DRISHTI MY ASS



I did a yoga demonstration at the super yoga megastore on Saturday.

It was Yoga Day, an initiative designed to bring yoga to the masses.

I was a little skittish.

I thought of the early days of the famous Limelight nightclub, where live models did strange things behind glass.

Then I thought of Manju Jois in Pondcherry, who did such an amazing demonstration that the Americans who saw it tracked down his father and begged him to teach them ashtanga yoga.

So I did primary series in the megastore's front window for an hour and a half.

I did this in an upscale, verywhite neighborhood.

I did it wearing one of their space-age outfits -- which I got to keep.

I did it beneath one of those "Chicago is Fat" signs.

So when I did Prasarita Padottanasana (above), I made sure my arse faced away from the street.


Not many people stopped and stared during the demo.

The majority of those that noticed did a double take and then pretended not to be looking.

Too cool for that.

The only ones who stopped and openly stared fell into three categories*:

-Children

-Immigrants

-Older working class folks


Not that I was looking at them or anything.



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*Sometimes I think that these are the only people left in the America who still have a sense of wonder -- and aren't afraid to show it.

(Well, maybe not the precocious little gourmands pictured below. In fact they may already be jaded enough to start a band. They could call themselves Plum and the Gourmands).