Yoga as Activism

“To be black and conscious in America is to be in a constant state of rage.” – James Baldwin

It is hard not to notice that a lot has happened to the black community recently. I’d argue that, actually, it’s not so recent, but what makes this period of time different is social media as a tool. Our timelines have been flooded with violent videos, bloody photos, and passionate think pieces. Family, friends, and strangers are engaging one another discussing institutional anti-black violence and racism, the police, strategies of communal resistance, and sharing emotional responses. However it manifests, what is true is that many of us are hurting. Social media brings us to the reality of the frequency and intensity of violence that is inflicted onto the black community. It is becoming very difficult to look away or remain in denial as this violence is now literally on our screens almost every day. We are also seeing the difficult truth that no amount of money or education, nor one’s social background, occupation, age, gender or sexuality can protect us. It has left many of us asking, what can we do?

To the larger question of ending violence as a community, I offer no answers here. But there are many answers to the question of what we can do to manage and express the feelings that are coming up for us individually. It is critical that you find what works for you. Public demonstrations, private vigils, appealing to governing powers, journaling, producing art, or even having conversation with family and friends are all great options to express our feelings and function as self-care. Every method used to heal ourselves is a form of activism, even if we do not identify as an activist. When we take care of ourselves, we are actively resisting a larger system that says we should not. But most of will agree #BlackLivesMatter. Yoga as a practice, specifically, is an excellent tool to resist the incredible amount of personal and communal pressures many of us are feeling. Yoga functions as a place to explore these feelings and express our frustrations. It allows us to access and address our body, mind, and spirit in order to move towards a holistic and total healing. When we address the individual self then we are able to work at our fullest potential as members in our communities.

“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” – Audre Lorde

Body

Let’s move from the outside in. Sometimes it’s easiest to start with what is most accessible and concrete. What better way to begin the healing process then to address what our eyes can see and hands can touch? Yoga is an excellent form of somatic release. When we get on our mat, no matter how active or restorative our practice is, there are immediate and long term effects on our bodies.

During your asana practice (poses) you are relaxing and activating the muscles of your body. As long as you are moving within your limits and guided mindfully, quite frankly, this just feels good. Increased flexibility helps us to move easier. Our bodies aren’t as stiff and restricted. We can breathe just a little bit easier. After class your stress levels are lowered. Chemicals released in your brain have activated your parasympathetic nervous system, the “rest and digest” reaction, and give you a feeling of calmness and clarity. You’ve also stretched your muscles and aligned your joints. Your body has moved a little closer to functioning optimally and it feels physically great. This is obtainable after just one class! A continued practice leads to lower blood pressure, stronger and flexible muscles and joints, potential relief from chronic pain, increased lung capacity, a stronger heart, and more. The benefits are endless.

What also comes from your practice is an increased love and appreciation for yourself. Watching your body transform and marking your progress builds confidence. Yoga provides the setting for seeds of self-love to begin to bloom. You have to make friends with your body. On the mat you find your limitations and the areas you excel in. You have to work with yourself in order to progress. It is necessary to practice patience and compassion in order to advance. This is the goal. Forget the handstands, if you begin to make peace and love what’s in the mirror that is a huge battle won. It is a reclaiming of your body which we are taught doesn’t matter or doesn’t deserve our time and attention.

Mind

The mind is also effected both immediately and long-term from your yoga practice. When we practice dhyana (meditation), the body is able to relax and the mind follows. Anxiety is quieted, calmness enters. Memory and overall brain function improves. Over time we are able to turn inward beyond the brain and into what rests inside. This looks like the ability to identify, confront, and manage our feelings. You are able to be more honest and open with your emotional and mental self. The ability to reframe our outlook and remain open to possibility becomes available.

For example, one common experience is the parallel of the backbend to emotional release. As you move deeper into the backbend, the front body lengthens. The area of the heart is exposed and the points of energy along the spine are activated.  A breakthrough in the backbend is often coupled with an emotional breakthrough- a new space for movement and exploration is found in both the physical and subtle body. Yoga provides a place to express what may come up for you.

While the practice itself is powerful and can unearth a lot of beautiful personal treasures, it is equally as capable of uncovering deep trauma. When the mind is taken away from external distraction we find that there are often many thoughts and memories that come to the surface. Yoga can also reveal that we need extra help from a trained professional and that is a beautiful step towards progress. Just as one goes to the medical doctor for a wound, it is important that we take the steps needed to heal emotional scarring so that we are able to move through our world as clearly and consciously as possible.

Spirit

Yoga reveals that many of the tools we think are found in our external world are actually found within. Yoga shows us that we are strong and can act as our own source of stability. We are flexible and able to adapt to difficulty and change. As one travels beyond the body and mind, our spirit, the everlasting and most genuine and beautiful part of ourselves, is revealed.

The inherent risk of being black is obvious and it is infuriating to think that because of our skin and ancestry, we are subject to pain. Novelist, playwright, poet, and social critic James Baldwin said, “To be black and conscious in America is to be in a constant state of rage.” And it is ok to feel this anger. Yoga is not asking us to turn off our feelings, but instead to channel and understand them and our world for what it is. Many of us are angry or saddened right now, and we have every right to be. But we also have a right to peace, even if only for a moment.

Yoga is a tool that transforms each of us into an activist during these difficult and devastating times. We are able to reclaim our body, calm the mind, and connect to our spirit, the spirits of those around us, the spirits of those who came before us fighting for our freedom and right to healing, and to whatever higher source we may identify with. We are able to foster unconditional self-love which reflects in our ability to unconditionally love one another. Practicing self-care and addressing our feelings allows us to be a better support for those around us. Self-care becomes communal care. We can think more affectively and effectively about what actions to take in our families, communities, countries, and even globally. I’m not saying yoga is the answer to our health and our healing, I’m saying you are. We are.

“It is our duty to fight for freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love and protect one another. We have nothing to lose but our chains.” – Assata Shakur

Happy practicing, yogis.

Written by Kala Lacy

IG @benditlikelacy