newest entry 2002-08-13 2:59 p.m.


There's another new yoga center in Bay Ridge, called Balance Yoga. I got up early and walked there this morning for an Iyengar beginner class (my first). Well, it was called Iyengar, and I gather that the teacher was trained by Iyengar people, but it didn't have that niggling attention to detail that I expected.

The deep relaxation at the end was thorough and felt great, but I thought the class moved a little too briskly w/o a suitable warming-up period. We were in Ardha Padmasana Janusirsasana (head-to-knee with one leg in half-lotus) within two minutes of the class, and that just ain't jake, especially in a beginner's class.

I found myself pushing hard and bringing a lot of effort (the toxic kind that makes your shoulders clench) to my practice today, partly to please the teacher and partly as territorial pissing in a new environment. When I realized that I wasn't relaxed or enjoying myself, I took it down a notch, but I still walked away from the place with an unholy feeling in my hamstrings, the result of letting my ego have too free a reign on my morning.

Anyway, the space was nice, and I'm going to see about teaching or subbing there.


I didn't read the paper too closely this weekend, and missed this as-told-to story about the wonderful guy who runs the E-Sutra mailing list.


I'm reading Denis Johnson's Name of the World today. It's a deadpan li'l novella...but lively, too....like Wilco, I guess.

Don't worry, I haven't forsaken my classic/mystery/classic/mystery scheme. When I'm done with Amanda Cross (but I'm in no rush, I love her writing), I've got my next classic all queued up: Silas Marner. I've never read George Eliot before and I'm excited.

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