In My Mind’s Zen Garden

I having certain feelings for distant lands toward the East, feelings that are remarkably strong and have come out of nowhere long ago…

Reincarnation is a concept that is very foreign to the Western world of Christianity and Judaism. I always wondered why I had such an affinity for places such as India, Tibet, and the Himalayas. Sometime in my youth I had a dream about living in the Himalayan mountain range, and possibly the northern parts of India. Perhaps, I even wandered through Tibet once, and had seen Mount Kailash. It looks awfully familiar to me.

As a matter of fact, I have these deep feelings from within, that I had lived somewhere in India or Tibet, in past life. My affinity for Indian and Tibetan culture seems to run deep. Though, I am Filipino by birth, and raised an American, I have a strong attraction to Indian culture, Hinduism, Indian music, art and religion… I have read Autobiography of a Yogi many times. Recently I watched Monsoon Wedding and I did watch it when it first came out in the theaters in 2001, but, I like watching movies about India. I have a nice DVD about the Origins of Yoga that documents the lives of the millions of wandering ascetics, yogis and saints. I collect old photos of Indian yogis and gurus, and I aspire to one day live the life of a serious devotee of Yoga.

In India, a vegetarian and vegan diet is a part of the culture, and is a part of “ahimsa“, a compassion and respect for all living things, to the point of not causing harm to them. It’s part of the philosophy of Yoga, thus… my dedication to Yoga and a Raw Vegan diet is an important part of my personal lifestyle…

One day, i shall visit those distant lands… one day. But for now, I guess I am an Indian or a Tibetan, reborn in a distant land, and longing to come home…

Body Strong, Mind Still

Originally uploaded by govindakai

Great shot by Govinda Kai, of a yogini in Padmasana pose.

Check out Govinda Kai’s website at: LunaticMonk.com

Here is an incredible YouTube video taken from Dutch television, of Lunga the “Snake Girl” of Africa. Taking flexability to new heights! Kids, don’t try this at home.

This video was emailed to me via Kim.

With all the Yoga I’ve been doing, this young lady makes me look stiff as a board. I need to seriously work on my flexability.

Here is a very inspiring Yoga demonstration by Mikhail Baranov, yoga teacher from The Ashtanga Yoga Center in Moscow. Excellent routine and quite advanced. I’m not too sure which Ashtanga Series he is doing, so perhaps maybe someone can help me out here. It would take me years to be able to do what he is doing.

Here’s a photogallery of Mikhail Baranov performing yoga asanas.

For the first time yesterday, I actually brought an ice chest to the gig yesterday. It contained bottled water, raw vegan bars, raw chocolate, green energy drinks and ginseng extract. The band WAS fed a nice dinner and I had my vegan dinner, which was delicious. But it wasn’t really enough. I need more food as a vegan. And, I’m finding that my digestive system doesn’t react too kindly to cooked foods now. Ayway, the only thing I forgot was a nice big vegan sandwich.

. . . .

Discovering that I had newfound energy with my current eating habits, I found myself falling asleep at the wheel around 3am in the morning, coming home from my out-of-town gig last night.

Yesterday I woke up at around 5am. I did gardening, cleaning around the house, going to the dry cleaners, buying groceries and putting them all away in the refrigerator. The prepared my clothes and loaded my drums into the van. Drove 2 plus hours to the gig, performed the gig from 6:30pm to 11:30pm.

And after loading my drums back into the van I had to drive to UC Riverside in the rain to pick up my son at around 1am in the morning. To make matters even more difficult, I got lost going from the gig to UC Riverside in the rain. Somehow I found myself in Orange County.

Good think our saxophonist, Jim, was carpooling with me.

So, after finally picking up my son at around 2am. I made the final journey back to San Diego, finding myself having to pinch myself because I was falling asleep at the wheel.

But I finally made it home!

And I just noticed that I was actually awake then, from 5am to 3:30am… almost a full 24 hours duration!

This raw vegan diet really gives one a lot of energy, but one has to respect one’s limits of physical endurance.

I have another gig tonight, but I really need to take it easy today.

…especially during the Holidays,

Life in general can be full of stressful things from health matters to daily interactions with others, to financial and family problems. Yes, sometimes life can be a drag.

I’ve just been putting together some things that help me to de-stress, or provide “stress management” in my life. I think it’s very important to keep things in perspective, no matter how tough the journey of life becomes:

1. Meditate

Whenever I’m feeling stressed, like before a big gig, I take time out to sit down somewhere, close my eyes and concentrate on slow, deep breathing. Meditation helps one to not get caught up in one’s thoughts. By focusing on deep breathing and just “being”, one can get a handle on one’s emotions and attitude. And become more relaxed and focused.

