Last year I opened up in this blog and talked about my thoughts about a holiday, Columbus Day, that celebrates a character that was once revered by public school children in this country. I believe that we should not be afraid to address history frankly and openly through the context of a new lens and information. Why not use this holiday to open dialogue and find ways to create unity and respect in the nation, and world? The Om symbol, one we invoke and chant often in our yoga practice, represents oneness and the interconnectedness of all beings. I like its symbolism this weekend.
Setting aside the fact that millions of people were already living in the Americas in 1492, the fact is that Columbus never landed in North America. He did arrive in the Bahamas and ultimately Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. He was a brave sailor and by his 40th birthday had led four voyages across uncharted oceans in ships that were not designed for those types of trips. He had a lucrative contract with the Spanish government which included naming him the governor of any land he discovered and granted him 10% of any “merchandise” he “acquired”. What becomes problematic for me is that he betrayed the Indigenous people who welcomed him. The Taino traded with him when he first arrived. He turned on them forcing them into slavery and punishing them with loss of limb or debt if they did not collect enough gold. The European settlers who followed Columbus not only introduced new diseases to the Americas that wiped out scores of Indigenous people, but also brought warfare, colonization, enslavement, and torture of these people.
The issue at hand is why should we celebrate someone whose arrival and actions had such devastating repercussions. In recognition of this, many communities have stopped honoring Columbus on this day and instead choose to recognize Indigenous Peoples Day. I feel similarly about Rhode Island’s celebrating V-J Day. Instead of naming it Victory Day (a transparent name change that still invokes war), why not call it World Peace Day? Isn’t that what this world needs?
Finding unity in our world is something that each of us can believe in and contribute to in our own little way. We come together to practice our yoga from many disparate backgrounds and beliefs and find commonality and unity each time we meet. Let’s remember that yoga’s roots are as a spiritual road map, a moral code and a holistic health approach that came from the indigenous people of India. The fact that India had 80,000 tribes with many different belief systems and could still attract people across many faiths to the practice, exemplifies the definition of unity and living our yoga off the mat! Let’s take this out into the world this week and do our part to foster unity.
I love this article that draws similarities between Hindu and Native American traditions and beliefs.
Below is an article from Yoga Journal that I referenced last year where one yogi discusses how she honors Indigenous people in her practice.
Our Practice - Virabhadrasana (Warrior) 2
In the spirit of unity and in recognition of indigenous people, I am again this year channeling Crazy Horse with Warrior 2 this holiday weekend. He was a warrior for good. He was born in 1840 as a member of the Oglala Lakota on Rapid Creek near Thunderhead Mt. (now Crazy Horse Mountain). He took up arms against the United States federal government to fight American settlers who were encroaching on the land of the indigenous people and to preserve the traditional ways of life of the Lakota people. Crazy Horse responded to challenge by putting the needs of his people above his own and fought hard for them. We honor his legacy and all warriors for good when we practice this pose.
Start in tadasana (mountain pose) at the top of your mat and step back with your left foot about 3-4 feet behind your right. Right foot points forward to front of mat and your right heel is in line with your left instep. Left foot is turned out to the left maybe 90 degrees or whatever feels ok.
Raise arms parallel to floor out to the sides, palms down, hips are open to the long edge of mat, but gaze is forward out over the right middle finger. One long line from right fingertips back to left fingertips (my back arm has a tendency to droop down!)
Bend your right knee over the right ankle and shin is perpendicular to the floor. Guide your right knee towards your second and third toe (not dipping in toward big toe or to the left). Straighten back leg and press the outside edge of the left foot toward the ground.
Check in with your torso that weight is equally positioned/distributed between both legs – I tend to shift my weight forward, others shift back.
Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of time to the left.
Meditating - on Unity
“The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the universe and all its powers; and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells Wakan-Taka (the Great Spirit); and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us. This is the real peace, and the others are but reflections of this. The second peace is that which is made between two individuals; and the third is that which is made between two nations. But above all, you should understand that there can never be peace between nations until there is known that true peace, which, as I have often said, is within the souls of men.” – Black Elk
Black Elk was a prominent Oglala Lakota holy man and medicine man, who was a second cousin to the renowned Native American war leader Crazy Horse; they fought together in the Battle of Little Bighorn.
Nurturing with Food – Apple Pie
When fall arrives I start to bake. We went apple picking recently and will likely be enjoying apple pie so we will be enjoying this recipe, my grandmother’s (Nana) for quite a while! I think she would be proud of the way I have mastered the art of pie crust (sure took awhile).
See you on the mat!
Namaste,
Julia Anne
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