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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 6, 2001)
aprii 6.2001 » Ju st out 47 I e t t i l i # Ci UP I # ▼ Hey Fellas Trapped in Oz — looking for that special Easter basket? Lions and tigers and yoga instructors, oh my! by M itch C alk S piritual J ourneys A long the Y ellow B rick R oad by Darren John Main. Findhom Press, 2000; $12.95 softcover. e all know the story of The Wizard of Oz- A girl, Dorothy, is sent via cyclone from her home in Kansas over the rain bow into the mystical land of Oz. She embarks upon a quest to return home, which entails a journey to the Emerald City to ask the wizard for his heip. Along her way down the Yellow Brick Road, she picks up some tasteful new shoes, makes new friends, knocks off a trivia that Oz fans gleefully can whip out at the couple of wicked witches and exposes the next Dada Ball. wizard as a fraud, only to wake up safe in bed Two choice tidbits: In the Oz hooks by and realize her journey was just a dream. L. Frank Baum, Dorothy’s slippers were silver (MGM made them ruby for the 1939 film to And let s not forget those flying monkeys. Spiritual Journeys Along the Yellow Brick Road show off the powers of Technicolor), and offers an interpretation of everything in The those creepy Oh-Ee-Oh marching soldiers Wizard of Oz from the colors of actually are called Winkies. Who knew? Dorothy’s dress down to the aforementioned Although this Like Dorothy we arrive monkeys. Author book is well- in Oz disoriented and startled Darren John researched and Main, a yoga has great enter by the bright colors instructor and spiri tainment value, and awesome sights. tual counselor, there is a certain believes we are all like clumsiness to it that stems from Main’s attempt to include too Dorothy, trapped in Oz and trying to find home. many facets of religion and spirituality in his treatise. References to the Bible, the Koran and Home, he writes, is found when we awaken Hindu, Buddhist and Jewish wisdom as well as from the “dream” of life into a Kansas of ever yoga practices abound hut never are discussed lasting, unchanging peace. For some, Kansas is in much detail, which forces the reader to heaven or nirvana, hut what it is isn’t as endure what amounts to New Age name-drop important as the quality of the journey there. ping. Like Dorothy, we arrive in Oz disoriented Main also seems to assume the reader and startled by the bright colors and awesome really has no knowl sights. Our first contact with others is the fami edge about anything— m ?. ? s:'p!f hence, the minefield ly (in Dorothy’s case, of footnotes with the Munchkins); how everything from the ever, they cannot fol definition of the word low on our heels “gentile” to an expla through life. nation of what the That’s where our Castro District is. The personal ruby slippers, author has the bad gcxxJ witches, lions, tin habit of defining men and scarecrows metaphors vis-à-vis come in. By drawing other metaphors and from their unique wis can stretch a simple dom, by resisting the analogy for pages. As a poppy fields that lure result, at times the us from the path and btxik reads like a long by learning not to cliché. ignore Toto, Main con Unfortunately, these tends we can make our little annoyances can journey through Oz become a bit over more enriching and whelming, but with enjoyable. patience, the forgiving Spiritual Journeys reader can mine the Along the Yellow Brick choicest insights from Road leaves no stone this take on a beloved film. unturned in Oz: Main examines all the major characters, objects and plot elements for their MlTCH C ale is a Portland free-lance uniter. spiritual significance. He also includes lots of Check out Page 50. Send in your own voice personal ad at www.justout.com K illl T r ip Ç 'm ÿ6 qô & ù >o a rcommwfCÿ Interest Rates are G REAT! Inventory's Low. Now's the Tim e to Buy...or Sell. Specializing in Close-in Portland ; • Assertiveness ■ Yellow Brick Roal 5 nights a week Now an (oxygen) Totally fearless. Incredibly confident Xena and her sidekick Gabrielle battle warlords, Titans and any other men silly enough to jn stand in their way. See for yourself. Available on AT&T Broadband & DIRECTV 251 AOL Keyword Oxyqen oxyqen com
