On Yoga and Activism

It has been a while since these two words have been sharing their lives with me.
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In fact 20 years.
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For a long time, I kept these two words running two “lives” within me: The first one as a yoga student & facilitator, and the second one as an activist (though I prefer the term “Humanist”) towards greater access to health care, human rights & humanitarian relief.
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These two lives have been living in the same house but in different rooms sort of.
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This confronting journey of “contradictions” hit me quite massively in Jerusalem where I began teaching Yoga during my UN posting in Jerusalem, 15 years ago. I was teaching to a cool gang, generous enough to practice with me in a place where yoga was nonexistent especially in the area where I was living. I was also teaching at times in Ramallah in the beautiful called Farashe center, which proceedings were geared towards bringing yoga into the UNRWA refugees camps and alike. Bringing yoga in places or to people in need was immensely gratifying, to the point that I have continued teaching in that spirit either for free or on donation to help causes or people. The solidarity element is such a huge part in any yoga practice.
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We do not practice for ourselves only, we practice for everyone. Always.
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There have been moments in my life where I felt complete schizophrenia and exhaustion having to manage the parallels of my life, pulled in complete different directions with opposite “vibrations”. Luckily, jumping from a life to another became more easeful over time …The “gap”, the in between “transition” became my practice.
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For years I felt thorned in the pull to decide between my two parallel lives: should I be a full-time yogi (as if there was such a job!) or should I remain in my more “activist” field? I am not sure why I saw them as contradicting and it did not help to NOT see any reference of integration anywhere...It was either the rather disconnected “peace and love shanti shanti, namaste gratitude” as I often laugh about or “go, sacrifice yourself and have no life to achieve your mission”. Both had their levels of toxicity and disconnection. I felt confused.
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Which path to choose then? The Yogic path? The activist/humanist path?
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Fast forward few years later: on my journey of epiphanies, I realized that I did not have to choose any path, because 1) the practice of yoga is to be in y(our) lives no matter what and 2) the in-between “gap” was actually my personal practice, and what I was also meant to transmit. Home became the gap or the «bridge» as I also often call.
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Lifted from my dilemma, I embarked on my journey of ongoing deconstruction, contemplating on anything hindering the graceful radical honesty & personal discernment, pathways towards personal “liberation” or "ease". I could embody the «bridge» in between my worlds and share on my personal journey as I could not find much reference around such topics. It has not been easy to be suspended between two (if not more) “realities”. Bringing yoga principles into my international health job is challenging. Similarly, bringing notions of social justice & equity has also been challenging in the yoga world.
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Over time on my yoga journey, I became immensely bored with what I call the « lalaland » yoga practices, which can be quite disconnected from the reality of most on the Planet. I became highly uncomfortable with some words or notions which were not always anchored into the practice of personal discernment and personal agency. I started seeing with clarity the personal and collective bypassing traps.
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Can we «Om» away everything in the name that the Divine Order is taking care of it all?
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I dare a response: No.
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And here comes along “the” word which can be a loaded one for many: Activism.
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This word is so beautiful though as «at its core, activism is about highlighting injustices and advocating for a better future», for all.
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Well, it does seem what Yoga is also about.
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The reality of our human world is that some are privileged, and the greatest majority is not. Should I care as a yogi? Can I do anything about it?
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I dare a response: Yes.
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Yes, in your own ways. There is never any one way in anything.
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Yoga recognizes that we, as humans, are part of Oneness, the Self, God, Consciousness ( i like to call it « Mystery ») or however you refer to the Absolute world. In that recognition, we realise that we are interdependent and interconnected. « You are not just one body, you are the One Body and all bodies at the same time » as my beloved Satu likes to say. I like that expression.
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It is hard these days to see the others as also parts of us, especially if we have drastically opposite opinions, but that’s also the practice: as yogis, we must continue holding that remembrance in our minds & hearts. And, at the same time, we need to be ready to call out what is hindering freedom for all. I really mean FOR ALL. Not only the ones from your tribe or you like. For EVERYONE. Activism is yoga.
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Right now, we have few ongoing large ongoing tests across the globe for us all to not only practice that remembrance described above but practice the yoga of action, by standing up for everyone, including the marginalized & oppressed ones. Liberation, happiness, and freedom is for everyone and everywhere.
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We have solid international legal frameworks and conventions which were designed to protect Humanity. They are used across the globe as the frame of reference, and their application to ALL countries is critical to ensure a worldwide order that is based on justice and not on who is the strongest or who we like the most. Human rights are not “à la carte” notions.
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The article 1 of the Human Rights Declaration (1948) still makes me cry: «All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood/sisterhood». This article is one of my favorite lines ever. This is so beautiful and gives me hope in what we need to shape as a coexisting Community. Until we are naturally designed to respect one and other, these legal protective frameworks are OUR ONLY HOPE to help us, we humans, live together and protect individual dignity.
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We must call out when we see anomalies affecting the deviance from these frameworks guaranteeing such Vision for peaceful coexisting living…. It is not about double standards or taking sides, it is about staying on the side humanity and dignity, no matter what. We do not have to be «neutral ». When did neutrality become good for Humanity? These notions of “neutrality” are dangerous as they lead to complacency.
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Yogis, if we pray for «peace, love, freedom and light», we must mean it and be ready to stand up for these words (otherwise they are just empty vessels words), of course in our own ways. No change for the betterhood of Humanity has ever happened in the sound of silence.
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Activism towards the happiness of the Collective is at the heart of our Yoga practice. You move for yourself but also for everyone else. Liberation of one is liberating everyone. Rehumanizing one is rehumanizing everyone. Let’s not bypass these moments & opportunities. Those are not easy times, yet These Are The Times That Grow Our Souls.
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Om.