Day 18
Softer than the flower where kindness is concerned,
Stronger than the thunder where principles are concerned.
~ Vedic Definition Of Enlightenment
You can kill the dreamer, but you can’t kill the dream. It’s Martin Luther King Jr Day in the USA. A day to celebrate this freedom fighter the fight for human rights, justice and equality. Dr. King fought by using the power of ahimsa (non-violence) the first and most important of the yamas in Patanjali’s yoga. A true yogi in many ways, he fought using the power of love and non-violent resistance which he learned primarily through the life and teaching of a great yogi, Mahatma Gandhi. (I will go deeper into ahimsa and Gandhi later in the Sadhana.) Dr. King was extreme!
In his Letter from the Birmingham Jail, King wrote:
“But though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label. Was not Jesus an extremist for love: love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despite fully use you and persecute you… So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice?”
Dr King stood for real love. Agape love, not sentimental, not just affection, not degraded or debased love, (“oh, I love your shoes, I love ice cream”). In the ancient world, Leviticus says, “love your neighbor.” The word love was used in international treaties. Two kings who may have been enemies promised that they would love each other. Love meant that they would look out for one another’s best interests (not fall into each other’s arms) but compassionate love where the work is to understand each other’s pain. Basically this love demands that we become more tolerant and compassionate to our fellow human beings. Tolerance and benevolence are the fruits of a correct yoga practice.
Listen to MLK’s last speech,
“I’ve been to the mountain top” here:
THE DIGITAL STUDIO CLASS SCHEDULE
Today, Monday, January 18th:
7:45-8:30am PST Power Flow with Amy Chalmers
9-10am PST Vinyasa with Guest Teacher Joshna Ramakrishnan
6-7:15pm PST Slow Flow + Restore with Ariffa Lalani
Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 19th:
7-8am PST Karma Vinyasa with Kristin Ochitwa
8:30-9:45am PST Weekly Workshop with Ryan Leier
4-5pm PST Vinyasa with Malina Dawn
5:45-6:45pm PST Vinyasa with Nikki Jinks