February 3, 2008 11:00am - 1:00pm
Today is World Yoga Day, commencing 11:00am until 1:00pm Yogis will hit the mat for 2 hours of Yoga, Meditation and prayer. This year we will come together on behalf of Amnesty International. This 2 hour session will set off the 24 hours of sessions around the world.
This is the first time I participated in World Yoga Day and I did so on my own mat in my own special place, home. Each time we come to the Mat we come for a different reason, to build stength, become more flexible, relax, let go....and we try to do so with intent and purpose. This was the first time I hit the mat with a truly more global wide intention set in mind. Prior to starting the practice I was struck by the theme, Human rights, personal freedom. We may have all felt unheard, unable to express ourselves at times, but we still retain the ability and freedom to express ourselves in our spiritual and/or religious beliefs, artistic expression and personal liberties. It is hard then for us to comprehend the persecution and sacrifice of others for their spiritual and/or religious beliefs, for being born of the wrong gender, for self expression through art and/or many other smaller civil liberties we take for granted daily.
As a Yoga instructor it brought my understanding of Union, prayer, meditation and commitment to myself as well as the world around me to an enlightened level.
My practice became about the gratitude I feel for all that I am able to believe, achieve and give, it also brought me to quiet contemplation of the sufferings I have needlesly caused myself and others by not allowing for true freedom of self and to take with me into the future that new found inspiration.
"We have a duty as those who are of free will to ensure we use our freedom to strengthen, inspire and uplift and assist others"
If we take for granted that which we posses, but don't see, all those who are suffering for and working towards Human Rights will do so in vain.
Not everyone will get down on the mat today for the cause, but, if we take just one moment, this moment, to realize our own true personal freedom and our gratitude for it. We have made a difference.
Thank you to the global community for strengthening my practice, deepening my knowledge and helping me to follow my path.
Namaste
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