Movie bad-boy turned eco-friend Woody Harrelson staged a massive yoga class on King’s College Circle Sunday morning as part of the actor’s continuing efforts to make people aware of pressing ecological issues and the meditative benefits of leg stretches.
Babies, students, hemp-advocates, and fit yoga afficionados took part in the hour-and-a-half long class. Roughly 2,000 participants were led by Downward Dog instructors with taped piano music and live drumming. They were asked to “take their awareness inward” as they were shepherded through a series of stretches, arm movements and breathing exercises in the style of Ashtanga yoga.
“Amazing,” said Michela Repele, a freelance painter who recently took up yoga as a stress reliever. “This was a great idea.”
After arriving late by bike wearing all-hemp black slippers, red shorts and a brown T-shirt, Harrelson apologized to the anxious crowd. “I’m not really into the establishment thing,” he said to cheers, but urged students to arrive on time for class.
Harrelson then led the crowd through Tai-Chi squatting exercises before letting a Downward Dog instructor take over. “I’m not seeing some bent knees and it’s freaking me out,” said Harrelson.
The event was similar to those Harrelson staged at college campuses on his “Merry Hempsters” tour along the Pacific Coast Highway in the summer of 2001. That tour was Inspired by Tom Wolfe’s “Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test.” It saw Harrelson touring on a biodiesel bus, preaching the benefits of organic farming and environmental awareness.
“I was quite blissfully ignorant,” said Harrelson about his early years. But after having conversations with Ted Danson, who has done work with American Oceans, and learning about land issues in Montana, a change began to happen. “Once I studied it ecologically, I wanted to get into it,” said Harrelson.
Harrelson’s yoga interest began a decade ago when he was working up to 12 hours a day playing basketball on the set of “White Men Can’t Jump” and feeling the strain. “My body was saying, ‘Stretch!'” Harrelson now practices yoga every day.
The Merry Hempster tour is also the subject of Ron Mann’s latest documentary, “Go Further,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday. The film received a 10 minute standing ovation. “It was an extraordinary response,” said Harrelson.
Making the film also changed Mann personally. “Something happened to me. I was able to touch my toes the first time in 50 years.” He no longer eats red meat and has since lost 50 pounds. “It’s not so much about yoga. People want an alternative to a world brain dead…It’s empowering to meet like-minded people.”
Mixed in with the crowd was Justin Sheils of York University, who, with friends Candice Sheriff and James Kett, have been trying for two days to get Woody to share in the love.
“Our plan was to smoke a joint with Woody. Woody is a huge pot activist,” said Sheils.
“We don’t want to smoke his pot,” interrupted Kett. “That would be mean.”
“Tonight we’re trying to find him…I’m very determined to keep trying,” said Sheils.
“I just wanna smoke a joint,” said a bleary-eyed friend of Sheils, after which the group of seven or so left without completing their mission.
Participants were sad to see the event end. Afterwards, Harrelson was his humble and open self, speaking to admirers and signing autographs.
