the NY Times recently published the article
when chocolate and chakras collide which is chock full of great points to argue. i read paragraph after paragraph wishing i had someone to spout off to. then i realized "hey! i have a blog!"
disclaimer: i recommend that you read the article BEFORE you continue past this disclaimer. to be sure of the clarity of my own points, without getting all tangled with disorganization, i have highlighted sections of the article and then added my own commentary. also to be noted, my stand point is that of a yoga purist. i have been practicing yoga for 12 years and decided to further my dedication by getting my teacher's certification this summer at
7 centers yoga arts in sedona, arizona. the programs at 7 centers are rooted in
ayurvedic teachings and philosophy.
now, to continue with my first point of reference...
Calling his mission “yoga for the Everyman,” Mr. Romanelli, 36, plays Grateful Dead songs during class, wears sweat pants rather than spandex, and has already experimented with offering chocolate truffles after chaturanga instruction. “It’s a way of getting people in the door,” he said in an interview. “The world is a better place if people do yoga. And if they come because chocolate or wine is involved, I’m fine with it.”
ok, i admit, dark chocolate...especially when combined with crystallized ginger, or almonds, never both at the same time...is one of my biggest weaknesses
. just the other day i was commenting to a friend how next time i'm in yoga class and i'm all warmed up and the instructor gives us the queu to find an intention for our practice, i had contemplated focusing on my deep gratitude for every moment i get to enjoy the semi sweet richness of dark chocolate...how it makes my cheeks pucker, eyes water, and how precious it is to find such decadent quality. i contemplated doing this for the very reason that Mr. Romanelli states as his purpose, "to push back against the traditional, quiet, serious approach". i merely wanted to test it out. needless to say, it didn't work. what happened is i found myself desiring dark chocolate more than the yoga practice itself. and then after class, at 7pm when the only shop in town that carried my chocolate was closed, i had an insatiable desire that needed fulfillment but yet was left unsatisfied. i agree, "the world IS a better place if people do yoga"...but this is only true in an ideal situation. bribing people to do yoga with candy and booze totally, completely, and utterly defeats the purpose of practicing yoga. it reminds me of the commercial i once saw about a housewife inviting all her other house wife friends over for their in-home morning yoga session, and in the middle of their down ward facing dog...all of which were clumsily only putting all fours on the floor...the main woman lifts her head to the camera...as if the other ladies can't hear her...to state that she's glad she uses Glade Plugins. yoga is being made fun of...becoming a joke...a trend...an exercise fad. it's like, "you're not cool unless you're carrying a yoga bag to the gym!". on another note: i've been known to hit up events, art exhibits, whole foods at lunch time, simply because of the free samples and plastic cups of bad wine. does Mr. Romanelli seriously think that people are going to his classes for the yoga?? i'd be hard up to believe it.
p.s. in lieu of your music selection, i commend you on this. music is to be enjoyed by all.
"he moved to California to work as an assistant to Shaquille O'Neal's agent".
Mr. Romanelli obviously is in to making big bucks.
"Ms. Taylor said that it was once difficult to reconcile her commitment to yoga with her love of good food. But in the Upanishads, the sacred Hindu texts, she said, she found an aesthetic philosophy in which the appreciation of worldly things is not only acceptable, but necessary to achieve true understanding."
- i was vegetarian for 8 years. when i moved back to south georgia (i no longer live in south georgia), the first of all my trials and tribulations of moving back home...almost immediately, in fact...was the food. EVERYTHING has meat in it. the green beans have fat-back, squash has bacon, lasanga has beef, mac and cheese has ham...would you believe me if i said that even the sweet tea has a film of grease on the top? due to other stresses in my life at the time i willingly gave up my diet for a bowl of mom's famous vegetable soup...complete with venison. i will not lie, til this day, it is delicious!!! gradually, though, i got my shit straight along with my diet. i continued to eat meat, but only if it was 1) clean (i pray i do not have to specify what this means, literally, in terms of slaughtered meat)...2) humanely raised and killed...3) and only if i had to, meaning i was at someone's house, at a restaurant, etc. needless to say, living in south georgia, pretty much none of these points apply. to get up to date, today i am about 99% vegetarian.
- i could probably be considered what the world would call a "foodie"...along with the fact that i own a cafe, am a part time baker specializing in gluten free yumminess, and cook every day of my life even when not at work. simply put,
I LOVE FOOD.
- i have read and studied the Upanishads
to sum this one up: food is nourishment. we need it to survive. if you are eating a healthy diet with REAL food...(here comes another diversion) definition of real food: food that is closest to it's natural state without alterations, modifications, synthetic antibiotics/hormones/chemicals, or overly processed...i'm sure that you are safe within the realm of yogic sincerity across the globe. only if you claim to be a practicing Hindu should you worry about the strict guidelines of food intake as the Upanishads outline.
