Wholistic Fitness

{NOTE; i wrote this entry two days ago. what can i say? life in LA moves fast! much has happened since this entry, however, that is another story…}

“namaste
Thank you for a beautiful class. I’m not attached, although it is tough to
find a teacher with the sweet energy that you exude.
my love to you,
vicki”

tonight i walk the streets of North Hollywood, vibing on the Big City Vibe enroute to my favorite pizza hang. i look up. and squint…Grandmother Moon looks a lot smaller at sea level than from Kinlani’s perch 7,200′ higher than i am tonight.

Yet, make no mistake.
i love it here; in Noho (aka; The Valley of Stars…and NOT the celestial kind!).
Today was a Paycheck Day.
i was brave.
i brought the Love,
and to a packed Cave of my most cherished yogis…i truly felt the Love in every fiber of my being.

i brought the Chi.
and i felt the Chi returned to me. 1000x stronger.

say what you want about the HP Yoga vibe;
we are dissed, often disdained, and mostly ignored by the “popular” styles.

so be it.

i understand.

i ain’t a fancy-smanchy, hypermobile asana teacher trying to bring some watered down version of the Dharma.

i am a Dharma Teacher that occasionally teaches asana.

i get it.

and, rightly; so be it.

for ours is a Warrior’s tribe;
if it is one thing we do that hallmarks our tribe?
it is this:
we try hard.

over 20 Warriors came out on an absolutely GORGEOUS Sunday afternoon for my return to my old Teaching Cave at Mark Blanchard’s Power Yoga Studio on Tujunga in Studio City.

My sister, Connie, was there. drove up from her home in Long Beach, enroute to San Fran.

“Ragin RJ” Ron Jones was there. took both my workshop and Master Class. afterward, he text messaged me (and remember this IS a Race Across AMerica bicycle champion):
“CHI!…all about da friggin CHI! RJ went to failure on da ‘boat Mula Bandha heels to pelvic floor…ouch!!! All go(o)d! – RJ”

Did i mention how much i love our Sangha?

McKenzie was stressing out trying to get back from Atlanta to make class.

Aerobics National Champions Karen and Tina would remark later, “Oh my god, now THAT’s a yoga class! my thighs were screaming!”

Coach Mackel (see yesterday’s DL) and Coach Gary brought in their ChiRunning ™ Sangha after an 1.5 hour mountain run in nearby Griffith Park (remember James Dean in REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE?). i LOVE those warriors! though pre-fatigued, they brought what matters most onto their mats; their CHI! (oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY NWSM!)

Shishya Sue was probably doing unspeakable Unser-like things over Sepulveda Pass on the 405 to make class after she thought i was teaching at the Brentwood Studio (hint to Shishya Sue; READ THE PDF!…i love you!).

and so many more…Amber, Jen and her mom, Vikki, Peter, Rebekha, Linda, Lisa, Hillary, Karen, Tina, Clay, oh my gosh…SO MUCH LOVE!

what a HP Yoga HIGH! i ended class on time. however, so much huggin’ and kissin’ was going on afterward that the next teacher had to come in and kick us out.

oh well. the Mountain Yogi was back in the City. sorry!

***
Tonight: i walk across Lankershim Boulevard to fetch my Pitfire Pizza and Ahi Tuna Salad.

Palm and ficus trees sway to an eclectic yet perfect natural rhythm.
skateboarders perform their all too often misunderstood yoga on the street.
a siren’s long winded, far away screech.
the scratchy neon of NoHo Theatre District throws a man made rainbow over the street.
and i
walking
like a Navajo
alone
on a LA city street…
after having Served the Sangha,
the Sacred Sweat still simmering my bones.
i search upward for a Faraway Grandmother
and
smile.

life, this crazy, beautiful life of mine,
was as sweet as that sugary SoCal breeze sweeping across my nostrils
on this night of nights…

never let anyone tell you that Big City People are fucked up or neurotic or whatever.

for i have left the Mountain Throne and have lived among them for a decade.

we each attract that which we radiate.

i have shared the Sacred Sweat with these wonderful Warriors and i am write tonight to tell you;
All Warriors are Brothers.
All Warrioress’s are Sisters.
We Warriors and Warrioress’s are One.

For we know one thing that will essence our Bardo Entry in the case
of Non Enlightenment in this lifetime:

we
try
hard.
we
don’t
give up.

i bow to my Beloved and Most Cherished LA Sangha.
Keep the Chi that soared through our cells today, okay?
for in the immortal words of Governor Arnie:
“I’ll be back.”

tomorrow; bike training…errr, bike PILGRIMAGE on TUNA CANYON to Schueren descend Rambla Pacifica, up the PCH, left onto and UP, UP, UP again to Topanga and Old Topanga.

any takers?

meet at the Gelson’s sign, Tarzana, Ventura Blvd at 10.

HP Yoga baby; we know and LIVE no LIMITS to the Real Yoga; UNION OF IT ALL!!!!

that is all.

coach ilg