2. Do Yoga

Yoga, to me, is like a physical form of meditation. Yoga is actually an entire Indian Philosophy and part of that is Hatha Yoga, which is to practice various poses while concentrating on slow, deeply focused breathing. They say that mind, body and soul are one, so relaxing the physical body, its joints, limbs, muscles, etc. helps to calm the mind and get it ready for meditation.

3. Listen to Music

I’m playing music at home all the time, literally. I don’t watch much TV and my favorite past-time is surfing the web while listening to calming classical music or jazz, or some world music from the Himalayas or from Africa or Jamaica. Music soothes the soul, and the more you listen to good quality music, the better.

4. Take a Hot Bath

Being a strict vegetarian, the winter months can be cold especially at night. I take hot baths to soothe my aching muscles from drumming and other physical activities. And a hot bath helps keep the muscles warm and limber for yoga. Also, taking hot baths makes one more calm and peaceful.

5. Read a Good Book

Well, I’m sure many of you read a LOT. So, this is a given. Reading puts one in another world if you are reading some fiction. Or, reading spiritual and philosophical books always helps to put the world in perspective. It’s important to take the time to read some good books.

6. Find a Hobby

Coins and Stamps are still a hobby of mine. This is another past-time that can be a pleasant diversion. I’m not a serious Stamp and Coin collector, but I just think it’s fun to collect them and try to complete certain collections of one coin or stamp, etc.

7. Do Some Gardening

I find it soothing to just work with the soil. One doesn’t have to have a total green thumb, but there’s something that’s therapeutic about working the soil and planting flowers. You don’t have to have a backyard to do it in. One can do container gardening, grow an herb garden near the kitchen window.

8. Go For a Walk

Walking always calms the soul. Whenever I would get mad at someone I’d go for a walk and just walk-it-off. Or, one doesn’t have to just walk around the neighborhood, and can go anywhere. Walk out in the park or walk along the beach and get your feet wet.

9. Go to the Movies

Well, depending on what movie you see, going to the movies can be a nice diversion from the stresses in one’s life. Movies that REALLY calm me down when stressed are small independent or foreign films. But I’m probably not alone in this when I say that movies help forget one’s troubles and aids in de-stressing.

10. Go Window Shopping

Kind of related to walking I guess, but sometimes window shopping can be a stress reliever, depending if you get stressed knowing you don’t have money to afford things or not. But just getting out to the mall and looking around in the stores is enough to divert one’s attention to life’s stresses.

Here are 10 more suggestions.

Anyway others? I welcome your thoughts and suggestions…. What do you do to de-stress?

More Links To Explore

Its really unfair, who don’t know anything about Yoga can get patent of Yoga and related matters. Member of parliaments and and Yoga Guru Shri Baba Ramdevji express their strong anger against this wrong move by USA Patent Office.

Actually Yoga is come in to existence in India. Patanjali Yoga Shastra is written before 5000 years in India.

read more | digg story

I’ve started another blog called randomguru’s hermitage. It’s over at wordpress.com.

There I’ll be focusing more on yoga, philosophy, buddhism, etc… as I feel those topics can be best expressed on its on devoted webspace.

So, I’m going to transfer the appropriate entries from here to over there… and maybe I’ll start up another blog on cats and dogs, or organic gardening… uh, we’ll see.

Hehe… this post at yoga beans caught my eye…

“Love yourself first and the rest of your life will fall into place.”
—-Lucille Ball

I guess it’s my Karma that I sometimes hate myself. I feel flawed. Like a failure… sometimes, but not all the time. Parents can be relentless in their criticisms. They see it as helping and giving constructive criticism. But many times it hurts the self-esteem…

Before we can find peace among nations, we must find peace inside that small nation which is our own being.
—-BKS Iyengar

I had a busy day of piano practice, doing errands and gardening. I did a 90 minute yoga routine, including pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation. I am not enlightened yet… but, I felt really good afterward… very peaceful, calm and serene.

But my tenacity in practicing piano, exercising and chores, yoga and meditation continues on…

It’s tough…

Trying to find that well of inner peace… inner strength. Usually I can get very depressed during the holiday season.