Ahimsa is now interpreted by some American yogis to allow meat, if it is humanely slaughtered. Many teachers say that they have adopted a “don’t ask, don’t tell” attitude about meat, and Mr. Romanelli says he eats meat when he knows its source (and sometimes when he doesn’t)
people shouldn't feel guilt tripped into not eating meat. "don't ask, don't tell" is so dishonest. like all world religions these days, people are changing religious interpretations to fit their lifestyles.
they don't want to feel guilty for something they honestly believe to be wrong, but yet they're willing to alter an age old teaching so they can continue to do their bad deed in good light.
Steve Ross, an influential teacher in Los Angeles, says in his book “Happy Yoga; 7 Reasons Why There’s Nothing to Worry About” that yogis must ask themselves this question in the produce section: “Are the farmers full of gratitude and love, and do they enjoy growing food, or are they angry and filled with hate for their job and all vegetables?”
good point, Steve Ross! but the answer is more than likely no. consider for a minute, if you will, the people who work in slaughter houses. if you're reading this, and you've never watched a video, film, movie, hidden camera footage, what-have-you, on the the ins and outs of slaughter houses...then you've got some homework to do. i agree that the same can be applied to produce. ever sang to your blossoming house plant? grew like a weed, huh! ever deprived your house plant of sunshine and water? i bet it curled up and died in one week, huh!
Mary Taylor, the student of Julia Child, says she seeks a “middle path”; she follows a vegan diet but refrains from judging those who don’t.
refrains from judging those who don't?? i should hope so! Mary Taylor should only be concerned with herself, living her life the best way she knows how, humbly sharing her beliefs with others, and not be so concerned with matters not related to her. Mary, i recommend that you read
the four agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, and other Toltec teachings.
Yogic food choices can also influenced by ayurveda, a traditional Indian way of eating to keep the body healthy and in balance. Some yogis determine their dosha, or dominant humor, vata (wind/air), pitta (bile) or kapha (phlegm), and eat accordingly. Foods are invested with properties like warming or cooling, heavy or light, moist or dry.
i chose a yoga program based in Ayurvedic
teachings because i want to be as close to Yoga as i possibly can. i view Yoga as a being, and learning the true principles behind it and
why it is the way it is, seems to give me more understanding and clarity as to why
i'm doing it. Yogic philosophy, like most ancient belief systems, are more inclusive and factor in other humanly elements. yoga is more than just an exercise, an aerobic workout, a quiet time, a social hour. their is a historical design to it and i believe it to function at it's optimal capabilities when utilized according to design. i do not condemn those who do otherwise, or judge those who view it differently than i. i consider it a blessing that so many people are open to the mere idea of it. when i was 18 and took my first yoga class ever, it was offered by my University as a gym class...free...no credits given or even a participation score...but only an experiment. yes, the administration called it an 'experiment'. they doubted it's popularity. the University now offers it as an credited gym class.
Back at the Exhale studio, wandering among the supple bodies of his acolytes, Mr. Romanelli talked about his recent embrace of the Slow Food movement and his dreams of returning American yogis to what he describes as the happy, prelapsarian state of 1995. “Remember before you had your first e-mail address or your first cellphone,” he said. “Don’t you think that your food tasted better back then?”
dear Mr. Romanelli, by this comment i take it that when you say "slow food" you are implying that when food is ordered in a restaurant it is made to order, with care, and with
the utmost attentiveness given to the preparation of your meal. there is a little cafe near where i live. at the counter where you order there is cute little colorful sign that says "welcome to the slow food revolution. in the desire to give you great service and great food, which involves time, you may have to wait longer than usual to get your food"...or something of that nature. is this more or less what you mean? because if so, you are entirely mistaken as to what the Slow Food Movement is. if you do a little research, instead of being more concerned with the depths of your pocket, you will discover that the Slow Food Movement is of much greater importance than just the mere idea that your food was prepared especially for you in mind. in laymens terms, the Slow Food Movement is about good, clean and fair food. the concept is farm-to-table...meaning your food isn't provided by some famous chef in santa moica or by some specialty gourmet shop in downtown L.A....but rather, local growers and farmers who practice "good, clean and fair" are given the chance to share their wholesome and delicious traditions and practices with the rest of the world. take a look at
www.slowfood.com for some enlightenment.
Namaste,
chloe peppercorn
oh, and one more thing. if you're curious about the dark chocolate and ginger combo i highly recommend
