In a world where we are defined and divided by our differences rather than being united by our human commonality, a need is growing among those who are seeking a culture of peace, acceptance and understanding - to connect with each other in a space of safety, love and compassion. Millions of people around the world have come to yoga in search of such a space. As yogis, we can travel all over the world and find others who share our devotion to union; not just among our own bodies, minds and spirits, but also among every race, culture and nation. When we practice our sun salutations in Los Angeles, we welcome the same sun that is greeted and revered in Shanghai, Sydney, London, Calcutta, Osaka and Buenos Aires. When we lift ourselves into downward facing dog in San Francisco, our hands and feet are pressing into the same earth, absorbing and circulating the same energy as those practicing in Cairo, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Athens, and Berlin.
This month, we have brought together the experiences of yogis who have taken their practices around the world, some to teach, some to learn, and some simply to submerge themselves in the bottomless ocean of yoga’s energy. Each of these stories conveys the beauty and diversity that our world has to offer, while at the same time showing that no matter how far we travel, the spirit of yoga remains the same. When we lie down in savasana, we are renewing our attachment to the same universal creator regardless of our location, the color of our skin or the circumstances of our upbringing. Every OM we chant joins with every other that has ever been uttered, echoing the creation of the universe at the beginning of time, connecting us with all that has come before and all that is yet to be. |
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