This past weekend, The Munch and I went to a yoga festival called Wanderlust. I have conflicting feelings about events like this. In theory, it is magical that all these people come together to celebrate the common interest of yoga. But in practice, when I am surrounded by all these hippies I kind of want to slather them in meat sauce and preach the value of Reaganomics while drinking a Coke and wearing a fur coat made of Wooly Mammoth. I don’t know why. Maybe it is all the flowing clothes, spiritually driven tattoos, and sincere looks. What is that you say? What am I wearing? Just these billowing pants and shirt… why? Oh… this here tattoo… it is a tree of life that I drew. or do you mean the lotus flowers at my heart? What is that you say? Oh this is just the look I give everyone when I am staring into their third eye. Why? What are you getting at?
I guess my over arching issue is the feeling I get that people think they are above it all. But are they? Okay fine, you may be more conscious about what you buy, but you are still a consumer even if you are buying Kambucha, feathered earrings, and beads for your dreads. Yes, there is the energetic claim that everyone is accepting and open hearted, but people are still clicky, judgmental, self-conscious, lusty, slutty, womanizers, ego-driven, dark, rude, angry and full of rage. Try and cut someone in line getting a coconut water and organic raw ball of cacao with sunflower seeds and you will see how one with the universe someone really is.
Why am I so cynical? It is not like I don’t appreciate the intention behind it all. The love, peace, and happiness for all beings. But something about being in a circle with a bunch of people thrusting their pelvis to the sound of the Djembe drum makes me excuse myself to the bathroom and pray it will all be over soon so I can downward dog in peace.
Despite my effort to keep an open mind, I couldn’t brush away the taste of over analyzing and feeling better than everyone who felt better than everyone else. I then went to a class where the teacher talked about the Devil inside us. She went on to say that everything that truly annoys us about someone else is actually our shadow selves. Essentially we hate what we are. Now tell me that is not the most ridiculous thing you have ever heard. That is so obviously not the case with me. Excuse me… I have to go now and chant to Krishna Das and make fun of people for dancing with their eyes closed while feeling like I know more than everyone around me.
Om Shanti
