbershoot show was absolutely amazing, and resonated with my personal experience in far more ways than I can describe in a single comment.
Starting at age 19, I was a zealous early (for my generation) adherent to all things eastern and mystical. Like you, I came from a nominal Christian tradition with a hunger for that elusive "something more."
In my early 20's, I made a pilgrimage to Eugene, Oregon, the 1980s hotbed for all things fringe and spiritually radical, and sat on my ass for two days trying to figure out how to find my 3rd eye and raise my kundalini energy. The teacher sat on his rose colored podium and exerted his hypnotic power over the hundred plus people, all sitting on their lovingly-cared-for sheep skin rugs (I still remember the smell of those things).
This period lasted for about 5 years, and was a core element of my life as a college dropout sincerely looking for a way to unite my spirituality, values, relationships, and professional calling.
The whole eastern pursuit collapsed in a heap when I finally realized how much the philosophy I encountered and studied was fraught with such unbelievable contradictions. It seemed that each new wave of eastern thought to wash over North America purported to be better, and therefore more worthy of my hard-earned cash.
The Eastern promise is enticing. Just sit there in your comfortable arm chair, OM yourself into irrational oblivion, withdraw from anyone who might challenge you, and voila, you're a spiritual man with bragging rights. What insufferable bullshit!
Thanks for coming to my show, Hank, and for sharing your story here! It's always fascinating to meet other yogis and would-be yogis who've had similar experiences.
As for the om'ing yourself into irrational oblivion, Amen. I actually prefer the idea that yoga and meditation is supposed to help us overcome our own egos in order to *engage* with the world, not remove ourselves from it. I don't for a second like the whole zen'd into oblivion attitude prevalent in so many drum circles. ;)
As for myself, I'm still looking for a yoga studio where I can get the things I need from yoga-- quiet, relaxation, a good stretch-- without all the extra toppings. Not as easy as it sounds.
I am going to try and make one of your Re-Bar shows. The setting there should be intimate, and with drinks thrown into the mix, who's to say what will happen. We might find a few of those closet-drinking yogis, grateful to discover they're not the only ones who transgress the purity rules.
5 comments:
Suzanne,
Your Bumbershoot show was absolutely amazing, and resonated with my personal experience in far more ways than I can describe in a single comment.
Starting at age 19, I was a zealous early (for my generation) adherent to all things eastern and mystical. Like you, I came from a nominal Christian tradition with a hunger for that elusive "something more."
In my early 20's, I made a pilgrimage to Eugene, Oregon, the 1980s hotbed for all things fringe and spiritually radical, and sat on my ass for two days trying to figure out how to find my 3rd eye and raise my kundalini energy. The teacher sat on his rose colored podium and exerted his hypnotic power over the hundred plus people, all sitting on their lovingly-cared-for sheep skin rugs (I still remember the smell of those things).
This period lasted for about 5 years, and was a core element of my life as a college dropout sincerely looking for a way to unite my spirituality, values, relationships, and professional calling.
The whole eastern pursuit collapsed in a heap when I finally realized how much the philosophy I encountered and studied was fraught with such unbelievable contradictions. It seemed that each new wave of eastern thought to wash over North America purported to be better, and therefore more worthy of my hard-earned cash.
The Eastern promise is enticing. Just sit there in your comfortable arm chair, OM yourself into irrational oblivion, withdraw from anyone who might challenge you, and voila, you're a spiritual man with bragging rights. What insufferable bullshit!
Thanks for coming to my show, Hank, and for sharing your story here! It's always fascinating to meet other yogis and would-be yogis who've had similar experiences.
As for the om'ing yourself into irrational oblivion, Amen. I actually prefer the idea that yoga and meditation is supposed to help us overcome our own egos in order to *engage* with the world, not remove ourselves from it. I don't for a second like the whole zen'd into oblivion attitude prevalent in so many drum circles. ;)
As for myself, I'm still looking for a yoga studio where I can get the things I need from yoga-- quiet, relaxation, a good stretch-- without all the extra toppings. Not as easy as it sounds.
Thanks again for coming to see the Bitch, Hank.
I am going to try and make one of your Re-Bar shows. The setting there should be intimate, and with drinks thrown into the mix, who's to say what will happen. We might find a few of those closet-drinking yogis, grateful to discover they're not the only ones who transgress the purity rules.
Ah, you're onto my secret plot . . !
We won't name names.
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