But, today I had a short 15 minute routine of sun salutations in the morning, a 2 hour yoga session around noon, and a half hour yoga routine in the evening. I should be enlightened by now, but I guess not.

Sure, I am in a better place I feel, and I try my best to deal with all the bad luck that seems to plague me lately. Is it really bad luck? Or just one of life’s many tests.

Okay, let’s see….

1. The dishwasher is broken.

2. My son’s iPod was broken, but fixed now after dishing out $87.

3. My family’s newest and best computer is broken and currently in the shop getting fixed. It will take 7-10 business days before we get it back.

4. My wife’s car’s air conditioning is not working.

5. And I just found out that I lost 3 upcoming gigs, and things look pretty lean in November and December.

Other than the above, I guess I’m on the journey to enlightenment and doing fine… November is a time when we should count our blessings and realize that things could always be worse….

But before I get too depressed, I should run along and read some philosophical studies and meditate…. and contemplate my navel rather than my troubles.

Peace & Love

This is a true yogi from India.

I recently bought two DVDs through Paradise Filmworks. Two documentaries that follow the lives of the wandering ascetics and sadhus, those real life yogis who have given up everything to seek the path to God.

The Origins of Yoga

Naked in Ashes

Feel.com is a very interesting site…

Be the change you want to see in the world. —Mahatma Gandhi

I was contemplating the above quote and sort of meditating on the essence of its meaning.

Ultimately, I understand it to mean that the world around me is what I have made it to be within my mind. That my perceptions of the world IS what I make of it, and that I am responsible in regards to my perceptions of the world and how I respond or react to the stimuli coming from that world.

I’ve come to realize that whatever yoga and meditation I do has a profound effect on how I perceive the world. After practicing yoga and meditation I am calm and serene. And the world transforms around me and has become more vibrant, peaceful and my mind’s view of the world has changed.

I guess there are things in this world I have no control over… things that I can not change, but I can change the way I perceive everything around me. And I can change the way I react to everything as well. In reality, we can’t help but be a part of this unfolding universe. We can’t really keep ourselves from becoming a part of it, because we are at one with it. But at the same time our universe lies outside and within. And we ultimately make it what it is.

All that we are is the result of what we have thought.
—-Buddha

In essence, if I am struggling in life, then that is how I perceive my life to be at that moment. If I feel I am being mistreated then that is how I am reacting to a given situation in life. Ultimately, a way to a more peaceful and improved existence is to simply change the way we view the world, and how we react to it.

What is stress? We could say that stress is the effect this world has on our psyche, our spirit… our mind and body. But the key to overcoming stress and the obstacles and challenges we face in life, is to change the way we react and respond to them.

So, one way to do this is to change our minds… how we react… and how we respond. We seem to have a way of reacting to outside stimuli. We just have to change the way we respond and react. And maybe…. just don’t react.

Control our minds in that respect.

Anyway, it’s easier said than done, because we are beings with emotions and we tend to react in such a way. But at the same time, the mind is a powerful thing and collectively humans have had the power to build so many wonderful things, and at the same time had the power to destroy them.

The mind can be powerful. And we can change the world. But it is up to us to change it within ourselves.

At least that is how I understand Gandhi’s words. That many times we look to change people, things, etc… outside of us… when the change should take place from within…..

Be the change you want to see in the world.
—-Mahatma Gandhi

Not that my life is a bowl of cherries right now, but, I do wish to travel more, and find the time to meditate. I do yoga daily and I had a nice routine earlier today, but perhaps I’ll do a short relaxing routine tonight and do some meditation. Go inward…

I wish to travel to India, Nepal and the Himalayas. For some odd reason this is something I’ve wanted to do since my teens. Meanwhile, I’ve been getting into all things Indian… especially cooking. Lately, I’ve been getting into curry dishes, and I’ve been studying recipes online and from books.

I found a site that has a really good basic curry sauce, which can be applied to all sorts of dishes. And I am practicing by making curry everyday so that I’ll be able to create a presentable curry dish. I’ve been using this vegetable curry recipe as a platform for adding my own mix of vegetables, chickpeas, potatoes, etc.

Anyway, my obsession with India has become rather serious. I recently bought a DVD about the actual Indian ascetics, the true yogis who roam around the country, practice yoga and meditation, and live in caves, etc. Then I bought a good book on authentic Indian recipes. And I bought a DVD about India and the Royal Bengal Tiger (now an endangered species).

So, I’ve made a promise to myself that one day I will visit India, Nepal and The Himalayas. Maybe that’ll get this obsession out of my system… or trigger more hopes and desires… who knows.

