HOLY CRAP I'VE BEEN IN THE CITY 7 MONTHS!!! and this is what I did on my two hundred and first day in the big apple.
Hippie thine name is Kyle.
Today was a very granola day. After some drudgery at work and no sales I went to yoga (early today thankfully) and had my ass kicked. I am making progress though, I am going longer and longer before I need to drop down into child’s pose and collect my breath. I am also slowly but surely holding the poses longer and longer which is amazing to me.
At Yoga For The People you aren’t guaranteed what teacher you will get, they try and avoid teachers gaining a following because yoga is supposed to be about you and your practice (or some bullshit like that) and the teacher I had today was phenomenal.
As a side note an observer someone getting there yoga certification I assume, said that I have “really great body awareness” I have some idea of what she means by that and it makes me happy.
After yoga I met my friend Ashley at SGI buddhist temple/whatever it is. She wanted to introduce me to the practice a bit since I showed interest. I am going to a meeting tomorrow that is more about explaining things but today I just went into the temple and listened to people chant.
After I listened and got some information on what they where chanting about I joined in. SGI practices what is called “Nichiren Buddhism” one of the main forms of practice being chanting of “Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo” Here is a link to some more in depth information on what that translates into and what it all means. I wont type it out if there is an existing explanation. I will tell you what I translate the practice into.
From what I can understand you are using this chant as a tool. You have a focal point (which is generally the Chinese characters of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo) and you chant as a way to search inside yourself. The phrase is essentially engaging the universe. From what I can tell this particular brand of Buddhism holds many of the same tenants I do. That we are in with and of the universe, that there is a binding organic force moving the wheels, an element that connects us all. I believe that element is both physical (being atoms and such) and spiritual in nature.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is their way of engaging the universe and connecting to it. It is a form of motivation and a source of clarity. Some people call it praying because you are focusing on things you need and want from your life but really it is a kind of reprogramming or self fulfilling prophecies. You use this chant to channel your emotions and state of mind into a positive place, a place of action, a place of willingness to do what is needed to achieve your goals and the belief that those goals are attainable.
There are a number of other tenants to this I am looking into. I am not swallowing this whole I have a lot of digging to do and already I need clarifying on certain things I’m reading and intend to seek out that clarification. But if you take the chant and the motivation behind that chant alone, I approve more than that I think I can get behind that kind of mindset.
That’s about it for now.
I love you all
KH-
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
New York Day 198 "A Rush Of Blood"
“A Rush Of Blood”
So much going on I don’t even know where to start. Did I mention yet I’m in a play called “Something Wicked”? It’s a modern day adaptation of Macbeth I play Murderer 1. It isn’t a grammy winning role or anything but I get to rough up an English girl and look scary which is pretty much what I do best.
I got another short paying gig. The director of Something Wicked is also a film student and I got 10 dollars an hour to be in his short film. I also was cast as “Chef Randy” in an upcoming web sitcom called “Doc and Marty’s”
It’s about 2 managers who run a Back To The Future themed restaurant. Filming for the pilot (which I’m not in) starts in a couple weeks. Episode 2 has a few chef Randy features in it that I’m looking forward to.
Summer is coming which means sales are getting better...I’m still running scared with the money thing but things are looking like it is going to be feast instead of famine again in a couple weeks.
I started going to yoga. There is a place called “Yoga For The People” in the East Village that hosts yoga sessions for donations and it has been amazing. Not only is my body getting it’s ass kicked but you would be surprised what yoga does for ones mental well being. Regular work outs have nothing on this stuff.
Put aside the fact that it constricts and releases arteries to provide a full arterial flush and cleans out my system but focusing my breathing and being lead in some light mediation has really opened some doors to me.
I’ve been more present for my own life which has been an issue recently. I think I’m becoming a little dependent because I haven’t been to yoga in a couple days and already I’m starting to feel a little disconnected again.
I’v even started to make some emotional break throughs that I have really been looking for in direct response to the yoga. The other day I was riding the train home from the session and I almost started to break down on the train when I realized the core issue of my denial about mom.
I have accepted the fact that mom is gone and that is the reality of my life now, I have embraced reality so as to go on living a normal life. I have said to myself I will be okay and it’s going to be okay. I have never said and believed, really believed that it’s okay that mom is dead.
