Tiger Riding for Beginners

Traveling Poet Philosopher & Occasional Wiseacre

About B Gourley

Bernie Gourley is a writer living in Bangalore, India. His poetry collection, Poems of the Introverted Yogi is now available on Amazon. He teaches yoga, with a specialization in pranayama, and holds a RYT500 certification. For most of his adult life, he practiced martial arts, including: Kobudo, Muay Thai, Kalaripayattu, and Taiji. He is a world traveler, having visited more than 40 countries around the globe.

Surrounded [Haiku]

Posted on December 1, 2025 by B Gourley

farm surrounded by jungle:
 what will disappear tonight?

FIVE WISE LINES [December 2025]

Posted on December 1, 2025 by B Gourley

William Blake painting of Urizen praying to the world he created, an illustration from "Song of Los." — William Blake:
*Urizen prays to the world he created* (1795)
**Song of Los**

I must create a system
or be enslaved by another man’s…
william blake; Jerusalem: The emanation of the great albion

Saying Yoga exists to make one more flexible
is like saying that it exists to wring farts out of one’s body,
both will happen — neither is the primary objective.
Me

He that is without sin among you,
let him first cast a stone at her…
JESUS; John 8:7

The best government is that which governs least.
Henry david thoreau, Civil Disobedience

Gods always behave like the people who make them…
zora neale hurston; Tell my horse

DAILY PHOTO: Murals on Urban Walkways

Posted on December 1, 2025 by B Gourley

Question Tree [Haiku]

Posted on December 1, 2025 by B Gourley

one strange tree
 curls like a question mark:
  Autumnal forest.

PROMPT: Eating Meat

Posted on December 1, 2025 by B Gourley

Daily writing prompt

What are your feelings about eating meat?

View all responses

I have no strong feelings. Everything that lives becomes food, so I don’t see a sound moral argument against meat. There is certainly a nutritional argument against eating excessive quantities of meat (which I would grant many meat-eaters do) but this is not an argument for dropping meat altogether. I accept that there is a reasonable environmental argument, but — counterpoint — it’s delicious.

I see no argument at all against choosing to eat vegetarian or vegan, so I certainly wouldn’t try to talk anyone out of their decision to do so. (i.e. The “you can’t get enough protein” argument is bullshit.)