MYndful Musings | 9th June 2020

Yoga in Action.

The world is a heavy place right now. And it is necessary that we sit in that heaviness & discomfort. Change is never comfortable.

Each of us experiences the world differently. Our reality is merely the information we take in through our 5 limited senses, our own perception. And just by existing in the midst of culture, we are heavily defined by it.

It took me a long time to begin writing today. Perhaps because these feels are not feels I am familiar with. I am certain that I am not alone in that. The events of the past week have landed heavily. And perhaps for the first time ever on such a large scale, it feels there is a huge awakening happening in humanity.

I will not pretend to be in a position to educate or speak with experience or true understanding. But as a yogi, educator and business owner, my pledge is to listen and learn. Learn how I, how we, can take action to begin to change this story. I will start by sharing with you what impact & action recent events have prompted in me.

Educating myself. Not assuming that I know the story. Beginning the story again and choosing consciously to take in information directly from the black community, acknowledging that information from any other source is coming from a different perspective- it’s all about trying to put yourself in the shoes of somebody who has had a very different perception and experience of the world than you have. Social media is a great place for black people to be heard right now. A quick google search will give you a huge selection of books, videos, documentaries & films all made my black creatives.

Self-reflection. You’ve heard the phrase ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’. This is a time to go inwards and ask questions of ourselves about our own beliefs & conditioning.  Svadyaya (self-study) is a huge part of yoga and if you’ve done much self-enquiry you will recognise how easy it is to hold beliefs and opinions about yourself or others without even questioning why you have them or where they have come from. Ask all of the questions, even the unpleasant ones, go deep and get uncomfortable. Do it without judgement, with compassion and Satya (truthfulness).

Using my voice. One thing that has become clear to me this week is that being passive is not enough. We are being asked by the black community to stand with them and learn to be more than just ‘not racist’, we need to be anti-racist. It is time for action. Perhaps it is the dharma of this generation to amplify their voices so that they will be heard and cannot be ignored. I have found loads of amazing rescources on social media & online about how you can act.

We all need to practice yoga right now. In the sense of union, togetherness. And also in the sense of self-enquiry.

I will continue to share resources which resonate with me through my social media and hope to learn more about what form this action will take in the coming weeks.

Take time to rest & recharge

Whilst it is necessary to sit with discomfort right now. It is easy to feel overwhelmed & weighed down. If real change is to happen then it will take time. Taking time out from constant stimulation to find lightness & just enjoy the experience of the present moment is still just as important now as it always is, if not more so.

I hope we can support you as much as ever during this time & that you can find some solace on your mat. We look forward to sharing and practicing with you.

Back to the Blog