honestly, what do you take me for?
i know it's hard for folks in the healing center that is ashland, oregon, to comprehend those different than themselves. oh sure, there sure is a lot of lip service paid to the idea of "diversity"... but in ashland terms diversity means that water signs hang out with fire signs. (can you believe it?!) y'all may think i'm kidding, but sadly i am not. if you have friends that might be five years younger or older, you qualify as having a "diverse" group of friends. never mind that five years age difference amongst well-to-do honkies with aligned chakras really doesn't account for much.
i kinda knew i was rubbing against the grain when i bought a yoga studio in crystal-healing central. i also kinda liked that idea. i assumed that everyone who crosses the threshold of my studio has a basic understanding that i am not your typical yoga practitioner/teacher. i would imagine that the sight of roller derby and critical mass flyers at my business would speak to that.
yesterday one of my students arrives to practice, a brown paper bag in hand. "i brought a gift, for the studio," he tells me as he hands the bag to me. the paper bag came from our local food co-op, so hungry ghost that i truly am i begin salivating at the thought of some food item. said student proceeds into the studio. i sneak a peek into the bag.
no food. instead i find a set of dolphin divination cards, and their associated guide.
at that moment i breathe a sigh of relief that the gift-giver is not in my line of sight, as i cannot muster the appropriate phony show of gratitude. my eyes move upward towards our front desk, where the stack of derby flyers sit. i think: where does he get the idea that i would want these?
don't get me wrong. i like dolphins. it ain't the dolphins i have issue with. it's just the whole assumption that if you practice yoga you must also follow the whole hippie/pagan/new age formula. no disrespect to those who do, but i am a cranky, working-class buddhist well-versed in foul language, early iron maiden and the delicate art of bicycle repair. i tell off-color jokes while i teach. let the dolphins swim. i'll take care of the yoga.
the worst part? telling my fellow about it. no, really. his response? "you should have thanked him in dolphin language." why didn't i think of that?!
i kinda knew i was rubbing against the grain when i bought a yoga studio in crystal-healing central. i also kinda liked that idea. i assumed that everyone who crosses the threshold of my studio has a basic understanding that i am not your typical yoga practitioner/teacher. i would imagine that the sight of roller derby and critical mass flyers at my business would speak to that.
yesterday one of my students arrives to practice, a brown paper bag in hand. "i brought a gift, for the studio," he tells me as he hands the bag to me. the paper bag came from our local food co-op, so hungry ghost that i truly am i begin salivating at the thought of some food item. said student proceeds into the studio. i sneak a peek into the bag.
no food. instead i find a set of dolphin divination cards, and their associated guide.
at that moment i breathe a sigh of relief that the gift-giver is not in my line of sight, as i cannot muster the appropriate phony show of gratitude. my eyes move upward towards our front desk, where the stack of derby flyers sit. i think: where does he get the idea that i would want these?
don't get me wrong. i like dolphins. it ain't the dolphins i have issue with. it's just the whole assumption that if you practice yoga you must also follow the whole hippie/pagan/new age formula. no disrespect to those who do, but i am a cranky, working-class buddhist well-versed in foul language, early iron maiden and the delicate art of bicycle repair. i tell off-color jokes while i teach. let the dolphins swim. i'll take care of the yoga.
the worst part? telling my fellow about it. no, really. his response? "you should have thanked him in dolphin language." why didn't i think of that?!