My yoga class today was on the theme of balance - an interesting one considering how imbalanced people are in this city often times. It really is a city of extremes and I guess because people realize this they are secretly looking for some more balance in their lives. However, they could never admit that.
Some people actually live in extremes, eat no bread, cut carbs, dairy or anything with sugar but at the same time others eat ONLY these things and the same people who would never in their lives eat carbs may be downing 10 cocktails after another on a binge drinking night out...
Even exercise is not usually done in moderation but rather evolves into an obsession. When I was jetlagged I went to the gym at 6 am and there were many people who had already finished their work outs. No wonder the gym opens at 4.30 AM during the week. They think they can't only do personal training once a week, no they have to start and do it 6 times a week - at least. They need to have dinner dates and drinks at least every Friday and Saturday and appointments for brunch and coffee - just so you can squeeze in time for your friends. For New Yorkers is actually not an uncommon thing to schedule you as a 'back-up' date as they know that some appointments might get canceled. But just so you make sure that you are still kept busy, you need back up.
And precisely because we are living stretched between those extremes, we have a strong desire for balance and maybe just a little bit of relaxation, softening in between hard deadlines. On the other hand, I think my yoga teacher should not be preaching too much of this because he actually profits from the attitudes of the extremes as people feel like they have to schedule an hour of yoga into their busy day in order to relax and let go, if only for a few minutes.
Some people actually live in extremes, eat no bread, cut carbs, dairy or anything with sugar but at the same time others eat ONLY these things and the same people who would never in their lives eat carbs may be downing 10 cocktails after another on a binge drinking night out...
Even exercise is not usually done in moderation but rather evolves into an obsession. When I was jetlagged I went to the gym at 6 am and there were many people who had already finished their work outs. No wonder the gym opens at 4.30 AM during the week. They think they can't only do personal training once a week, no they have to start and do it 6 times a week - at least. They need to have dinner dates and drinks at least every Friday and Saturday and appointments for brunch and coffee - just so you can squeeze in time for your friends. For New Yorkers is actually not an uncommon thing to schedule you as a 'back-up' date as they know that some appointments might get canceled. But just so you make sure that you are still kept busy, you need back up.
And precisely because we are living stretched between those extremes, we have a strong desire for balance and maybe just a little bit of relaxation, softening in between hard deadlines. On the other hand, I think my yoga teacher should not be preaching too much of this because he actually profits from the attitudes of the extremes as people feel like they have to schedule an hour of yoga into their busy day in order to relax and let go, if only for a few minutes.
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