See the Soul

During these past few months, I've tried to be discerning and conscious of the media, imagery, sounds, etc. that I consume. If the goal of yoga is to still the fluctuations of the mind, then minimizing what can agitate the mind is helpful. 

I do my best. We all do. But we don’t live in caves. We live in a world where information is shared immediately to devices in our pockets. 

I’m struggling to find the balance of minimizing that which agitates my mind and bearing witness to and acknowledging the injustice and suffering in the world. 

It seems that, in our existence, the path to growth and awakening is through suffering.  We can all relate to that, as we’ve all suffered through something and come out of it wiser. 

But we experience the suffering of gross injustice very differently.  I am a white woman. I have never been judged/hated/feared/discriminated against/abused…(the list goes on) simply because of the color of my skin. I have not experienced that particular injustice and suffering.

Does that mean the problem doesn’t concern me?  That I can close the gates of my awareness and guard my mind from all the ugly out there? Because if the goal of yoga is to calm the mind, then watching video after video after video of people of color being murdered for being people of color is not yoga.

But it is. That is EXACTLY what yoga is. 

Yoga is being completely present and aware of what is happening. It is the acknowledgment of what is. We must witness the world around us. 

The world around us is a reflection of what is within us. 

The world we see and experience is a collective expression of all of our individual conditioning. I have been conditioned, by this world I live in, to see the color of people’s skin. Further, I have been conditioned to apply labels and definitions based upon those colors. 

So have you. 

It is not our fault that we have been conditioned in this way, but it is our responsibility to unravel that conditioning.

Yoga involves doing an inward, and often doing a pretty unapologetic, personal inventory. In some circles that is called “shadow work.” I call it growing up and taking responsibility in this world I share with others.

So I ask myself questions: 

Do I accept this? 

What do I do or NOT do that allows these things to happen?

What beliefs can I unravel within myself that prevent me from being the change I want to see in the world?

What actions can I take in my life to create this change?

Let self-inquiry steer the actions we take. Actions can be big or small. Many small actions can lead to big change, so do not discount your power. 

Demand change from our leaders and the policies they create. Demand action of lawmakers and those who enforce the law. Vote. Participate in the census and other important civic duties. 

We are a community of souls. Souls wearing human costumes in all colors and physical expressions. See the soul, not the costume. Demand the same of those you spend your time with.

I cannot, in good conscience, write to you about yoga and living our yoga off the mat while ignoring the suffering and injustice that members of our very own community experience daily.