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Reply to Zenyogi - American wierdnes

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Michael <br><br>Not having anything to do with

yoga never stops me writing . . .<br><br>Had a look at

your website piece - very nice. That's what I meant

but I was too busy being excited at the prospect of

caffeine and jetlag. Don't you hate it when someone says

what you meant?<br><br>Enuff of teh ineednonumber is

eloquent stuff pls. its going to my head and my ego is an

absolute monster as it is. (Oh go on then just a bit more.

.. . )<br><br>still, this week, after a four month

lay off and a bunch of hatha classes im going to go

to an ashtanga class. horray!!! ive been resting a

partially herniated disc caused by aforesaid ego (last

winter it was a mashed tendon) so lets all hope the

penny is slowly sliding into place, ah that sould read

dropping but that suggests im going to suddenly get the

idea . . . and we all know that aint going to

happen<br><br>anyway wish me luck this thursday. oh i love that one

when you put your leg in the air (yeah i know i should

either know the name or nip next door to get johns book

but i cant be bothered) and your leg wobbles! LOTS!

oh teh thought of all that perspiring and ujayi

breath with twenty others. blimey i'm really excited now

i think about it!<br><br>love + woof grrr

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Er, yeah. The English spelling rule we are taught

to chant at school is "I before E except after C".

Except when it's weird.<br><br>This is according to the

MS Word spell checker. I haven't checked it in a

proper English dictionary, i.e. the Oxford. Oh, and

that's another piece of American weirdness - the way

they quote dictionaries other than the Oxford as if

they could conceivably have any authority at all ;-)

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Wow!! Alan, you are an eloquent writer as well as

an inspiring photographer. What a well thought out

reply, although I knew from your previous posts, you

would give a good response. It is interesting how your

mind works. I went to Godfrey Devourex Windfire Yoga

retreat in Ibiza, Spain last year. It was my first time

being in I suppose Europe or as close to Europe as I

have ever been. I have been in Japan for a year as a

Marine but never there. Anyway, what I loved is aside

from having a great teacher in a wonderful place, is

being around people from Russia, Sweden, England,

Spain, and just about everywhere except the USA. I found

myself telling stories about America and experiences

there, expecting everyone to maybe be a little jealous

or curious about all our "things". What I found out,

is they not only were not jealous, but could really

give a crap about America. They would talk of places

in Europe I knew nothing of. At first I was a bit

dumbfounded at how they could not care of "America", but then

a light bulb turned on inside my head, and I got to

see America and myself from a different view. I loved

Europe. My eleven year old boy went with me, and we went

to a beach. I put my head down to sleep, only to be

awakened by my boy. Whispering "Dad, the girls have no

tops on!" My first impulse was to put my hands in

front of his eyes, (well my first impulse was to check

everything out to see if he was right) but then again, I

sort of just "let go" and saw myself from a different

angle. Thats why I asked for your to explain your

comment, I knew it would be a learning experience again

for me to see myself from another side. Thank you.

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Nice try. But the Oxford does acknowledge the

existence of the weird American dialect spellings - do

Webster's or the AHD acknowledge the correct

ones?<br><br>(I hope you don't think I mean this crap ...

Although isn't it interesting that the greatest English

language poet of them all in my humble opinion, TS Eliot,

spent all his time trying to be and sound English as

English as possible although he was American?)

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Sorry, Alan. But at my university library here I

can consult just every American dictionary you can

get out there, and I didn't find the spelling "wierd"

in anyone of them. The word "wierd" simply doesn't

exist, either in British or American English. Isn't this

what happywanderer was trying to say?

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Michael,<br><br>You're welcome, the prod to sit

down and write something did me good.<br><br>Apart

from the European cultural experience, how was

Godfrey's place? What's he like as a teacher? I've thought

about going to study with him some time - he always

seems to say good & interesting things in his books and

when he posts here (or used to). Have never been to

Ibiza, but I was in Mallorca on a rock climbing trip a

few years ago - a very beautiful island out of season

when it isn't swarming with tourists.

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I assumed he was just having some fun about the

differences between British and American spelling. I'm sure

"wierd" doesn't exist, although it looks right & conforms

to the normal rules of English spelling, and

therefore should.

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The differences between American & British

English are wierd...err...weird indeed, and English

really isn't easy at all.<br><br>But I would like to

thank you for your great post on the difference between

American & European culture - it reflects much of what I

think on this subject too. Well done!

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Alan, I had the time of my life. We slept in

tents, ate organic food, had classes at 8:00 to 12:00

noon each day. We had no TV (and for an American that

was tough!) shared a home on a mountain and lived in

a sort of "commune". It appealed to my hippie ideal

of myself. I especially liked Godfreys use of Zen in

his teachings. That is what drew me to travel to

Ibiza. Our meditations were long, although it never

seemed long while doing it. He could put me in a place

deeper than I thought possible. And I especially enjoyed

getting up early and watching him do his practice before

ours. That is what truely inspired me. To watch someone

so accomplished doing his own practice. I knew from

his book he was knowledgeable but what I did not know

is he is one of those rare people you meet that

"know". His teachings were instructional and had humor as

well. I remember well the feeling of being so exhausted

and hating the sound of him commanding us to do

Trikonasana, until I was left just laughing uncontrolably at

my exhaustion and my body just doing it anyway. I

know this does not translate exactly what I am trying

to say, but I left with a much better understanding,

and my practice (which is what and why I went to him)

is better because of it.

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I too was having a little fun. I am lucky to have the opportunity to spend a

good deal of time in Canada, so I get experience the differences in the English

language first hand.

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As if we were so beholden to the Brit's bloody

language, which was rammed down our throats and the like

gullets of other colonized folk, that we'd consult their

20 volume "authority" to tell us what's what. Arggh.

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My problem with the US is the general feeling of

lack of everyday freedom (really). I was in Hawaii and

get this: I can't have my beer at a streetcorner, I

can't have it in a park, I can't have it at the beach,

I can't have it inside a car. How can that be?? All

those beaches, a beautiful island and I can't

appreciate it while sipping a beer!! Never in my life have I

seen so many 'forbidden this/that' - signs in my life

(the condola-station at Jackson Hole Wyoming probably

holds the world record for stupid signs, they even beat

the 'objects in mirror are farther than they appear

to be' - sh#t). I bought a kick-board in Hawaii and

tried it out of course - a friendly police officer told

me after 5 minutes of riding that kickboard use is

forbidden in Honolulu! This would be funny unless some US

people had the attitude that their country is the 'most

free on the planet'. Unreal.

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America is a big place and the culture varies

dramatically from the metro regions to somewhere like Alaska

or remote Oregon. Is peace particular to a

geographic zone or population? I think not. If one depends

on the yoga community or anyone else for their

happiness, eventually, the mood will swing. Yoga will

sustain you in the Alps or the Sahara. <br><br>Enjoy the

culture of your choice. Try Sri Lanka!<br><br>Yours in

yoga...

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