http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight An entire Lightstalkers thread via RSS/XML. en-us http://www.vanbruntgallery.com/nyc/ moises has a couple of photos in this. gonna try to make it. Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:53:39 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight So that is why you were not at Bikram tonight. OK, well have fun maybe see you tomorrow at 10AM. GG Tue, 24 Aug 2004 17:39:42 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#264 heya shortie, think I might be heading for a later class.maybe 6pm? Tue, 24 Aug 2004 20:02:26 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#265 Lovely, enjoy. I had mine at 10 AM. Wed, 25 Aug 2004 11:21:07 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#272 Do you guys know that the Bikram guy is suing anyone who tries to teach Bikram without paying their dues. He is trying to make it the McDonalds of Yoga... PURE EVIL I TELL YOU! Well at least that is what Jan Rafferty told me.... Wed, 25 Aug 2004 20:04:03 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#275 uh-oh E-SKI in tha house !!!!!! Thu, 26 Aug 2004 05:36:33 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#276 Yes, Bikram is a capitalist through and through. Looking forward for the "Ben and Jerry's" of Yoga to come along. Thu, 26 Aug 2004 09:02:18 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#277 not that I don't think bikram is a wanker, but wouldn't you be suing anyone who was selling easystar CDs or merchandise without cutting you in? Thu, 26 Aug 2004 09:37:06 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#278 Because Yoga has an eastern spiritual aspect about it, mixing money matters with it seems especially disingenuous but Bikram's yoga has been rung through western culture and has come out appropriately with a designer label. I don't appreciate that but the practice does help my back for now. Artistic rights are something else. Thu, 26 Aug 2004 13:48:49 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#279 Teru- Because I recently purchased rights to the word "wanker" , I will have to request that you cease using that word or risk future legal action. Thu, 26 Aug 2004 14:18:54 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#280 I'm not a fan of anyone's fleet of rolls-royces, but just because Bikram comes from India, doesn't mean he's less entitled to make money than anyone else. It would be very convenient for all of us if he decided to run free classes, but that's got less to do with eastern spirituality than western stereotypes about the "authenticity" of exotic orientals. It's also convenient to say that "artistic rights" are somehow different. You create photographs, or music, and you feel entitled to an ownership of what you made. Bikram created a particular system of yoga, and he similarly feels entitled to his "artistic", (and commercial) rights. I'm also not sure what "eastern spiritual aspect" you're ascribing to Bikram. There's no chanting, no sanskrit prayers, no ohming, no purifying incense, and no stories from the baghavad gita being read after class. Bikram yoga is often criticized by other yoga schools for being too athletic, and not "spiritual" enough, and I think that's precisely why a lot of us like it. Matt, I believe Corbis has exclusive licensing rights to the on-line text usage of the word "wanker", so the legal department may be in contact with you shortly. Thu, 26 Aug 2004 15:59:21 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#281 Hear, Hear. Though I do not know Bikram, dont go to yoga classes, and generally mistrust Western versions of "authentic" Eastern practices, I will say this: the mix of religion and money, at least in India, is not such a problem for the Indians as it is for us. We finicky puritan types tend to mistrust the taint of money, but that just isnt so in India. And I am not talking about the now long established tradition of "selling" Eastern wisdom to gullible Westerners, I am referring to the daily business of religion in India. Take the institution of the ashram, for example, which most Westerners think of as a kind of spiritual retreat. Yes, it is that, but it is also something more, it is a school in which Brahmin youngsters learn their sanskrit and the ancient ritual practices that pertain to that particular temple (which may be Shaivite or Vishnuvite, what have you), in order to return to their villages and maintain the local temple, thereby providing a service to the community and making a living for themselves. And they see no problem in the "material" aspect of this. They have to eat. On the other hand, I admit, this is not exactly the same as the case with Bikram and the MacDonaldization of Yoga. But entrepreneurialism is not limited to the West. It is the legal mumbo jumbo and the standardization of products and services, etc, ie the Western model of marketing that makes it all seem somehow more heinous. As to whether Bikram is a wanker, could it be that he has a background in tantric Yoga? In that case, wanking might be his particular form of training his life force. Be careful, you could all be setting yourselves up for a slander lawsuit! Thu, 26 Aug 2004 17:32:39 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#282 hmmm, looks like the lights are stalking. As for bringing my business into this, everyone should pay us for our CDs and in turn give me stuff for free, it's that simple (you can easily buy Easy Star CDs online at Amazon, itunes, napster, etc., or slap your money down at Tower, Virgin, Best Buy, Borders, Kim's etc...or just hit our site at http://www.easystar.com, our profit margins are getting better and better through the use of free labor from the likes of Teru, Gigi, Matt, Retsu, Nina and hopefully everyone here at some point..). No really, Jan