Maybe in a past life I lived there already? And deep down I am wishing to return….

I was in Santa Barbara over the weekend, from Thursday through Sunday… got back Sunday afternoon. It was my niece’s 18th birthday and we gave her a surprise party, which turned out to be a lot of work but was a big success.

So now I’m back in San Diego and I’m pretty tired.

During my stay in Santa Barbara I did 3 really good yoga routines. And last week I was fasting on liquids, juices and water, which I think helped with the yogic experience.

It was fiesta time in Santa Barbara and on Saturday I went with the family to the downtown farmer’s market to buy some organic produce. I forgot to get some money so I ended up walking several blocks looking for an ATM.

I was lost and walked around and finally ended up at a small yoga store called “Drishti: Yoga Essentials” and chatted with Bethany the store person there. I couldn’t believe all the yoga stuff they had there… especially a few hard-to-get DVDs. I ended up buying a DVD called “Ashtanga, NY: A Yoga Documentary”, which was filmed during the month that the 9/11 attacks occured. It’s a very good film about the Ashtanga Yoga movement, and about Sri Pattabhi Jois, the beloved guruji and teacher of Ashtanga Yoga. The film also includes interviews with actors Gwyneth Paltrow and Wilhem Dafoe, who can be seen briefly, particpating in the yoga workshops that went on for a whole month of September 2001.

Anyway, I’m glad the weather has cooled a bit in San Diego. The day today has been sunny yet comfortably warm and slightly breezy, just the way I like it. No one has called me for rehearsal so I guess there is none tonight. So I’m just taking it easy and working in the garden.

I have a gardenia bush and it finally had one flower! I’ve been taking care of it by keep the soil moist and giving it a slow pellet fertilizer plus the quick acting Miracle-Gro stuff that’s for acidic plants. Hopefully there’ll be more flowers and I’ll be able to take some photos.

Hurtful expressions should never be used,
Not even against an enemy;
For inevitably they will return to one,
Like an echo from a rock.
—-The Precious Treasury of Elegant Sayings

. . . .

The late Srimat Kuladananda Brahmachary, of the Jatiababaui Math, Puri, India.

He was one of the most beloved gurus of the Madhwacharya Order, and had many disciples, one of whom is kneeling at his side in reverent obeisance. He was physically remarkable for his beautiful features and luxuriant growth of hair, as the photograph suggests…
—by W.Y. Evans-Wentz from Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines

. . . .

I saw a recent article on the web about soldiers doing yoga, and I thought, “wow, there is definitely an irony to this”.

Many of us westerners are doing yoga to get in shape, reduce stress, and find an inner peace. But many people don’t realize that doing the postures (asanas) is just one part of yoga… one of the eight limbs of yoga, actually.

The first limb, the “yamas” teaches a moral code and part of that is “ahimsa”, which is the practice of non-violence. So, it’s ironic to me that soldiers are practicing yoga when one of the basic things about yoga is to practice non-violence… yet, soldiers are usually trained to kill.

Anyway, I think it’s a step in the right direction that soldiers are practicing yoga.

Gandhi believed in fighting for a cause, though he believed in passive resistance and non-violent means to fight for what he believed was right. I guess War and non-violent forms of struggle and resistence are both aimed at achieving the same thing… to preserve justice and truth:

While war and non-violence do sound contradictory, they are both conflict resolution vehicles. I have said time and again that Satyagraha (non-violent struggle) is not same as making peace. It is still a fight that has to be fought as bravely as a soldier in a war — just the weapon is different.

Many people mistake non-violence as compromise or avoidance of conflict. It is not. On the other hand, it is standing up for what is right (truth) and justice. Fighting a violent war is better than accepting injustice. So, really there is no contradiction in fighting a just war, and believing in non-violence. Both are duties to be carried out to preserve justice and truth.
—-Mahatma Gandhi

Still… I believe in non-violent means to solve the problems of the world…

Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care.
—-The Buddha

Manjushri - is the embodiment of transcendent or perfect wisdom. His blessings are said to be like the all-pervading light of the sun whose radiance dispels the obscuring clouds of ignorance, revealing the wisdom and clarity of our awakended nature.
—-naljor.com

I drove the family (along with two nephews) out to La Jolla Cove yesterday to do some ocean swimming. It was the first time this year to do an ocean swim, and it felt awesome! Rejuvenating!

