Culcha
Posted in Uncategorized on 11/19/2009 10:11 pm by karenHotel practice on Wednesday, since I had to catch an early train to Manchester. It was a fine practice — I actually felt very energetic and light, as often happens when I’ve had too little sleep. That’s the only problem I’m having on this trip — I just can not seem to adjust to the time zone. Every night I’m sleeping four hours and then popping wide awake, unable to sleep a minute more. I have a deep newfound sympathy for insomniacs. I can’t wait to fly home so I can SLEEP.
So, hotel practice on Wednesday, but back to the shala on Thursday. Have I mentioned the smell of sandalwood incense at Yoga Place? First time I showed up, Cary was walking with a stick of incense, wafting it around. I strongly associate the smell of sandalwood with zendos, which may explain my instantaneous love for Yoga Place.
And speaking of zendo associations, there’s the dristi issue. As mentioned in the comments on an earlier post, Yoga Place has a communal dressing room — a big open space with a bench that runs around it and hooks on the wall. People hang up their coats on the hooks and leave their bags on the bench.
I guess a communal dressing area might seem daunting to new visitors, except it isn’t at all. I was accustomed to it during my stint at the taekwondo studio. Everyone faces the wall to dress, and you use zendo dristi when you enter the space. Not unlike locker room dristi, really.
The Japanese face into the room to meditate, by the way, whereas the Koreans face away (toward the wall). I’ve always much preferred the Korean style, so am pleased with the Yoga Place customs all around. 
Okay, so Mysore practice on Thursday. Quite nice. I went in at 7 AM instead of 6, just to see how it was different. The space seemed a little more crowded, but not bad. As I mentioned, I just can’t seem to adjust to the time zone, so I’ve been having significant energy (and, thus, emotional) swings. Nothing that shows on the outside, just jittery internal states. What this means, though, is that it’s a great relief to roll out my mat. I know I’ll be okay (i.e., grounded and safe) for at least an hour and a half. I was diligently pulling my act together during the suryas, at which point the practitioners on either side of me finished up, left, and were replaced by new people. Two huge guys. Well, the guy to my left was huge. The guy to my right was freaking mountainous. Okay, so it’s no secret that in real life I find big men (The Cop!) and big dogs (Waylon!) hugely appealing. I can’t say, though, that I am at all accustomed to practicing in a close space between two huge guys. I’m used to being surrounded by teeny yoginis (a la The Poetess and Crim Girl, for example). It was fine, but more like practicing in a canyon than I’m accustomed to.
Still, as we all know, once you get absorbed into the practice, your physical environment blurs and recedes, and that was the case. Practice was lovely and familiar and nurturing, despite my sleep-deprived frazzled edges.
Cary magically appeared, of course, for dropbacks. I am amused at how she does that. With other teachers, you hear them coming, which is its own kind of reassurance. Cary, though, just is there — almost as if she always has been and always will be. It occurred to me that she has VERY strong “mom” energy, and by that I mean the good kind (the kind I try to offer My Gift): always accessible, balanced and unconditional. Not at all the overly-enmeshed or nervously manipulative bastardization of mom energy that makes me want to run in the opposite direction. True goddess energy, I guess. Reassuring and strong.
So yes, more dropback practice with an authorized teacher. While exhausted (yikes!). An exercise in controlling self-consciousness (story of my life!). Terrifying and fulfilling. Afterwards, lying on my mat in preparation for sarvangasana, I was vibrating energy at a very high speed. And I say that as someone with a significant ongoing vata imbalance. So that’s really saying something!
***
Just wanted to share something from “real life”: Last night I attended the professional event that was perhaps the main point of my journey. It was very intense, in terms of being a challenge to balance “not knowing” (after all this is a country and a culture and a professional environment in which I am a stranger who doesn’t know what she doesn’t know) with some professional élan.
