I was in Fisterra, Spain, finishing the Camino de Santiago the day my daughter was conceived in Colorado. A few weeks later, I burned an effigy of a wax baby in Fatima, Portugal, to pray the embryo later-to-be-named H would find a suitable place in her mother’s womb. My foray into fatherhood might best be described as non-traditional. (more…)
Yoga
My Nine Craziest Yoga Classes Around the World
A peripatetic yoga teacher doesn’t have a regular schedule. That said, I came across some amazing places to practice – environments that seemed to be calling for it – and I could always rustle up some students.
Here are some of the most memorable:
Happy Birthday Dharma Mittra!
Dharma Mittra, legendary yoga teacher and the creator of the master Yoga Chart of 908 asanas, celebrates his seventy-seventh (!) birthday on Saturday.
A living legend, Dharma Mittra has dedicated his life to yoga and been influential on my own practice ever since our first meeting five years ago. I still recall our first class when he breezed in, barefoot, dressed simply in yoga clothes, meticulously groomed as he casually moved to the stage. (more…)
Recovering Nomad – The Importance of Community
After years of being a spiritual nomad and deciding to settle in New York, I am enjoying getting to know my new neighborhood. From the last blog post, readers might be aware that I am flirting with the different hoods in NYC, and currently enjoying getting to know Chelsea.
A strong sense of lasting community is something I missed on the road. I was part of powerful groups along the way: With other pilgrims on the camino to Santiago in Spain, in a group of international volunteers at the clinic in Ladakh, among the yogis in the rainforest of Trindade, with the Rainbow Family in Israel’s Negev desert. (more…)
Recovering Nomad – The Art of Cleanliness
After so much time traveling, I was ready for a home, and for a variety of reasons, New York called my name. I have many good and not as good friends here, and for the first time in forever I feel at home.
I knew New York from visits over the years, but wanted to see nuances of the different neighborhoods before settling in for the duration. I read an article in the New York Times which chronicled the idea of temporary stints in neighborhoods. This fit with my mindset, so I began to “date” a few neighborhoods to see if we were compatible. I first landed in the East Village, which while diverse, made me feel really old among the college kids. My sublease ended and after a brief trip to Arizona, I found a place in Chelsea, at least until the end of May. (more…)
The Story of God – Searching for Answers
On Sunday, April 3rd National Geographic are screening the first part of a six-part documentary series called ‘The Story of God.’
Narrated by Morgan Freeman, it follows the actor to the lengths of the Earth as he explores the major religions to better understand God’s origin and how that image has evolved over the years.
No stranger to getting up close and personal with the Big Guy himself (playing God in Bruce Almighty), Freeman promises to present a new perspective on the age old question of ‘Who is God?’ which will prompt questions about our own faith. (more…)
Zigzag to the Ganges
The trip to Rishikesh from Srinegar was not a simple one. It involved a wooden Shakira or shikara, as they call them, then an auto rickshaw, and then an 8-hour taxi ride through the Himalayas with a driver who self-identified as — wait for it — Fuckery Zigzag. Okay, I think it was actually Fakira Zigzag, but the way he drove and acted certainly earned him the moniker. (more…)
Actively Dying 