“Our task must be to free ourselves from ‘this prison’ by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”—Albert Einstein

The water was still quite cold with my board shorts, but I brought my wetsuit and changed into that, and the water felt okay. Lots of fish out there yesterday and the water was quite clear. Though it became murky later in the afternoon. I was surprised at the number of big fish just beyond the point where most of the people were just wading in the shallow waters.

The weather was gorgeous… warm and sunny!

. . . .

Have been very dedicated to Yoga these past few days. Not that I haven’t been doing it before that. It’s basically been a daily ritual. But the past few days have been intense (I feel). Continuing to utilize Yoga as meditation in stilling the mind, reaching toward a more spiritual level.

Today, I was able to do another wonderful Yoga routine early this morning. No serious goals, other than to do Yoga daily and to reach enlightenment. Of course, I’ll let everyone know when I attain enlightenment… and thus share with you my knowledge and experiences as they unfold….

. . . .

One doeth good to oneself by being contented with
simple things and free from craving for worldly possessions.
—Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines

‘Argue not with the self-conceited;
Vie not with the fortunate;
Disparage not the vengeful;
Have no grudge with the powerful.’

[ a note to myself ]

Some ancient Tibetan wisdom revealed… Tibetan Yoga & Secret Doctrines by W. Y. Evans-Wentz.

My copy of the book is tattered and the pages are coming apart. Nice to see an online version.

I’ve been doing really well with the yoga lately. With exception to yesterday, when I felt rather tired and needed a rest, but other than that, the past couple of weeks have been consistent with daily yoga practice and meditation… at least 1 hour duration.

Today, I did yoga for 2 hours. And I felt very ‘at peace’ and at the same time energized.

I’ll be back to performing at The Bistro this Friday and Saturday, and on Sunday I perform at The 13th Annual Sicilian Festival in Little Italy from 12:30 to 3:30pm. I’ll be performing on Sunday with vocalist Peter Pavone.

I did an hour and twenty minutes worth of yoga this Sunday morning.

Finally, I felt that sense of peace and serenity I’d been striving for all week. I’d been doing short, semi-focused yoga routines the past several days. And today I just fell into the groove.

Things I’ve noticed: I can get into the headstand effortlessly when sun salutations and poses leading up to the headstand are done with successful concentration and total relaxation. And getting into the lotus pose is the same way, when my whole routine was done well.

So, afterward, I was able to meditate in lotus pose for several minutes with ease and deeper concentration. And when that sense of peace and serenity permeates your entire being, it carries well throughout the rest of the day…

namaste

I remember learning about this in Sunday School. It just feels so true, doesn’t it?

God is Every Where…

“We are all part of the One Spirit. When you experience the true meaning of religion, which is to know God, you will realize that He is your Self, and that He exists equally and impartially in all beings.”
—-Paramahansa Yogananda

I read Paramahansa’s Autobiography of a Yogi back in high school. I’d always had an affinity for the spiritual, but I wasn’t sold on just one religion, and ended up studying the teachings of Jesus, Krishna, Buddha, Allah and Lao-Tzu, as well as the lives of Saints and holy figures such as Gandhi and St. Francis. So, Self-Realization Fellowship and other organizations that embraced the great religions of the world had always interested me.

Anyway, I did a gig in Encinitas yesterday. A birthday party at an Elks Lodge. After setting up, I had plenty of time and drove to the Encinitas Self-Realization Fellowship Temple nearby. Its meditation gardens are beautiful, nestled upon a high area with cliffs overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean. I meditated, and took a lot of photos… flowers everywhere, koi ponds, little waterfalls and streams… underneath the shade of tall trees… it felt like a little patch of heaven on earth.

Today, I did a 2 hour yoga routine followed by meditation. Lately, I’ve been busy and have been doing short 15 to 30 minute yoga routines here and there. Some days I would just skip yoga entirely. But today was a very good day. I feel at peace.

“…but for now, let me say - Without hope or agenda - Just because it’s Christmas - And at Christmas you tell the truth - To me, you are perfect - And my wasted heart will love you…”
—Mark from Love Actually

. . . .

Tonight’s Gig: Solo Piano at Bistro 221 - 5pm to 8:30pm.

. . . .

Headstand… Sirsasana I

I had a very good 1 hour yoga session this morning. It felt like it went smoothly and the time flew by fast, probably because it was only half as long as the 2 hour session yesterday.

The headstand felt great, though it didn’t feel as solid as yesterday. There are times when I feel I am balanced very well… like the Rock of Gibraltar. Other times I’m a bit wobbly. Today was pretty good, but I could’ve been more firm on the headstand.