I’ve never accepted the possibility that the fact that she is gone is okay...it isn’t good by any means but it’s okay...I don’t know if that makes sense. What I mean to say is that it is the natural order of things, people come and people go and that is okay...it’s not something anyone likes but it is what it is. That isn’t something I’m willing to accept just yet but at least I know where I’m trying to go now. Before that I had no idea what exiting my denial and acceptance looked like.
Life in the city continues to surprise and delight me. Adventures, new friends, hardships to keep it interesting, self discovery and not to mention .75 cent mini custard pies and 4 for 6 veggie dumplings in china town (a new discovery) and dollar pizza.(an old stand by)
I should probably mention China town. I saw the middle of China town for the first time really a couple days ago. It was kind of awesome. Like I said I stumbled on a bakery that sold little custard pies and chocolate rum balls for 75 cents. I also discovered veggie dumplings...they are pot stickers but with veggies instead of pork...and they are amazing.
The entire place felt exactly like what it was. It felt like an entire culture and country setting up shop in a foreign land. You could see the authentic Chinese market amidst all the Americanization. Cheap fruit, nick nack shops, everything with Chinese lettering on it...it was really surreal and I kept waiting to find someplace I could buy a mogwai...
(kudos to anyone who got the reference)
I love you all
KH-
So much going on I don’t even know where to start. Did I mention yet I’m in a play called “Something Wicked”? It’s a modern day adaptation of Macbeth I play Murderer 1. It isn’t a grammy winning role or anything but I get to rough up an English girl and look scary which is pretty much what I do best.
I got another short paying gig. The director of Something Wicked is also a film student and I got 10 dollars an hour to be in his short film. I also was cast as “Chef Randy” in an upcoming web sitcom called “Doc and Marty’s”
It’s about 2 managers who run a Back To The Future themed restaurant. Filming for the pilot (which I’m not in) starts in a couple weeks. Episode 2 has a few chef Randy features in it that I’m looking forward to.
Summer is coming which means sales are getting better...I’m still running scared with the money thing but things are looking like it is going to be feast instead of famine again in a couple weeks.
I started going to yoga. There is a place called “Yoga For The People” in the East Village that hosts yoga sessions for donations and it has been amazing. Not only is my body getting it’s ass kicked but you would be surprised what yoga does for ones mental well being. Regular work outs have nothing on this stuff.
Put aside the fact that it constricts and releases arteries to provide a full arterial flush and cleans out my system but focusing my breathing and being lead in some light mediation has really opened some doors to me.
I’ve been more present for my own life which has been an issue recently. I think I’m becoming a little dependent because I haven’t been to yoga in a couple days and already I’m starting to feel a little disconnected again.
I’v even started to make some emotional break throughs that I have really been looking for in direct response to the yoga. The other day I was riding the train home from the session and I almost started to break down on the train when I realized the core issue of my denial about mom.
I have accepted the fact that mom is gone and that is the reality of my life now, I have embraced reality so as to go on living a normal life. I have said to myself I will be okay and it’s going to be okay. I have never said and believed, really believed that it’s okay that mom is dead.
I’ve never accepted the possibility that the fact that she is gone is okay...it isn’t good by any means but it’s okay...I don’t know if that makes sense. What I mean to say is that it is the natural order of things, people come and people go and that is okay...it’s not something anyone likes but it is what it is. That isn’t something I’m willing to accept just yet but at least I know where I’m trying to go now. Before that I had no idea what exiting my denial and acceptance looked like.
Life in the city continues to surprise and delight me. Adventures, new friends, hardships to keep it interesting, self discovery and not to mention .75 cent mini custard pies and 4 for 6 veggie dumplings in china town (a new discovery) and dollar pizza.(an old stand by)
I should probably mention China town. I saw the middle of China town for the first time really a couple days ago. It was kind of awesome. Like I said I stumbled on a bakery that sold little custard pies and chocolate rum balls for 75 cents. I also discovered veggie dumplings...they are pot stickers but with veggies instead of pork...and they are amazing.
The entire place felt exactly like what it was. It felt like an entire culture and country setting up shop in a foreign land. You could see the authentic Chinese market amidst all the Americanization. Cheap fruit, nick nack shops, everything with Chinese lettering on it...it was really surreal and I kept waiting to find someplace I could buy a mogwai...
(kudos to anyone who got the reference)
I love you all
KH-
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