This picture was taken in February—what seems like an eternity ago—but in reality is just 3 short months ago. It was right before “all hell broke loose,” and the world as we knew it changed forever because of COVID 19.
This is a picture from my teacher, Manju Jois’ shala (or studio) in California.
This picture represents what yoga is and really, what humanity is. Yoga is a practice made for every body..period. It doesn’t matter if you are male or female, American, Greek, Mexican, Indian, Cuban—it doesn’t matter what your skin tone is or where you were born, yoga is and can be perfect for you as long as you have breath left in your body.
Humanity is not one skin tone over another. Humanity is all of us together, equal. Humanity is working together to effect real, actual, positive change—in ourselves first and then, in the world.
Yoga starts on the mat, but then the peace and strength and power you find comes with you off the mat and can truly change the world. It is a pretty quiet movement (but that doesn’t mean it is powerless), because the change comes to those that have contact with the practioners, one human at a time. It’s the epitome of non-violence, it’s the epitome of effecting true lasting change.
God gave us these bodies, these skin tones, these practices. He told us to be fruitful, to love, he told us to be strong and to stand. Yoga helps with all of these and doesn’t discriminate based on zip code or country of origin. It’s my job as a yogi in this picture, to practice the yoga, to practice the love, to gain the strength and to stand.
I stand therefore, with my sisters and my teacher in this photo, with all the folks in this community, and with those that are peacefully effecting the true and lasting change that can only be brought about through love and peace.
If you want help, message me, I’d love to help you affect this same change in yourself and in the world around us. It’s hard work to try to change, to try to grow, but it’s worthy work. It starts with one and grows with each person that one touches. It sorta sounds like this pandemic—except, it can be a pandemic of love, strength, peace, and hope.
Namaste