was talking about what a douche bag Bikram is, but I was on my fourth Beefeater by that point so...not sure what the argument is, but I trust her. In fact, how do we get her on this, how do you invite?? Thu, 26 Aug 2004 18:07:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#283 The MacDonaldization of Yoga... hypocritical to the teachings of Yoga... Bikram may be an artist to some, a douche bag to others, he may even be the next reality TV show host -- "EXTREME YOGA MAKEOVER!" seems like an OK title. I enjoy the practice as a yoga whose ultimate goal is the joining of body, mind and spirit. I've already given my money to the system and will continue to do so until I am bored, broke or hear something outrageous like he is using small children for labor (which I'm sure has western definitions as well.) Conscious consumer, I want to be, so do share what you may know about this infamous man. Anyway I think his empire will exceed Kathy Smith's and you could call her an artist as well, its a relative term. Thu, 26 Aug 2004 18:50:39 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#284 on the subject of eastern spirituality and the arts, I just came back from seeing "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle". Outstanding cinema, in the tradition of Supertroopers and the Apu Trilogy. Eric, to invite Jan, hit the "search" tab, and then "invite new member" I think... anyway, I'm going to spark a fat one and bump Dub Side of the Moon. namaste to all my inner children, T ps. there's absolutely nothing "disingenuous" about Bikram's approach. He's very open about the fact that he's making a fortune marketing a stripped down form of hatha yoga to americans and europeans. Thu, 26 Aug 2004 21:53:00 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#285 I heard bush and ashcroft like to do Bikram together. Thu, 26 Aug 2004 22:16:46 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#286 Its after 3AM, obviously its not helping my sleep. Anyway, Bikram is now in the Middle East, Africa, Asia... Fri, 27 Aug 2004 00:23:23 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#288 yes, there are new bikram franchises in south africa, the emirates, and japan. basically, there are bikram operations almost everywhere except india. globalization is a two way street. bikram was designed for export from east to west -- eventually it will hit everything in between, and come back to india. it wasn't co-opted or corrupted or wrung through any western culture machine. every element about it, from the poses, to the sequence, the environment, to the words the instructors use in classes, were scripted by Bikram Choudary. you might not like him, or rich people in general (although by global standards, that includes all of us), or anything designed for mass consumption -- you don't have to, and you don't have to support his system either. I don't really understand the "hypocritical to the teachings of yoga" argument though. what vedic scriptures or prohibitions are you thinking of? There's a natural tendency to prefer the natives "unspoiled", and the prices in rupees instead of dollars, but that again is a convenient romantic notion about how eastern/exotic/oriental/etc. people are supposed to behave. and what's more hypocritical than voluntarily giving your money to a system (until you get bored) that you think is corrupt? That's like slagging off McDonald's with a mouth full of big mac. The real issue, though, is that Eric is a ruthless capitalist monster, hellbent on the destruction of everything decent and noble in this world. He drives around in shiny Lexus while hardworking japanese artists are forced to make do with late model american SUVs, and thousands of malnourished bangladeshi and cambodian child laborers are forced to press CDs and silkscreen T-shirts for the latest Easy Star-Walmart consignment. The quaint musical creations of impoverished west indian artists are brutally appropriated, packaged, and sold to dirty cracker phish-chasing college students. I've even heard reports that Bikram is going to give Eric a reach-around during the keynote address at the RNC. btw, Eric, I'm still planning on going to the 6pm class tonight. come give it a spin, it'll be good for your back. Fri, 27 Aug 2004 08:41:04 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#289 There, there, Teru, I think you need to take more Yoga. See ya at 6PM. Fri, 27 Aug 2004 09:18:18 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#290 Wow, you guys are really worrying this bone. Grrrrrr. Well, I will say one thing, at least the yoga is much better for you than a Big Mac. I wish I could meet you all in the class tonite, it might help clean out my lungs. I was getting acupuncture from the renowned DR Mou in Chinatown, and that helped alot, but I could use some more. btw, Gigi, I meant to tell you that I have some personal experience of your recent story on child labor. I didnt know it at the time, but my wife tells me that we were offered a girl for the house. My mother in law´s neighbors, poor people who live in the campo and have basicallly drunk away all their assets, offered Ada their eldest daughter, figuring I guess that at the very least the girl would be fed and clothed and maybe even educated, and they would get her off their hands. (They do nothing for their children, neither feed nor clothe them. It is pretty disgusting.) So, there you go. Actually, abandoned children is one thing I would like to take up here, when I am not working at helping the cane cutters. My dream is to have a kind of children´s haven, with dormitories, two square meals a day, counseling and education. I will call it the Casa de los Limpiabotas. Any ideas? Wanna help some day? Fri, 27 Aug 2004 10:26:38 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/opening-tonight#291