Life Fit Yoga Position Statement on Recent Events
Last week you received the Life Fit June 2020 newsletter. It was written before the events of last week. As we journey forward, this is what I now wish to share:
We stand in the middle of this year 2020, a year laden with opportunity for transformation.
We stand at a significant point in time, asking us to take knowledge and transform it into action.
To begin with, I stand in solidarity with the family George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and the myriads of families who have been on the receiving end of racial violence. I find it unsettling that it had to come to this for us as a world community to give our collective attention to seeing and hearing the existence and manifestations of racism. Equally, I find hope in seeing and hearing the “rising up” of people not just in America but throughout the world and now, altogether taking a stand to say “enough!“
Reflecting in this past week, there are so many thoughts to ponder - I wanted to share a few with you.
The first is this poem that has haunted me ever since my high school days in an English class debate where the exercise was to take one of two sides, “fire”(love) or “ice”(hate).
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
- Robert Frost
I stood and debated fiercely that “love conquers all,” and was heartbroken at my friends, who argued that hate was overpowering, despite knowing that they did it for a grade. Little did I know that I would land in the palm of yoga, a comprehensive practice which shows us that all positivity in life comes from love, and all negativity comes from fear. Furthermore that we ARE love, and we are ONE with the collective consciousness, spiritual beings planted with the seed of Divinity, and that our evolutionary path in life (if we are proactive) directs us back to the Source.
As Yoga points us in the direction of deepening our own spiritual practice, from a Christian perspective we hear,” Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ “words of Christ, Matthew 25:40. In all faith practices there are moral and ethical codes which guide us; this one is very much universal, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. And, Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31
Long ago, one of my yoga teachers, Aadil Palkhivala, shared with us, ”the universe is always trying to point you in the direction of truth. There are messages everywhere - if you don’t listen the messages will get louder. Each time, it will be a call to action.“ Look where we are now. I don’t want this message to get any louder.
Ancient texts on yoga, the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads amongst them, also show us this message and it comes from the perspective of recognizing that we go through life seeking knowledge. But we don’t accomplish anything if we don’t put that knowledge into action.
We all have work to DO. I am sure by now you have seen brought to light so many different organizations you can support with your monetary donations and your actions. My way is to begin with who is directly in my life. To my black friends, brothers and sisters, I hear you, I see you, I stand with you. I will be active in my support to the best of my capacity, to include self-reflection, seeking ways to constantly be/do better.
“Wisdom is knowing we are all One. Love is what it feels like and compassion is what it acts like.”Ethan Walker III
In peace, and with love, from my heart to yours,
Mona Flynn