[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.4.6″ min_height=”1628px” custom_padding=”||0px|||”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.6″ custom_padding=”5px||0px|7px||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.6″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.6″ text_font_size=”20px” custom_margin=”||-19px|||” custom_padding=”||0px|||”]<\/p>\n
One of my favorite lines in the Coen Brothers movie The Big Lebowski (<\/span>free on Hulu<\/a>\u00a0right now or\u00a0<\/span>$3.99 to stream on Amazon Prime<\/a>) is when Jeff Bridges and John Goodman\u2019s characters have just scattered their friend\u2019s ashes in a traumatic scene and Mr. Goodman\u2019s character Walter says, \u201c<\/span>hey, f__k it, man. Let\u2019s go bowling.\u201d<\/a> Join me on the mat?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n P.S. It\u2019s This Week\u2019s Vegetarian Recipes!<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.6″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.6″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/mattdavisyoga.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/f0f37b45-45c8-4b4c-af64-e3d7ea785253.jpg” title_text=”f0f37b45-45c8-4b4c-af64-e3d7ea785253″ align=”center” _builder_version=”4.4.6″ width=”66%” hover_enabled=”0″ custom_padding=”45px|||||”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.6″ text_font_size=”20px” custom_margin=”||-19px|||” custom_padding=”||0px|||” hover_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Yoga is based on nonviolence, or \u201cahimsa\u201d, in Sanskrit, which means no killing animals. I didn\u2019t like the idea at first (and I still have the odd relapse) but have been trying vegetarianism on, and enjoying the subtle effects on my mood and body.\u00a0<\/span> <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Header” _builder_version=”4.4.1″ background_color=”#f9f6f5″ background_image=”https:\/\/mattdavisyoga.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/yoga-pattern-01-1.png” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”||-128px|||” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_module=”148″ saved_tabs=”all” locked=”off”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.4.6″][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/mattdavisyoga.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_6055.jpeg” title_text=”IMG_6055″ _builder_version=”4.4.6″ max_height_tablet=”400px” max_height_phone=”” max_height_last_edited=”on|tablet”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.4.6″][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/zoom.us\/j\/5185316278″ url_new_window=”on” button_text=”Next free class is coming up on Tuesday at 3pm, New York time. Here’s the zoom!” _builder_version=”4.4.6″][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.1″ text_font_size=”24px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”Domine||||||||” header_font_size=”70px” header_line_height=”1.3em” header_2_font=”Domine||||||||” header_2_font_size=”60px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” text_font_size_tablet=”18px” text_font_size_phone=”16px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”48px” header_font_size_phone=”38px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_2_font_size_tablet=”45px” header_2_font_size_phone=”35px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” locked=”off”]<\/p>\n Honestly, I never thought of myself as a “yoga person”, either.\u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#000000″ divider_weight=”200px” _builder_version=”4.4.1″ position_origin_a=”bottom_center” horizontal_offset=”0px” width=”1px” custom_padding=”|4px||4px|false|true” scroll_vertical_motion_enable=”on” scroll_vertical_motion=”0|80|80|100|0|0|2″ motion_trigger_start=”top” box_shadow_style=”preset7″ box_shadow_horizontal=”0px” box_shadow_vertical=”9px” box_shadow_color=”#000000″ locked=”off”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.4.6″][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.4.6″][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201chey, f__k it, man. Let\u2019s go bowling.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":258,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"1080","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-yoga-for-people-who-hate-yoga"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mattdavisyoga.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mattdavisyoga.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mattdavisyoga.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mattdavisyoga.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mattdavisyoga.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=254"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/mattdavisyoga.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":264,"href":"https:\/\/mattdavisyoga.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254\/revisions\/264"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mattdavisyoga.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/258"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mattdavisyoga.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=254"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mattdavisyoga.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=254"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mattdavisyoga.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\u00a0<\/span>
The scene shows a funny but real link between surviving trauma, being too hard on yourself, and the value of seeking some form of light relief. It comes to mind because I\u2019ve frequently been judging myself for lacking more willpower, right now, when life is tough for everyone, and for some of us, far harder than others.<\/span>
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But yoga is a daily practice. Just keep coming back to the mat. Rather than struggle too much and cycle into dark thoughts, I\u2019ve found solace in close friendships, and by forcing myself to stop and relax. Meditation. Polishing my shoes. Aka: Bowling.\u00a0<\/span>
