108

108 Sun Salutations

In yoga, a sun salutation is a flowing combination of a series of
poses that work all groups of muscles, creates strength and
discipline, and draws your attention inward to prepare for meditation
or as a meditation unto itself. It is like a mantra for the body.

I did 108 sun salutations. Few believed I could do it. I didn't
believe it. But I did and it was amazingly easy.

108 reasons to be grateful. With each breath a reason until, like a
rosary or mala of 108 beads strung together, I had a string of
blessings, whole and each unique, flowing through me:

momapukriskyleyogamusicchoirsingingsalsadancingdavidspanishwritingteachingmyloftnyclasunshinehikingcoffeeredwinesexpumpkinautumnphilipjeannetlumcteachersnyfriendslafriendsdaphneeugenesandduneshomeseniorsotherfriendssnowboardingsnowoceanbelizecostaricahungaryblackbootssalsadressesyoginisloveloveletterstearslaughtermeditationbuddhajesusbooksmacsorganicfoodsdianatreeswaterearthskyfirewindthedesertmountainshottubsredblackorangebluesilvermotorcyclespassioncompassionloveatfirstsitefaithinsightyourpupppydogeyescinnamonstorytellingjournetyingchangestillnesschantingindependencesurrenderkissingloveimaginationhaircandlesskinmusecreativitysoulmatespatiencefantasyscrabbleaman'sshoesonmytablesecurityblissadventurelifesandsilverbraceletyoursmilehugscaressescommunityfamilyhappiness

Then we danced, as a community. I allowed my muscles to relax, to
move freely, the opposite of the discipline and precision of the sun
salutations.

My awareness expanded, taking in all around me, taking in the yogic
and spiritual gurus of the community: people who are well 'rewarded'
for their spiritual devoutness, made apparent in their designer yoga
wear and adoring fans; people who were supposed to inspire and emanate
love. But something, to me, did not click. I passed the man touted to
be the 'real deal,' and only felt a chill in his eyes staring forward,
oblivious to all around him, safe in the bubble of his entourage. I
felt repelled rather than inspired as my fellow yogis chatted loudly,
unaware in between the performers on stage and me. I rolled up my
yoga mat and left feeling that I somehow failed to tap into that bliss
and compassion promised in this community yoga event.

The next day, on my way to hiking (one of the 108 blessings I counted
in my sun salutations) I sat in unexpected and unexplained traffic
jam. I saw swirling patrol lights over the SUVs and sedans around me.
Then, the roses, appropriate given the cemetery up ahead. Then,
what looked like a family, brown skin and jet-black hair. Some were
already in handcuffs, one officer held some of the roses.

I am not sure what it is, but something seems wrong here. Where is
the awareness of the yogis now? How can someone who preaches
compassion and enlightenment live in luxury yet this family, perhaps
just trying to buy dinner tonight or new shoes or, god forbid it, a
fun family night out to the movies, is arrested. I know there are
laws, but aren't there bigger ones being broken (like the corruption
and mismanagement of funds in schools)? I know the guru, whose
teachings are now available worldwide (on DVD or in a book, for more
than the roses for sale), would say they simply did not think big
enough, positively enough. As if leaving behind all you know, going
to a country where you don't speak the language and live legally, all
because you believe life there will be better, where the opportunity
to sell flowers on the street in LA is better than the poverty,
possibly violence, of a Central American village . . . as if that is
not positive thinking in action.