Many times during headstand, I can feel the blood leaving my legs, and I always get a “head rush”!

Yesterday, I did a 2 hour yoga session at home, which included meditation in the lotus posture. I felt a deep inner peace and tranquility. Although, later on I felt depressed and quite melancholy. So, yesterday was a quandry of sorts…

But it felt good to focus on the headstand (sirsasana) and some variations of it. The photo to the left is the bound angle headstand. I’m quite comfortable at doing the headstand, and it feels rather rejuvenating. Will try to do another 2 hour session later on this morning.

Tonight’s Gig: Bistro 221

My wife has been sick and at home these past few days. I think she picked up that virus that’s been going around lately. Myself, I’ve been lucky so far (knocks on wood). I’m hoping it’s mainly because of the healthy raw vegan diet I’ve been on this year…. and the yoga!

I did yoga yesterday and I felt energized, but moody. Needless to say, it was a full moon last night. Still, I’ll do yoga again for an hour before heading off to the Bistro gig tonight! Last night, I was really focused on the headstand for some reason, and I easily went into a few headstand variations. That part of the yoga routine felt extremely good. I love doing headstands now!

Also, I’m going to fast today… at least a full 24 hours! For some reason I just feel I must do this and cleanse myself both mentally, physically (and spiritually?). Anyway, I’m feeling the need so I should… fast today.

After much thought, I’ve reached the conclusion that I simply can not become a 100% raw vegan. It’s somewhat of a minor miracle that I am even a devout, disciplined vegan.

This is important for me to note down, and there are at least a couple of good reasons for me not to be 100% raw vegan, at least for now.

1. When the weather gets colder, I have trouble staying warm. So, I need to at least take in some hot herbal tea.

2. When the weather gets colder (and I’m just talking about San Diego weather. Imagine what I would feel like in an even colder climate), I need to eat at least a few cooked foods to make me feel warm.

3. I have felt pretty weak when avoiding grains like bread, so I concentrate mainly on healthy sprouted 100% flourless bread.

But I still believe in a diet comprising mostly of raw fruits and vegetables, and supplementing with grains, and a few nuts and seeds…

Looking back on my transformation… at my peak weight I was 210 lbs. and have come down to 172 lbs. at my lowest weight so far. That’s a weight loss of 37 lbs. if I did the math correctly!

The main thing is I have no trouble playing piano and drumming. Especially with the drumming, I feel great and there is no loss in power and speed, as far as I can tell.

The 80% raw vegan diet (plus the exercise and yoga) seem to be working and I don’t have any desire to binge on food or anything. Drinking lots of herbal tea seems to work well too.

My goal now is to maintain a weight at around 165 lbs., which seems like an ideal weight for me to be lean and still keep muscle mass. I used to weigh 145 lbs. once in college, and I remember feeling pretty weak while playing drums.

It seems harder at 172 lbs. to break that 170 barrier…. perhaps I’ve plateau’d or the weight loss from here on will be slower? We shall see…

I was surfing some yoga sites and found: yogayogayoga.org, the venerable online home of MAHA A.S. NARAYANA (Great Yogi and Prophet)… a very fascinating instructional guide to Hatha Yoga!

I just found this article and I’m still trying to formulate my viewpoint regarding The Illicit Affair of Yoga Instructors Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman.

Well, they’re both human and “to err is human”, so, “to forgive divine”?

I have a few of Rodney Yee’s Yoga DVDs. I guess I was a bit shocked that he would leave his wife of 24 years and their children. I still respect him as a yoga teacher but now he has fallen from my pedestal of divine admiration and onto the rest of humanity.

In both Buddhist teachings and in Yogic Philosophy, morality is a part of the foundations of both paths, even before moving into the realm of spiritual advancement through Yoga and Meditation.

So, considering the point of reference, I understand that some students would be reeling over this bit of news.

But, Yoga in America is treated like Pilates or other methods of exercise, when in fact, it is really a system of spiritual advancement. That is why I avoid the yoga classes at the gym.

Now I understand the need for some Yogis to live in a cave in the Himalayas… to avoid the temptations found on the yoga mats!

But yes, “to forgive is divine”!

You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
—Mahatma Gandhi

I found some old photos of me meditating in the lotus pose, way back when I was 20, I believe (circa 1978).

It’s amazing how I was doing the yoga even way back then… a lot of water under the bridge.

