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Celebrities Talking Yoga
Yet another famous person is singing the praises of yoga. In the Sunday issue of The New York Times Magazine, “Hip-Hop Guru” Russell Simmons confesses to practicing yoga and meditation every day. He also says he has read “The Autobiography of a Yoga” by Yogananda (although he claims he can barely read).
Although it would be all too easy to dismiss this as part of celebrity hype (he has a new book) – I think it’s great! The more the merrier, I say.
And if they don’t really know much about yoga – they’re doing yoga and telling others to do it. Yoga has always been a word of mouth tradition. So although I cringe at the casual (and erroneous) use of “guru” – I’m delighted that yoga is now also “hip”!
-Margaret “saraswati”
How I can relate, Saraswati, to the skepticism evident in your post! When a celebrity professes interest in something spiritual, I wonder to what extent there is anything beyond the wish for publicity. Blame that magazine interview I read years ago, where Julia Roberts went out of the way to tell readers that she only did yoga because it shaped up her butt.
My butt will never make it into the movies, which is just as well. I’m prouder of my forehead. Yes, I’m one of those people who has done yoga and meditation daily for more of my life than not, starting in 1969. Therefore, I sometimes cringe, sometimes celebrate, when celebrities tout yoga as part of their coolness.
But then, if time permits, I research. This is easy because I specialize in deeper perception, where any regular photo can be used as a basis for what, in one of my books, I call “Ways to Fly in Spirit.” So I thought it would be fun to do an empathic merge with Russell Simmons, famed as a “Hip-Hop Guru.” What shows in that “Spiritual Exploration” databank at his third eye?
For a launching platform, I used his photo on the cover of his latest book, “Do You!: 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success.” (Find more background on, technically, what I am doing and a start on doing it, here. ) Am I ever glad I checked out Russell Simmons. Here are a few observations about a man whose aura proclaims him to be truly remarkable: 1) “Relating to life” databank at his root chakra: The persistence and courage are unmistakable. Admittedly, I don’t know much about his life except for his fame, his book publishing and his admiration of “Autobiography of a Yogi” (one of my all-time favorite books, too). Yet Simmons own aura has quite a story to tell; he has been through more life events than most of us. Scars are traced throughout this databank, and with them his strong will to survive, then thrive.
2) “Sex appeal” databank at his belly chakra: Oh, plenty of sexiness is definitely part of the mixture, a huge quality of personal magnetism. Simmons has adjusted to having this gift of the soul, and he neither apologizes nor flaunts. For which I admire him! Can a person be really earthy, yet deeply spiritual? This aura provides living proof.
3) “Spiritual Exploration” databank at his third eye: A pristine devotion and delicacy show here, like a lotus rising up out of a pond. Simply reading Simmons right now, it makes me want to go back over photos taken through the decades. How much he has grown….
Meanwhile, what extraordinary spiritual evolution shows within this man right now! It’s a grand contemplation topic right there, comparing his, wow!, super-tough root chakra with, ah! the habit of lifting his vibrations, ooh!, right in his third eye.
Mr. Simmons, I’m your fan. And once again, I am awed by the caliber of people who are incarnating right now at Earth
School. Namaste!
P.S. If any of you Blog-Buddies understands how to do trackbacks, and you can stop laughing at my pathetic request, please post any instructional assist you can spare.
P.P.S. And let me remind you, as the emerging culture of this community at Deeper Perception Made Practical is still new, that you are officially and always invited to do your own reading, using deeper perception. Make your comment! I’ll be reading with interest.