My Justin Bieber Moment

A young couple (mid 20′s) left my yoga class very suddenly last week. It’s totally uncool to confront people when they are leaving your yoga class…

…but being that my astrology sign is a “cancer-rising” and I’m super sensitive…

…I ran after them into the Exhale lobby shrieking, “Excuse me! Is everything OK?”

They were shocked that I followed them out of class.

“I’m totally open to feedback,” I said.

The girl, a bit of a bitch, replied, “Truthfully, we come to yoga to avoid things like Clay Aiken.”

Here’s what happened.

I’ll admit to getting a bit swept up in Justin Bieber fever. I’ve recommended the movie, downloaded a few songs, and felt like I was in the clear being a fan of a boy band.

Much like a troubled teenager starts with pot, dabbles with mushrooms, and experiments with LSD… …I started with Bieber, dabbled with Aiken, and have dared to experiment with H.O.T. (the Korean boy band).

I guess adding Clay Aiken to my yoga class playlist is not gonna win me any new fans over 14 years old.

But it gets worse.

Having laughed about Bieber Fever with a few of my buddies… …I thought it would be fun to try to put together a crew to see the Clay Aiken show in Waterbury, Connecticut. So I sent a few emails to my concert-loving friends.

I returned home to a series of replies that included:

–a disinvite to a weekend Shroom Fest in Ithaca

–a request from an invitee to not give high fives to his 4 year old son

–a request “from my husband to stop adjusting him when he comes to your class…”

What the hell is wrong with Clay Aiken?

*****

As the yoga industry gets bigger and hipper, there’s an ever-increasing X Factor. I feel sorta like I’m in high school again. I was a dork for a large part of my high school years and it took a while to figure out how to be cool. I’m not playing that game in yoga.

I’ve spent too much time the last 5 years worrying about people buying my book or showing up to my workshops or signing up for my email list or going to my Napa Yoga Retreat. Enough is enough.

Herman Hesse wrote in Siddhartha, “All I ever wanted was to live from the promptings of my true self.”

Let it be known right now: I’m a dork. And I’m OK with my promptings, even if they are a little weird.

I’ll teach the best class, put together the best playlist, tell the best stories, and give you the best adjustments I possibly can. And if you don’t like it, then, well…you can stick it where…actually…you can join me at Clay Aiken in Waterbury.