Somewhere along the road of life perhaps I lost my way with regards to yoga, and then I found it again.

Now I recall I was pretty hardcore about my Eastern Philosophical endeavors. I even attended Puji Festivals put on by the Hare Krishnas. But I was never really satisfied with any one religion. I was always questioning things like I am now, even still.

Here is an old photo taken from one of my oldest books on Buddhism, Tibetan Yoga & Secret Doctrines. This is “the late Srimat Kuladananda Brahmachary. He was one of the most beloved gurus of the Madhwacharya Order, and had many disciples, one of whom is kneeling at his side in reverent obeisance.”

. . . .

I’d been checking my local Blockbuster store for the movie Kundun. Matter of fact, I visited the store on two separate occasions to see if the movie had come in… and I asked the clerk and he said the one person hasn’t returned it yet.

…okay, last night was my sister-in-law’s birthday and we were over at her house celebrating. I found out she had been really getting into Buddhism lately and lo and behold… SHE had the DVD!!! She was the one who borrowed it! So, she lent it to me so I could see it.

Anyway, I’m surprised she’s really getting into Buddhism, which is good in my most humble opinion. I helped her hang this wooden shadowbox frame of The Buddha. And discussing my own Buddhist studies found out she had purchased an introductory book on Buddhism and the Autobiography of the Dalai Lama.

But she confesses she can’t go on the strict vegetarian diet I’m on, a diet that has a big part in my leanings toward Buddhism. So, last night she had cake and I happily watched everyone else eat cake while I got into Lotus Pose in front of the Buddha.

Later, I had a little session where I was teaching the kids some Yoga postures, and we all got into Lotus Pose for a while. Children can easily get into Lotus Pose. I can but with a little effort. But I guess it goes to show you that children are very flexible, and somehow adults lose a certain amount of flexibility when they get older… more reason to continue doing Yoga!

In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth.
—mahatma gandhi

. . . .

I’m trying to be good at setting aside some time to meditate each day, aside from my yoga practice.

I did yoga for about 2 hours yesterday, in 2 different sessions. I’ve been mainly focused on lotus pose and variations of it.

Last Friday, Tiffany at Bistro 221 gave me some packaged raw foods she’d picked up from Jimbo’s, and I’ll have to go there soon and pick some more. Thank you, Tiffany!

Yesterday’s show with Big Daddy Orchestra was a really good one. Thousands of people go to the Little Italy Festa each year, and we had what looked like a sea of people out there, looking out from the main stage. I feel this was our best show so far as a band, and we’re getting “tighter”. Everybody performed very well and I personally had a really good day, performance-wise.

One of my favorite moments during our performance was seeing a whole bunch of people doing a conga line during our rendition of “Hot Hot Hot”! Lena Prima (the daughter of legendary swingster Louis Prima) performed right before us and her band was super tight and her performance was most impressive. I was a little nervous going on after her… she was a tough act to follow, and even though I know that sounds cliche, she really was a tough act to follow. She is really great. But I felt so much better once we got to actually performing onstage ourselves. It was a really good, fun gig! And I heard that the Little Italy folks want us back again next year… cool!

If you missed our performance, too bad… there’s always next year! *hehehe*

My two sons and other close relatives have been sick with a touch of the flu lately, so I’ve been trying to stay healthy for the long weekend.

I have 4 gigs this weekend, one last night. And tonight we perform a wedding reception at the Hotel Del Coronado in the Grand Ballroom, which can be slightly problematic, given the popularity of the hotel and the hassle loading our equipment and finding parking. But the good thing is that we will also be performing there the following day in the exact same ballroom, so we get to leave our instruments there overnight on the same stage. The following day we’ll be performing for a large financial institution… a corporate gig.

So, this is a good weekend with a museum gig with Donnie Finnell, AND… two gigs at the Hotel Del Coronado and a Bridal Bazaar gig at Humphrey’s on Sunday, performing with Big Daddy Orchestra.

Next Friday we’ll once again be performing at Tio Leo’s and Saturday we’ll be in Palm Springs doing another corporate party.

I will miss performing at The Bistro these next few weeks, and I’ll miss all you good people that work there.

So far, whatever health and well-being I’m experiencing I owe to my daily yoga regimen plus my raw vegan diet. It’s giving me a lot of energy, but I’m still worrying about wearing myself down and getting sick. I’ve been meditating a lot more in lotus position, so I’m hoping the theory of mind-over-matter will get me through the last few months of the year free of sickness!

