Lonely Planet

People are like planets. Sometimes they're aligned and going the same direction, then sometimes one-- or both-- abruptly changes course and returns to its own orbit.

And sometimes when one of these planets tries to find direction again, it feels like, for the moment, the universe is composed of nothing but dust and empty space.

Le chien qui regarde en bas

Ok, I don't really know how to say the names of yoga poses, as my French yoga teacher doesn't often name them and is very non-new agey. He doesn't dwell on aligning the chakras or anything but is more mater-of-fact than Californian zen crystal moon goddess yoga instructors who play ritual chanting music by candle light and whisper profundities like "be mindful." Of your chakras, I guess. French yoga instructor's main comments on finding inner peace are, "do yoga. It'll calm you down and it won't piss you off."

This is one rare instance where French understatement and restraint is welcome, although I generally don't appreciate it in life outside the yoga classroom. Like, for example, in the French way of giving very backhanded restrained compliments, if they give any at all. Like, "she's not stupid," actually means "she's highly intelligent." Or, "he didn't leave me indifferent" means "I really like him." I'm irrationally pleased when my French boyfriend speaks English with me and starts to use my vocabulary and says something like "amazing," instead of "not bad." I'm still not foolish enough to expect any actual compliments, though.