Telling the story of battle and crisis in India, the Bhagavad Gita offers a path to realization focusing on wise and right action. Written around 200 BC, Krishna is on a mission to restore dharma in the world. Acting as a charioteer and teacher to Arjuna during his personal crisis of conscience and confusion. We may relate to this story as humanity is once again experiencing the terror and brutality of war alongside a threatening climate collapse and growing polarity between people. In the BG Krishna gives guidance and advice to Arjuna on how to move forward as he is reluctant to take action and perform his duty to make a positive change in the world. Krishna gives special attention to the yoga of action: giving up ownership of the fruits/results of our actions and acting for a greater good in the world.
I am forever inspired by the vision and work of our teachers Padmaji and David, molding new and ancient ideas/concepts to create the practice of Jivamukti Yoga . If it weren’t for their teachings I would’ve easily lost myself in an endless quest of self-centered, self improvement, never satisfied, to the point of getting completely tired of myself, or injured in physical practice. They have given us a gift through this methodology allowing it to be independent of themselves and geared toward the greater good. We are not alone in this realization that Satsang or community will help heal the world.
“For the planet, there has been more than enough focus on humankind. And in our endless self obsession we have clearly lost sight of the ‘crucial mystery’ – which is not man, and is not mankind; it is an understanding of our place in the wider web of life on this beautiful and mysterious Earth” – Sharon Blackie, If Women Rose Rooted.
Living in the current state of the world, the power of satsang/community feels crucial in the face of our experienced reality. Satsang provides a sense of belonging, inspiration and hope, that individual and collective change indeed is possible! Through the practice of coming together, real people sharing ideas, cultures, lived experiences and listening to each other; as to reimagine a different way to live in the world. Giving up hope is not an option! We should fight for the future. Especially those of us who have already an established life, and who are relatively safe, we should be the first ones to stick out our necks and do the work of collective change.
In the spirit of our teachers and their innovative work, may we find it in our practice, our interpretation and expression of the practice; to build communities and make ways to cut through the illusion of separation, harm and exploitation. Rejecting past beliefs and cultural conditioning of conflict and fear, often in the pursuit of power or in the name of a spiritual tradition/belief system.
Jivamukti Yoga in the spirit of YS 1.46 maintains that our connections/relationships to others should be mutually beneficial and come from a consistent place of steadiness. This is a radical idea when put into practice, it allows us to dismantle our present cultural notion that the earth and all other beings exist for our benefit to be exploited for selfish purposes. In this light the practice becomes a tool to improve our attention/awareness, as to improve our relationships to all others and dissolve the sense of separation.
May we inspire hope and courage in ourselves and each other; to speak up and do the work of collective change. Just like our teachers tirelessly have done before us through yoga, veganism and spiritual activism. May we restore and heal wounds created by hatred and separation, freed from selfish, self-centeredness to imagine and work together for a future of equality, peace and happiness for all.
