but what about politics?
October 27, 2020.
In the midst of election season, politics sometimes feels like the only thing that we can talk about or give attention towards. I have been thinking a lot about a yoga teacher's role during these times as we continue to open up our classes to all yogis of all backgrounds, ethnicities, socio-economic status' (although the topic of accessibility/exclusivity of yoga in western societies is a conversation for another post), and ultimately all political beliefs.
We often are told to keep our political beliefs, opinions on current political conflicts, or who has our vote tied up safely in a box and hidden deep in our mental closets. However, from being on the brink of a presidential election to the navigation of COVID-19 to the social reckoning that is being led by the Black Lives Matters movement, politics have come to the forefront of many conversations; so what does it mean for the world of yoga during these really charged and intense political times?
Well, let's unpack.
In its foundation, the practice of yoga brings awareness to our body, speech, and mind; in 'working out' on our mats in asana, or the physical practice, we have the opportunity to then 'work-in', connecting to the mental and spiritual levels of yoga. We then step off of our mats, letting all of the work and all we have learned during our practice inform how we navigate moving forward in life.
In yoga philosophy, there are yamas, which act as suggestions for living an 'honorable' and yogic life. Serving as the starting point for this lifestyle, the very first yama is Ahimsa: a commitment to non-violence and non-harming, internally and externally.
It is a profound responsibility of our practice to move through the space of our mats with an intention of being honest with ourselves in this lens; to learn more about our relationship to ahimsa and all the ways we are violent or not violent to ourselves & the world around us.
As our physical practice acts as a mirror to reflect where we are at spiritually and mentally and emotionally, we have the opportunity to examine and undo our own harmful thoughts/actions/intentions and then move forward actively choosing clear compassionate action instead.
We can start in our practice by setting the intention on our mats to move through our asana with a gentle honesty, without judgment, and without negative super impositions. And in the absence of judging or harming ourselves, we have the opportunity to get to know ourselves with a renewed compassionate awareness.
And it only starts here. If we can do that work within ourselves and towards ourselves, then we have the capacity to do that work within ourselves and towards the world around us, including those who are different from our own self (...including political beliefs). It is our responsibility, as yogis and as human beings, to move through life learning how to undo the violent thoughts, judgments, and actions that society has normalized or desensitized us to and alchemize those tendencies into the capacity for compassion.
In the work of committing to living a yogic life, we commit to leading a life of non-harming and non-violence, which extends to be a commitment of standing up to violence against others when you know it exists. This means being a fierce and compassionate advocate for justice and equity for and alongside those who violence is put upon.
Of course this is no easy task and it is a space I am still learning to grow into for myself. Because as is life... it is work. There is a lot of complexity in learning to be this loving and fierce advocate while still showing compassion for people we disagree with. However, it is often said that people are hard not to love when you have the chance to see them up closely.
So while, yes, yoga is a space to move through the stress and find peace on our mats, at the deeper level there is a true commitment to growing into the best version of ourselves possible-- as human individuals and communities. What does this mean if it gets lost along the way and doesn't carry into all the small corners of our life off the mat? (including political space.)
I think we all have much to learn and work through in our practice of ahimsa, committing to a non-violence and non-harming in our words, action, and thoughts.
If someone lets us know that we have hurt them, why do we have a tendency to be defensive or even mad?
Why do we direct harmful words/thoughts towards our own body or emotions?
Where do these knee-jerk reactions or habits stem from? ...Fear? ...Shame?
"It is always easier to critique the world than it is to see how we have and are contributing to the momentum of violence and inflexibility." - Michael Stone
We are not fundamentally violent- we learn violence. So, that means we can learn to unlearn our harmful habits and then learn to find the starting place of compassion instead & notice how that influences all pieces of our life.
And to put it bluntly, it is the responsibility of yoga space makers & holders to welcome all people in honor of their differing points of existence. However, it is a disservice to the whole community to let harm or violence be perpetuated in that space (and in our life outside of that space) without an honest acknowledgment and effort to unpack, unlearn & then ultimately alchemize the fearful, judgmental, or shameful root of it into compassion.
While I don't have any "in 3 easy steps" formula for this work, I hope this sparks some thought, reflection, and paths of action for you; I am continually learning that the more I bring my awareness to this conversation the more paths become illuminated. It is work that I am continuing to unpack for myself in my own practice and life and space making.
& with that- I am grateful that you've taken the time to read through my brainwave. I am here for your feedback, thoughts, comments, and insights and anything/everything in between.
Let's continue on together.
If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.
Mother Theresa
