A while ago I wrote a blog post in the aftermath of more global tragedy (you can read it here.) At the time, I know many of us felt helpless, confused, and were generally hurting and unsure what to do. I came across the quotation that encouraged us to “look for the helpers”, and this is something that has stayed with me ever since. But now as the world as we know it seems to continue to crumble, how do we become the helpers?
These are a couple of questions I keep asking myself:
How can I stay on the positive side of all that I am hearing and seeing?
How am I helping to bring about something good?
I have been seeking ways to do more with my passion for yoga. I know that over the years I have had moments of doubt and moments of burn-out, but when I listen to my heart I cannot doubt (at least not for long!) that I feel a fire and a light within me when I teach. I love it. Pure and simple. I come alive in a specific way. I know that I am doing my work, my dharma. But the urge to push my edge and challenge myself remains. And specifically, my interest and attention has been fixed on using the practice of yoga as a tool to connect with others and to help us all remember ourselves and our higher nature, to find the skills to navigate this crazy world we live in, and be agents of positive change.
So I feel the time is right (not because I feel totally ready, but because we need to do the work to create the shifts we want to see), to begin to unfold an idea that has been forming for the past few years. When I ask myself what I can possibly do as an individual, I feel small and insignificant. I am seeking the practical steps to be a helper, to be that agent of change, and to walk with others who wish to do the same. As individuals we can feel powerless, but we are, each one of us, drops of a mighty ocean, and in our togetherness there is real power.
In light of this, in the next months I am starting a series of yoga classes: Yoga & Virtues. We will use our practice to delve into some of the virtues that we may be striving towards – both on and off the mat. I have, as time has gone on, spent much more time on the theme or idea behind my classes, and have often found myself choosing virtues/attributes that have been relevant for me on a given day. And so my yoga practice ties in with my personal development. This idea of “who am I?” ties in with what qualities and ways we want to be. The intention and hope is to create a space for community to come together and work, on our mats and off, to examine ourselves and see how we can call ourselves to our highest nature.
And what does this mean in terms of bigger actions? The more we as individuals are clear and thorough in our internal work, the clearer we can be in our external work. There is much work to be done, but in this time period where ‘up’ sometimes feels like ‘down’, I am pretty certain now is the time to do the work on ourselves, so we can create a wave in our small communities that will grow and build to eventually create a global community.
“The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizen.” – Bahá’u’lláh
How can we make this happen? Do you have ideas? I’d be so happy to share, collaborate and create an open discussion as the places and ways to serve are endless.