All went well, in terms of professional interaction and social niceties. Interestingly, though, I was questioned by several people about the fact that I wasn’t drinking and wasn’t eating any of the meat or fish hors d’oevres. It seemed to be perceived as an American oddity. One man asked me if I was abstaining due to religious beliefs (I was kind of confused about how to answer, since I recognize that my choices probably are influenced by my practice, which is influenced by traditional Hindu beliefs and, in my case, filtered through a Buddhist lens — but that’s much too complicated to try to explain in a professional environment) and someone asked me if it was a choice I made “for health” (which he seemed to imply was specifically an American kind of way of thinking). I guess I am a little confused by this because I actually perceive a very traditional British awareness/practice of healthy living — in fact, I’d had lunch that very day with an almost 80 year old lion of the industry, who, while probably never exerting himself beyond long walks in the countryside, has what seemed to be what I’ve always thought of as a very traditional British consciousness of healthy living: good healthy food and walks in fresh air and wholesome mental stimulation. Those ARE traditional British values, aren’t they? Have they skipped a generation or two? Are they less valued in the city? I don’t know — I see an alignment between my values and those traditional ones. Still, I was counselled that I should consider drinking at professional events. Interesting…
Okay, it’s getting close to dawn. Time to have some coffee, pack up my suitcase in anticipation of my flight home this afternoon, and head over to Cary’s for led primary. I am actually grateful for led class today — this introvert has exhausted her reserves this week and needs a dose of structure!
London yogis, thanks again! You made my visit a true delight. For all of my fascinations with different cultures, I have say that the culture dearest to my heart and soul is our Ashtanga culture. If ever you’re in the American southwest, please let me return the hospitality!
11/20/2009 at 3:43 am
I can’t work out how Cary suddenly appears in front of us when its time for dropback.
I am so glad you enjoyed our Shala, our teacher and our city.
Have a safe trip home
Kev xx
11/20/2009 at 4:59 am
Our pleasure!
11/20/2009 at 6:52 am
I can only speak for myself but all the Brits I’ve met (both here in NY and while in London) are BIG drinkers. I’m not surprised that they were curious about the no drinking thing. Isn’t eating meat a big British thing also? But moderately in terms of portion sizes (not like the American super-size mentality)? That one I’m not sure about. Funny that you were such a curiosity for that though.
11/20/2009 at 11:25 am
It is funny that you were such a curiosity…
I thought vegetarianism had become pretty mainstream a long time ago. And as far as drinking, please, don’t people know it’s kind of rude to ask? I’ve never been a drinker, so I’ve been asked this question my entire life. I’ve always wondered how people would respond if I said, “Oh, I’m a recovering alcoholic”. (I’m not, but that could be a very good reason people don’t drink!).
Your tales have been very fun to read. Thanks!
11/20/2009 at 1:15 pm
I experienced a bit of the same when I was travelling on business to Montreal years ago (at the time, I was in the tech industry).
Colleagues were surprised that I didn’t eat meat, astonished that I didn’t drink wine. But they saved the real shock for my ‘childlessness’. A few of the women came right out and demanded to know why I didn’t have children. It was AWKWARD.
I’m with you, Liz. There are some questions that should not be asked, regardless of the cultural norm.
11/20/2009 at 2:53 pm
One advantage for us of your fatigue is that you open up and write these awesome discursive posts! I really like that.
Drinking… maybe there are way fewer people in AA in Britain? Like Liz, I feel like pressuring anyone around drinking is in SUCH poor taste. I have gotten back in to the occasional glass of wine the past year, but will probably never drink among professional colleagues again. Totally bad idea, and not even enjoyable. I’m not above hinting that I’ve had problems with drinking in the past if that’s what it takes.
11/20/2009 at 6:21 pm
hi Karen
that’s heartfelt writing. i experienced the same type of dressing room in Paris. the first day i changed in the restroom and the following days i felt like, what the heck and let it hang out. i guess only us Americans would feel a bit embarrassed.
in the zendos in SF we faced the wall unless we were asked to face the center, which hapenned sometimes during daylongs.
SevenPetalLotus in SF shares the same energy of Cary. i called her “mom” internally, because that was her energy.
hugs,
Arturo
11/21/2009 at 5:58 am
If I were there I could’ve been your designated imbiber.
