Yoga Teacher Training Journeys

Managing crisis through yoga

Even the most casual of us who follow the news would know that the South Pacific and Indonesia were recently rocked by major earthquakes and tsunamis. The death toll in American Samoa, Samoa and Tonga-the worst hit regions-was as high as 200. The quake on the Indonesian island of Sumatra was at 7.6 on the Richter scale  even deadlier, with as many as 1100 sadly losing their lives. You may be considering how to reconcile world events with your spiritual practice?

At the time of writing there are well over 100 international and several UN agencies working alongside local groups to try and restore essential services to the most devastated areas. Perhaps just as vital, a sense of humanity has once again gripped the world, as governments and individuals combine in their response to the call for help.

The international yoga community has not been silent in its response. Soon after the earthquakes struck (followed by several major aftershocks), emails began circulating, calling on yogis as well as the wider community to offer assistance in whatever way they could. Given that many of us who undertake yoga consider ourselves humanitarian in nature and spiritual in practice, this seemed like a reasonable response to a significant global event.

Is there anything special in the way those who practice yoga might think and act towards those near and far who suffer tragedy, or conflict for that matter? Are we yogis especially disposed to offering the hand of humanity on a deeper level when most feel unable to do more than help with a donation?

Nothing can compare with the devastation a natural disaster brings. We are often, if not always, limited in how we might tangibly offer help. Our thoughts and prayers are a start, our money further support.

We know how important it is to begin every yoga class in a state of calm and tranquility. Our teacher knows to create a space conducive to developing this. Isn’t that exactly what goes missing when calamity strikes?

Is there a message here about to how to cope when faced with tragic or high stress situations? A yoga practice which embodies stillness, meditation and flexibility can be incredibly supportive when things seem to get ‘too much’.

When it comes to our own personal challenges, many of us turn to our practice to help cope with the stress. Is there a way we can share the spirit of our practice with others experiencing hardship? How can we take into account the ‘big picture’ such as those events which affect so many communities? Is there a way our yoga practice can extend beyond our immediate circle, with love and compassion for everyone, no matter where they are?

A regular yoga practice can help restore inner peace and calm. Our sense of stillness and compassion is something we can share with not only those whom we know who live close to us but others whom we don’t who are distant.

Our thoughts and our prayers stem from that practice and many of us feel they really do help in times of crisis. Of course, our monetary offerings through aid agencies such as Oxfam also help get the ball rolling when the needs of basic emergency infrastructure are paramount.

Never lose sight of how powerful such a gift our personal practice can be. Be mindful and receptive of the strength and love you derive from your yoga practice. Then join with others to extend that spirit with love to others in need. ow How Isn’t that the least we can do?

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