What do Occam's Razor, Kino's Hip, and Mandelbrot's fractals have in common?
Well, here's the simplest answer (Occam's Razor): we are all basically individual components, exactly the same as the whole (fractals) and we should forget about Kino MacGregor's (hip) yoga mat/issues and focus on our own mat—our concerns are all the same! What could be simpler than that, Occam?
Guess that's it for this entry!
OK, not quite.
It's been an interesting week, with a focus on injury. My old back issue—quadratus laborum strain/pain—showed up with a vengeance after John Bultman's workshop. Taking it easy for three days with (too much) time for social media, I saw a link related to Kino's recent hip injury that went into detail about Kino, her public image, injury details, and her training with a circus acrobat(!)
Kino has a monumental following in social and print media, making her in my mind something like an Ashtangi Kim Kardashian. Like Kardashian, her public and popular culture outreach is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does leave them both open to the projections and judgements of people with proclivities of every kind. And everyone seems to have an opinion about both of them.
So at least on one FB site, a long list of judgements and responses trailed down the page about and beyond Kino!
"Really? A circus acrobat trainer? She's a yogi not a circus performer!"We are all dealing with essentially the same issues in life and on our mats, trying to do our best and seeking happiness, and the fuss made me that much more aware of a lot of things.
I had one recurring question. Does Kino realize the power of her public actions and pronouncements? I want Kino to be more responsible and honest. But what does that mean? My reaction reveals more about me than it does about her! So thank you, Kino for being such a flashpoint for so many issues, and inspiring me/us to greater self-awareness.
Now about my own injury. It's perfect! Tailor-made. Back bends feel wonderful! Forward bends are horrible—eek-ish! (Day1, I couldn't touch my toes.) I also feel very clear and unconflicted about how to deal with it day to day—do back bends and whatever else doesn't hurt (not much), and as things improve add in more poses. Scheduled a therapeutic massage and ran a few miles today. Every morning things are a little better. Also, I'm taking boatloads of turmeric so if I look bright yellow, this is why.
So Occam, I do believe your razor has cut through the bullshit; Mandelbrot, thank you for making me SEE our beautiful sameness; and Kino, your hip has brought it all back home again!
And this too is yoga! Including and especially this—
A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. —Albert Einstein
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