11/21/2009 at 7:51 am
It’s not that I don’t drink — I do (though not terribly much), but it just never seems like a great idea at professional events. And I do tend to get contrary any time I’m told I ought to do something
11/22/2009 at 6:21 am
Did you ever see that old movie Blind Date? Kim Basinger & Mickey Rourke, before either of them went round the loony bend. She says to him, “Whatever you do, don’t let me drink…”
Was a silly but funny movie.
11/22/2009 at 2:59 pm
When you’re back from the trip and things have settled down a bit, could you email me? I want to pick your brain about something yoga/technology related. Thanks!
11/23/2009 at 5:26 am
When I was running a lot, I took a business trip to london and mentioned that I had run several miles that day. The response: “That can’t be very good for you.”. That was 15 years ago, but still.
I personally find that it feels “contrary” to not order a something if everyone around me is drinking. If I need to keep my wits about me, I simply don’t drink more than a sip or two. And I never “say” that I don’t eat meat. I just don’t eat it. I don’t notice what others order, particularly, so I assume people aren’t watching what I order. So then the questionis – how did these colleagues happen to catch on to your eating habits? Seems a bit intrusive, but maybe I am missing something about the interaction?
Finally, isn’t cary appearing as you stand up from your third backbend? In that case, you would be facing the other direction in a backbend as she made her way to you…so mystery solved!
11/23/2009 at 5:44 am
I was drinking water, so I did have a glass, but people were eager that I have wine. I didn’t want to carry around two glasses (this was a standing and mingling event), so I guess it was obvious I wasn’t partaking. And as far as the meat goes — there were a ton of hors d’oevres passed around, many of which had meat and fish in them. I didn’t want to make a big deal about asking what was in all of them, and truth be told, I hate trying to talk business and juggle a glass and finger food. It’s awkward and I always wonder what’s in my teeth afterwards.
Cary is always standing in front of you when you come up from the third backbend, yes. I am accustomed to hearing the teacher approaching, though, or having some sense that they are there, waiting. Not with her, though — she’s just standing there as if she’s been there all along and as if she’ll stand there forever. It’s pretty amusing.
11/23/2009 at 9:05 am
So, you weren’t eating and you were drinking water. People were curious. Probably next time that happens and they start asking questions, instead of saying you’re a vegetarian, just say that you’re not hungry…what can they say to that?
I had another question: regarding communal dressing rooms…is there any other kind? I’ve never been in a place that had private changing rooms…so I am confused about what made this space different..?
11/23/2009 at 9:27 am
Haha! Now perhaps I’m belaboring this — but: all I did was say “no thanks” when the servers offered food. I didn’t say I was a vegetarian or not hungry or anything at all. “You don’t eat meat?” was one of the questions I was asked.
Communal, meaning unisex. Men and women in the same room.
11/23/2009 at 11:46 am
Holy crap!
11/23/2009 at 12:12 pm
Not such a big deal. But then, half my family is Spanish and the other half is Brazilian
11/23/2009 at 12:50 pm
I am like soooo puritan American…it’s borderline embarassing.
11/24/2009 at 6:56 am
I’m so glad you gave the heads-up here on the dressing room Karen, especially with the way you described it in terms of drishti, otherwise I think it would have freaked me out on my first visit this week! All other places I have been to either have little cubicles or at least separate mens & ladies rooms – I wonder if maybe the logic used to be that it would all be women attending classes anyway so what is the need for a separate room for men…not so now, though!
Also on the meat/drink thing (just to labour it further) – vegetarianism isn’t usally seen as odd in London, maybe a little more so in other towns, but being a non-drinker is unusual enough to warrant comment. Next time just say you are on antibiotics if you don’t want to explain and as someone mentioned earlier I don’t think many people are in AA here (though maybe they should be!). I remember a trip to NYC with some girlfriends years ago (in my preyoga days) and we’d ordered half our usual amount of wine when the waiter said “maybe we’d had enough”. Attitudes to drink seem very different either side of the pond…