Friday, October 18, 2002


why the hudson valley?

i don't think anyone who lives in new york or practices yoga is unaware of the fact that the cute little towns up in the hudson valley are yoga and meditation retreat central. it's practically a mini-california up there. (note: this is a good thing!)

today the new york times explores why this is so: exactly why is the area around woodstock such a yoga hotbed? the times gives several high-falutin' answers mostly based on aged hippies musing about the spiritual energy of the hills, but seems -- actually isn't this so typical of the times? -- to avoid the obvious common-sense ones:

promixity to new york city; a base of mouldering old resorts great for turning into yoga studios and retreat centers; low property prices making weekend houses affordable for the upper middle class; the lingering influence of swami satchidananda's and ravi shankar's appearance at woodstock; the general liberal bent of the old chautauqua culture that still pervades parts of the atmosphere upstate; the total lack of anything else to do in the woods except drink.

not to deny that these are cute little towns. . .

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