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Click here to take my yoga class for the week, an homage to the Big Lebowski.<\/strong><\/a>
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Unlike Mr. Bridges\u2019 Dude\u2019s comfy sweater, it\u2019s true that discomfort can be one of our greatest teachers. One of my own teachers,\u00a0<\/span>Marina<\/a>, mentioned a quote from chapter 18 of the Bhagavad Gita this week during an awesome class on willpower: \u201cthat which\u00a0seems\u00a0like\u00a0poison at first, but tastes like\u00a0nectar\u00a0at the end.\u201d<\/span>
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Sure. Sometimes we can all benefit from drinking a little poison to get tougher. And.\u00a0Right now, many of us are feeling like we\u2019re not doing enough to combat racism. Then we\u2019re judging ourselves for that, and then, disengaging from the longer-term struggles.\u00a0I\u2019ve drunk my fair share of poison over the years in the name of seeking justice and can assure you that when life gets really tough, it\u2019s so important to seek solace when you need it, and just for a short time, get used to the power of saying \u201chey, f__k it, man. Let\u2019s go bowling.\u201d<\/span>
\u00a0<\/span>
It\u2019s not a cop-out. There shouldn\u2019t be shame in it. Rejuvenation can take a few seconds, a few minutes, or a few days, and we have to listen to our bodies. As George Floyd\u2019s death sparked protests around the country, I\u2019ve been humbled by the willpower of everybody who has risen up to say \u201cno more.\u201d\u00a0Willpower isn\u2019t just about short-term grit, though. It also unfolds slowly.\u00a0I watched\u00a0<\/span>a fantastic live Q&A discussion led by the Museum of Modern Art<\/a>\u00a0on June 18, featuring the 90-year-old artist,\u00a0<\/span>Faith Ringgold<\/a>, who painted \u201c<\/span>Die<\/em><\/a>,\u201d back in 1967. It highlights what she felt was America\u2019s message to black people at the time. At the age of 90, Ms. Ringgold\u2019s unfolding willpower through all the trauma of the subsequent years has been remarkable. She\u2019s amazed by the wave of recent racial justice protests. \u201cI\u2019ve never seen so many people in the streets,\u201d she said.<\/span>
\u00a0<\/span>
It\u2019s probably a function of my whiteness and my privilege, but I don\u2019t feel as tough as she is. While I\u2019m taking steps to do everything I can, I\u2019m also exhausted and have found myself needing to take lots of breaks over the last few weeks to make sure I don\u2019t burn out.<\/span>
\u00a0<\/span>
How are you doing? Okay?<\/span>
\u00a0<\/span>
When I am Ms. Ringgold\u2019s age I would like for people to say that I never gave up on them, and was always there with a word of encouragement. That would be evidence of my slow-burning willpower in action. I\u2019d also like people to remember that I told them to go bowling more often.<\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/span>
My favorite recipe this week is for\u00a0<\/span>pan fried tofu on sesame watercress with soy orange dressing<\/strong>\u00a0(pictured above,\u00a0right). I\u2019ve been making various watercress dishes as it\u2019s in season\u2014including\u00a0<\/span>Julia Child\u2019s watercress soup<\/a>, which was delicious, but quite a production. This recipe is the best and most convenient use of watercress I\u2019ve found so far. It serves two as a main course, with rice, and can be found on page 279 of the\u00a0<\/span>Gourmet Cookbook<\/em>, edited by Ruth Reichl. It\u2019s not available online, so I\u2019m going to pay homage to the recipe here, in the hope that you\u2019ll be inspired to buy the book:<\/span>
\u00a0<\/span>
1 tbsp sesame seeds<\/span>
\u00be pound extra-firm tofu, rinsed, drained, and cut into \u00bd inch strips<\/span>
1.5 tablespoons vegetable oil<\/span>
1.5 bunches watercress, tough stems discarded<\/span>
2 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger<\/span>
1 large garlic clove, minced<\/span>
\u00bc cup fresh orange juice<\/span>
2 tbsp soy sauce<\/span>
2 tsp sesame oil<\/span>
\u00a0<\/span>
Toast sesame seeds in a dry heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant and a shade or two darker. Transfer to a bowl. Pat tofu dry. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add tofu and cook, turning once, until golden brown, six to eight minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Heat remaining 1\/2 tbsp vegetable oil in skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add watercress and cook, turning with tongs, until just wilted. Stir in sesame seeds. Transfer watercress to a platter (reserve skillet) and arrange tofu on top. Combine ginger, garlic, orange juice, soy sauce, and sesame oil in skillet and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 1 minute and drizzle sauce over tofu.<\/span>
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Napa cabbage is also in season in New York State, and Melissa Clark\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>Dinner<\/em>\u00a0has a fantastic recipe for a\u00a0<\/span>spicy Thai salad with coconut and crispy tofu<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>which Google Books has made available for free.<\/a>
\u00a0<\/span>
To start the day I occasionally like\u00a0<\/span>slow-cooked oatmeal<\/strong>, which releases its energy sustainably over the course of a few hours. I like to make it \u201cfun\u201d with chocolate chips and walnuts, maybe some blackberries. Logan\u2019s aunt got us a juicer as a wedding present so we now need to get a grip on our daily juice habit\u2014I spent $50 on citrus fruit last week! But f__k it, man. Let\u2019s go bowling.<\/span>
\u00a0<\/span>
I hope you have a great week. Let me know if you\u2019d like to connect to discuss your practice, or anything else, frankly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nYoga…for people who hate yoga.\u00a0<\/h1>\n