Laughing Lotus

There's a new yoga studio in San Francisco. It originated in New York City. The purveyors are from San Francisco and brought some New York-style performance to the city. I missed the kirtan, because I had to see Dr. Fu (my acupuncturist from Shanghai) to cure some of my usual stuff. There's another acupuncturist I see from my health plan who is also good. Her name is Ji Ling. But I digress...

The event--the opening of the Laughing Lotus--began at 7:00. That's when I woke up at Dr. Fu's. So, I missed about an hour or more of the festivities. But I was greeted sweetly at the door and welcomed by the sound of chanting. The place is painted so inobtrusively, in a kind of magenta/peach, and the gods are also painted on the wall. Ganesh is a pink elephant!

What was really cool for me was that I got to see my friends (part of my extended family) from the Love of Ganesha AND a friend I hadn't seen in almost 20 years. I had been thinking about this woman and the man she had a deep connection with who was my housemate, the brilliant left-handed guitarist from London, Snakefinger. There was something I had always wanted to tell her, and I got the chance to tell her tonight. It was kind of an apology for being such an immature baby girl back then. Now I'm a mature baby girl!

But more about the studio: there is a shrine to Amma! Yay! This pleased me much, because not many people really appreciate who Amma is and what she means to humanity. It's not that I'm pushing my guru on anyone...no. Amma represents bhakti, love. She gave tons of money to the Katrina victims. I hope she can help the monks in Myanmar!

In any case, if one wants to study yoga, this would be the place to go. There was a performance by six women who did a yogic dance, fundamentally. They were so graceful in their movements and looked like they were so selfless about it. That is perhaps what I like most about this place: its humility and beauty.