|
Friday, December 05, 2008
|
A Yogic Response to Violence in India |
|
|
|
|
The roots of yoga in all forms are traced back to the Indian subcontinent. All of us who walk on this path have a connection to the land of its birth in the same way we have connection to the soil which grows our food and the trees from which we built our homes. It may not be a “soul” connection, but as the world shows us over and over again, it is impossible to separate the origins of the practice from the practice itself, though we can make the choice to walk our path differently. So when bloodshed and terror strike the motherland of this practice, how do we yogis in the West respond?
Hoards of Western yogis every year travel to the land of the birth of yoga. They do so not with fear of safety or violence, but with a deep spiritual longing. This week in India, at least two of these seekers experienced the end of their journey in a land far away from the home they knew. It is reported that two Americans on a yoga retreat, a father and daughter, were among the foreign casualties of the Mumbai terrorist attacks. Two yogis seeking a deeper truth met their end in the birthplace of yoga. And we all grieve. We grieve for our brother and sister on the path, for that part which led them to India to seek more deeply. We grieve, not because we knew them personally, but because we know that part of them that is in us. We know what would guide us to this fascinating foreign land to practice. We grieve for their families and friends, for the supporters and the skeptics that held them so close in their hearts. So much of what yoga teaches us is that there is no separation, what happens to one affects all. So our hearts expand to grieve the two Rabbis and their students from the Jewish community center in Mumbai, the countless Indian’s who were dining in the restaurant in the Taj Mahal Hotel or sitting without care in their rooms. We open our hearts to hold the families of all who were affected. As yogis, we seek to hold experiences, situations, and people without judgment, to know that everything is purposeful in the grand scheme. As it was Arjuna’s fate to fight his own family on the field of battle in the Bhagavad Gita, so it was with purpose that the motherland of Yoga was inundated with terror. But, what could possibly be the purpose in fear and death? The veil of grief is heavy, and often blocks our view. But it is from this most confusing, dark shroud of violence and grief that we step most solidly on our path of yoga. Instead of reacting, we find stillness. We sit with our emotions and learn to truly feel our pain. In feeling our pain, we learn to feel the pain of others. In this infinite spider web of existence, we are all connected, and the pain that led these men to commit these violent acts is the same seed of pain that we have all felt. As we sit with this pain, we begin to understand that within this horror, this fragmentation, we, as yogis, can stay connected. We can open our hearts to the land, the people, the fear and see that within each breath, there is a moment of pause where we are all the same. So we use this horrible experience to more deeply understand ourselves, to learn about our own tendencies, to bring compassion into our hearts both for ourselves and for others. As we in the yoga communities of the world collectively grieve this travesty, let us also collectively seek compassion, understanding, and unity. Unity with everyone, even those whose path is not clear to us. We can begin to understand that any separation leads to pain and its results, so our tendency to judge or create division between us and them is just as dangerous as those actions that spark violence. Union, yoga, means ONE, unconditional, unlimited, without judgment. And often it is through the most blurred vision, within the most difficult situations that we are asked to practice. Recognize that it is within anger, blame and grief that we can so easily become that which caused us pain. So we practice. We slow down, breathe, cultivate clarity, practice yoga. Practice now, yogi family, and seek the yoga within the tragedy. 1 Comments
Thank you for this wonderful article. Islamic Jihad has no borders and is intent on destroying all civilization as we know it. We pray focus our Dhyana Yoga to the primordial Brahman, the Om for understanding and enlightenment. Every Yoga is the sacred belief of Hinduism, and the terrorists attacked with the intent of harming the country of Yoga, because it was free and focused on the Brahman as the Vedas have declared. But the righteous always win in the end and the Yogic civilization will rise stronger than before after this assault.
Satyame Vijayate! Om Shanti Shanti Shanti OM! 1
December 10, 2008
Write comment
You must be logged in to a comment. Please register if you do not have an account yet.
|
Our Sponsor
 Our
Yoga for Beginners book takes you through the basics of practicing yoga and then teaches you the poses in the context of a yoga practice sequence. |
| Free Newsletter |
|---|
| Premium Content |
|---|
| Our premium members have access to deluxe features, detailed yogic information and downloadable MP3s. Check out our Premium Membership Benefits page to find out all of the rewards of joining. |
| New Users |
|---|
| To get the most out of our site, we suggest you take some time to explore before jumping into the practice. Browse our yoga 101 section for general info on the history and types of yoga, then start exploring asanas the physical postures used in hatha yoga. Remember to breathe and always start your yoga practice with a brief meditation. Questions? check out our yoga message board. If you are new to yoga, please read our Yoga for Beginner's page |
| Yogic Wisdom |
|---|
|
No one can please everyone. Your mental peace is more important. If you are in peace, then others around you will feel peace. So your best effort should be to work on yourself. Baba Hari Dass |
| Our Most Popular Pages |
|---|
| RSS Syndication |
|---|
 Subscribe to our RSS feed to keep informed on all new updates to YogaBasics.com.
In order to use our Newsfeed you need to cut and paste the URL into a RSS reader or use your browser's RSS "subscribe" button.
|
Ahimsa, the yogic practice of non violence must be adhered to when engaging in the practice of hatha yoga. Respect your body's limitations and inner wisdom, if something feels wrong or dangerous, please do not do it.
Please consult your health care practitioner before starting a yoga, pranayama or other exercise program.
All contents copyright 2001-2012 Timothy Burgin and Yogabasics.com. All rights reserved. Om shanti peace.
Please consult your health care practitioner before starting a yoga, pranayama or other exercise program.
All contents copyright 2001-2012 Timothy Burgin and Yogabasics.com. All rights reserved. Om shanti peace.
