Episode 008: ☵ (SKY) Jaimal Yogis - All Our Waves Are Water
During a brief hiatus from the ‘real world,’ and a simultaneous stint as a West Coast transient, I found myself amid the bright lights, colorful crowds, pungent streets and acid-kissed parks of San Francisco. Salt-crusted and road-dusted from a few long days of travel, my weary mind had a single focus –set on connecting with the creative, ethereal, and poetic mind of Jaimal Yogis. Previously unaware of one another, we had since become digitally acquainted through a mutual friend of ours. Despite my initial reach-out coming from left field, Jaimal graciously accepted my invitation for an in-person introduction and hillside chat in Golden Gate Park.
After meeting at his favorite local café for a quick cup of joe, we began to stroll through the park, soaking in the warm rays of unexpected sun and full of curiosity, excitement, and exploratory notions. After meandering through pathways and sporadic human traffic, we found a welcoming perch on a patch of spring grass between the Panhandle and Inner Sunset - both neighborhoods located in the heart of the commonly associated cultural and sociopolitical phenomena of the 1960s and ’70s.
The myriad sounds, sights, and smells flooded my brain – pleasant sensations though at times, accompanied by waves of mild anxiety. After spending nearly three weeks in the remote territories and relative isolation of the Pacific Northwest coastline, it became apparent to me that I had not properly prepared myself for the severity of this environmental transition. Thus, I had failed to anticipate the stimulus overload that eagerly awaited me in this eclectic and electric concrete jungle by the bay. What had many times before been a beautiful and invigorating scene of vitality, representing and encapsulating the spectrum of possibility in all walks of life, now seemed foreign and disparate to me in my vagabond haze.
Given my particular disposition on this day, it was with great pleasure and an unexpected level of relief to find that Jamal and I had a shared intention of taking a tree-filled stroll to a quiet grassy knoll. I had expected to find what I assume most would after reading some of his writings and learning of his literary reputation – a charismatic, middle-aged man with a generally relaxed and grounded demeanor. Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised and grateful for what turned out to be even more infectious calming energy than anticipated. An almost zen-like quality that he seemed to emit effortlessly and that I accepted with great thirst.
Within moments of settling down onto the cool grass, amongst the ground squirrels and fallen leaves, the city and its roar seemed to wane into a kind of background white noise as Jaimal and I began to converse with the ease of old friends. As the moments passed aimlessly by, I felt my mind and heart begin to settle, returning to their preferred and natural resting state. It was clear to me through this interaction, and became crystallized as we spoke, that he and his spiritual practice were, in fact, the ‘real deal’. Quickly aligned in our frequencies, we perused the general theaters of our life curiosities through conversation and, eventually, entered into what became a wild journey through far-reaching thoughts and memories. From the tumultuous growing pains of our youth to the soulful bliss of sun-kissed offshore peaks of nostalgia, we decided to paddle together through the ‘impact zone’ and into the peaceful depths of the heart and mind.
An award-winning author, yoga, and mindfulness teacher, husband and father of two, and of course, avid surfer, Jaimal is a man who has run the gauntlet and walked the plank in more ways than most. In this episode, we discuss the importance of pushing boundaries through trial and error, running away to find ‘home’, experiments in monastic living, channeling our energies & emotions, integrating mindfulness into everyday living, and how to better surf the waves of life.
“I had a little window into the status quo of America…then I started looking out and wondering, is this what I’m gonna let me my life become? ”