I’ve been exchanging emails with Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Govinda Kai and his words of wisdom I’m finding very helpful and inspirational. Thanks, Govinda Kai! I will try to make it over to Tim Miller’s Ashtanga Yoga Center in Encinitas as soon as I can to begin Ashtanga Yoga Lessons.

Govinda Kai emailed me to say thanks for picking a few of his photos as favorites at Flickr.com, and he also sent me positive vibes in regards to Rice Bowl Journals. Thank you, Govinda Kai… Om… Namaste!

His photos are inspiring, and he does yoga postures that i can only dream of doing at this time. But, he’s inspiring me to continue on with my Yogic journey… One day, I would like to go to India to study Yoga, like he has done several times over the years.

Govinda Kai has his own website called lunaticmonk.com where you can find out more about him and read his blog. A martial arts expert as well as a teacher of ashtanga yoga, he sold his real estate appraisal firm and retired from his business in 1996 “to devote himself fully to teaching and practicing Yoga”.

Yoga guru Rodney Yee has a blog where he shares his thoughts on Yoga, Meditation and Life. How cool!

Tonight I have a solo gig at Bistro 221! Cool! I’m soooo looking forward to it.

What happened was an anamoly… a gliche in the Matrix! Singer Donnie Finnell thought I was busy with Big Daddy Orchestra tonight and got another drummer. I thought it was going to be a usual gig at The Bistro but Donnie is doing a private party at the Rancho Bernardo Country Club!

So, fortune smiled down upon me and the owners of the Bistro would like me to play solo piano tonight! And I haven’t done a solo piano gig in a long, long time, so I’m kinda happy for the change of pace.

Anyways, I’ve been feeling these aches in my neck and shoulders, even though I’ve been doing my daily Yoga routine. It’s weird because I don’t feel any aches and pains while doing the Yoga, just while sitting. Perhaps it’s some form of stress-related, poor posture thing. But the Yoga should help alleviate that. Ah, it might be the headstands. I do headstands in my Yoga routine and I’ve been doing them for longer periods of time. I think I’d better ease up on that because it does take some neck and shoulder muscle effort to maintain the headstand itself, so… that just might be it.

Other than that, my Yoga routine itself is going great. I’m doing it daily but dividing it between A.M. and P.M. routines, and going for 30 to 45 minutes each time. Nowadays, it’s kinda hard to get a 90 minute to 2 hour routine going, so dividing the Yoga time allows me to continue to do it daily. The Yoga continues to help my musical performance considerably, and last night I had a really great night. I felt really good and it reflected in the audience reaction and the tips. One very important reason to continue doing the daily Yoga routine.

yoga session was excellent this morning. the sun was radiantly surrounding me while i did my yoga in the living room facing east. my wife and i had started doing yoga together these past few days.

my focus was on holding the asanas for a longer duration, iyengar-style, not really paying much attention to timing, number of breaths per pose… but just to settle into each asana and concentrate on proper alignment.

my yoga sessions lately have been only half hour durations, but i usually do another yoga session later in the day or go for a walk or swim. this is much better time-wise because lately it’s been quite busy. breaking up the yoga sessions is better, and i’ll just wait until i have more time to do a 2 hour session.

listening to: a lot of keith jarrett lately

Easter Sunday was alright, but sometimes family get-togethers simply feel like… family obligations. Also, I didn’t have a very good yoga routine because I was rushed and we had to do a lot of things. I had a better day on Saturday. Read more »

I was reading Alex of technicolor.org yesterday and pondered over something she had written:

When two separate people within one week sit across from you at a restaurant and tell you you are either “radiant” or “glowing,” you’ve got to start wondering if maybe it is biological and not metaphorical. If, maybe, you phosphoresce like a deep-sea jellyfish.

Glowing and Radiant

Sometime late last year, though I can not for the life of me remember the exact date, I was at a home furnishing store and my wife and I were at the checkout counter when I spotted a young woman in line also getting ready to purchase some items. Read more »

One more post before I go off to my gig with Donnie Finnell at the Bistro:

First off, I really had an incredibly successful yoga practice earlier today. Just one hour, but instead of doing vinyasa where I flow from one pose to the next, I went back to Iyengar style and held each pose for as long as I comfortably could. Read more »

I did an hour long yoga routine today around lunch time…

What made it significant from other days is that I really, really felt peaceful and serene. Like, “oh… if I thought I was so peaceful before, that’s nothing compared to now”, type of peaceful and serene! Read more »