Ariel wants to be part of that human world, to run and dance and burn things. Dorothy wants to go over that rainbow, not just see it in the sky. And heaven knows we all know by now that Hamilton is not throwing away his shot. In the traditional “I want” songs in musicals, you…
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When Being Greatest Showman Becomes Not Enough: Yogi Squat
I love how my glasses help me focus. Without them I’d be unable to see my yoga mat at all, let alone a tiny drishti across the room to help me balance. That said, without them on, there is something intriguing in the blurry, bleary world. The distinctions between people and objects fade away and…
Being each others’ Drishtis/Sestras: Revolved Half Moon Pose
Last week a random person was my drishti. This person still has no idea that they held me aloft in tree pose, nor do I have any idea who they were. Nevertheless, they were my drishti. A drishti, for those who may not have heard of it before, is gaze towards some focal point. It…
Cow Face Pose: When You’re Open to the Weird and the Wondrous
Today, during pigeon pose in yoga class, my mat split into four different transparent levels, stacked on top of each other. When I swayed slightly, they swayed too. The tiny dots in the pattern of the mat gaped open a little farther, almost seemingly like they were singing. What could have been underneath, if I…
Zen-er Things: The Upside Down in Forearm Stand
A family member captured by a nefarious, mysterious force. A journey required to save them that requires bending the laws of physics as we know them. A showdown that harnesses the powers of love and sacrifice. A celebration of friendship and family; a condemnation of intellect without heart. So goes Stranger Things, the horror/mystery/80s homage…
Check out, not off, your boxes: Sukhasana pose
In the immortal words of Buffy the Vampire Slayer – are you just going through the motions? She sang about going through the motions when she was kind of meant to be dead but wasn’t (so, really immortal words). Those of us very much alive, however, sometimes do the same. Obviously there are a number…
Power of Voodoo, Who do? You Do: Half Lord of the Fishes
Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle, beyond the goblin city… These words still gives me chills, and a latent feeling I should really remember them in case I need to face off with David Bowie. I can certainly see why they are loved by Sarah, the…
Who are You Live (Five): Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Person
What percentage of you is pigeon? It’s got to be in there. After all, even after you know what makes you you, and how that can change, and how that change happens, even after you have tamed your most basic dragon instincts – we are pretty much all still part pigeon. By pigeon, I specifically…
I Know You Know That I’m Not Telling the Truth: It’s Crow Pose. Psych!… The Truths in Fake Things
If a frog doing yoga isn’t a frog at all, is it still doing yoga? That frog in question is looking at me right now. I should probably note that it isn’t actually looking at me because its eyes are closed. Also they don’t exist. He’s a ceramic frog, and really, not a frog at…
Who are You Roar (Four): How to Train Your Dragon: Where the Wild Thing (Pose) Is
Pardon me while I roar my terrible roar and gnash my terrible teeth and roll my terrible eyes and show my terrible claws. Ahem. Thanks. Of course you too may have been indulging in some wild behavior, particularly if you’ve read and loved Maurice Sendak’s amazing “Where the Wild Things Are” (and who hasn’t?). In…