“I’m tired of going into yoga studios in New York city and being the only person of color,”

…lamented this exquisitely petite and radiant woman whom I met while attending Maya Breuer’s workshop entitled An Ancient Art for New Communities, where she courageously addressed the scarcity of people of color in yoga classes across the United States, at the recent Yoga Journal Conference held in New York from 12 to 16 May 2011.

The group gathered was a small, intimate one comprised mainly of women, with the exception of one [white] male, a studio owner in an area where the demographic population boasts a large number of persons labeled as African-American. His intent and purpose for being at this workshop was to learn how he may be able to increase his enrollment numbers and ultimately his profit margin.

Another young university student came to find out about how she may be able to impart the teachings and wisdom of yoga to ethnic minorities on her college campus.

As I compassionately listened to the experiences and views shared by others, I became increasingly confronted, conflicted and confused.

Yoga was first introduced to me while living in Holland at the turn of the century; i.e., as we entered the new millennium. When I later moved to Indonesia, I was blessed to have been exposed to some of the most incredible and renowned teachers and retreat centers in the world.  As my practice deepened, it took me to India where I breathed, lived and studied yoga for several months, as well as to Thailand on several occasions to attend various workshops.

Jamaican by birth, African in ancestry and Universal in outlook, demographically, I was starkly different to the general yoga population in which I immersed myself and my practice. I celebrated the fact that for the first time, I’d found communities where in spite of being different we cultivated and harnessed Oneness.

Swami* Sivananda, the teachings that are the foundation of my yogic lifestyle, had commissioned his ardent disciple  Swami Vishnudevananda, affectionately called the Flying Swami, to spread the teachings of yoga to the West. His quest in fulfilling this destiny led to the establishment of the Sivananda Ashram and headquarters in Val Morin, Quebec, Canada. www.sivananda.org/

*Sanskrit word for master.

In addition to Swami Sivananda, there is a whole lineage of gurus from India who have empowered their followers so that they may take yoga to the West and spread its wisdom among humanity there.

The fact that millions of Americans and others living in the Northern Hemisphere (or the West) are now practicing and/or teaching yoga is a testament to the fulfillment of this destiny.  Further, given that the reported origins of yoga are born in regions comprised of populations that are essentially of color, the potential for segregation of yoga in the West is for me, disturbing.  Why would we want to perpetuate this when we have been given a gift and an opportunity to truly heal as spiritual beings?

In an exchange with Maya at the start of her workshop, we spoke about the healing qualities of yoga and her commitment to sharing these aspects with the Diaspora who are afflicted with dis-eases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, etc and where there continues to be a disproportionately larger number of black males in prison with the subsequent result being a larger number of single black females being the sole bread winners and household heads.  From this vantage point, I whole-heartedly share her views. In fact this is largely what has sparked my own commitment to taking yoga into disenfranchised communities across the world, with a special focus on Africa and the Caribbean.

As authentic yogis we continue to witness and experience the profound impact of yoga in our lives and ultimately how this transforms the lives of our communities.

Irrespective of your demographic background, for any human being who is interested in living from a place of conscious awareness, incorporating some aspect of yoga in your life can only serve to enhance your overall sense of being.

Many of us, who share an African heritage and are choosing to step onto the mat, literally and proverbially, may encounter resistance from those whom we hold dear. For example, every person of color attending Maya’s workshop had at some stage of their practice been accused of devil worshiping. As painful as hearing this preposterous notion is for us, whenever this occurs rather than confront, our sole karmic purpose is to educate, heal and lead by example, keeping in mind that it is natural to fear that of which we have no comprehension.

Non-religious in nature, yoga teaches us about devotion.  When we understand this sacred aspect of it, yoga can only serve to deepen any religious path that one embarks upon, transcending how we worship.

Speaking recently with New York studio owner Isaac Pena who is of Hispanic descent, Sankalpah, a Sanskrit term which translates as [săn-kăl-pə] n. intention, aim, purpose, will, resolve, imagination, a solemn vow, determination, is the apt name for this studio.  http://www.sankalpah.com/

An unpretentious space with wooden floors and the yoga sutras painted in red on the walls tucked away on Fifth Ave between 28^th and 29^th Street in Manhattan, Isaac’s only preference is that students are at least clad!  Besides this, the doors of Sankalpah embrace all that enter through them and celebrates differences in height, weight, skin color, spiritual beliefs, choice of yoga outfits, whatever!  Sankalpah and its teachers are committed to being a stand for its students in each moment and with every breath as we bear witness to our intentions made at the outset of our practice.

When I shared my concern about this issue of race within a yoga context with a  friend whom I’ve known for over twenty years – we went to high school together in Jamaica – she succinctly explained that if I still lived in New York, perhaps I may have a greater understanding of and appreciation for this fellow yogini’s frustration.

Rather than succumb to disempowerment, I’ve chosen to channel my energies into rising above and transcending the issue of race such that diversity is celebrated in the manner that the God of our own understanding has intended.

On the final day of the YJ Conference, I attended another workshop, this time organized by the founder of Africa Yoga Project, Paige Elenson. Her featured guest was former Sudan child soldier cum yoga for Africa advocate, visionary and messenger, Emmanuel Jal.  Riveted by every word and sentiment he echoed, I looked around the room and with few exceptions, the audience was primarily of Caucasian extraction.

Given their demographic dominance in the aid worker/humanitarian world, I was not remotely surprised.  In an instant, I got a glimpse of what this woman felt whenever she entered yoga studios in New York; I liken it to my feeling of being an exception rather than the norm of ‘foreign’ humanitarian living and working in Africa.  Despite this difference, I remain committed to being of service to humanity’s rainbow of color.  I immediately shared this revelation with another woman who had also attended Maya’s workshop and invited her to commit along with me to us giving back to the Diaspora.

Philanthropy and reciprocity is generally not a natural part of the Diaspora’s psyche for a myriad of reasons that would require another discourse.  This largely stems from it not being cultivated within the race; i.e., remnants of post traumatic slavery syndrome.  While we may commit to our conventional religious practices many of us do not extend this generosity of spirit to communities in dire straits in lesser developing countries; the bulk of which Africa is comprised.

My repeated experience of descendants from the Diaspora is that most do not identify with Africa as being an intrinsic part of their core existence, and therefore do not feel any need or reason to serve it. We do however relate to our immediate surroundings and its plight. And herein lies the dis-connect. As our levels of conscious awareness grow perhaps we will begin to understand and realize that the healing that we seek begins within us and at our source which is unquestionably Africa.

The universality and oneness of yoga is all encompassing and does not discriminate at any level. In those instances where we may encounter feelings and incidents of separateness we are being given a golden opportunity to educate, to inform and ultimately to deepen our practices as every level. This is our growth essence.

As we transform and evolve we are being of true service to ourselves, our communities and the world at large.

Yoga is an invitation for us to open up to possibilities that we thought unimaginable.

For those of us who feel that we’d be more comfortable being surrounded by demographics that align with ours, take your yoga into your communities and invite members of those communities to join you wherever you practice.

To date, I have not heard of a yogi being turned away from a studio because the label affixed to them was not in line with the vast majority of others present there.

Let’s continue to show up on our mats, heal and open our hearts and pour our yoga out into the world so that we indeed contribute to creating the peace that we are all seeking.

In the absence of borders, boundaries and demarcations, there is peace.

Om Shanti!