In yoga traditions, our connection to the Earth is an important part of the practice. The word yoga is derived from sanskrit yuj, which means “union”(1). This “union” mentioned so often in yoga texts extends beyond our physical bodies. It encompasses the metaphysical and natural worlds including other people and living things. That’s part of why an essential aspect of practicing yoga is caring deeply about our planet and its inhabitants. To be a yogi is to be an environmentalist. 

This concept of unity with our planet can guide our yoga practices and the way we live our lives. With a bit of effort and practice, we can all embrace being environmentally mindful and develop some beneficial habits. In this post, we’ll explore environmentalism as an expression of yoga ethics. We’ll also share easy tips to help reduce your carbon footprint and adopt sustainable ways.

YOGIC ETHICS and ENVIRONMENTALISM

Environmental stewardship is essential to our practice of yoga’s core ethical principles (yamas and niyamas). These ethical rules were codified in The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, a foundational philosophical yogic text (2). Modern yogis can use these yamas as guides to navigate our planet’s environmental challenges. 

AHIMSA: NON-VIOLENCE/ ACTIVE LOVE

Ahimsa, the first yama, teaches us to do no harm. It is the yama most apparently connected to conservation. We can attempt to make lifestyle choices that will do the least harm to our planet whenever possible. Each of our actions has an impact on the environment. Everyday choices like what we eat, buy, utilize, and how we dispose of it can impact our bodies, minds, communities, and our planet. 

For guidance on how to minimize your carbon footprint and potentially improve your health, check out our Eating For The Planet article and our Conscious Eating Series.  They will help you learn how to build environmental ethical and mindful eating habits into your daily routine through:

• Meal planning to reduce waste
  
• Optimal food storage methods
• Zero- waste shopping
• Yogic values of food
• Navigating food labels
• Eating seasonal
• Understanding food sources
• Simple urban gardening
• Advantages of a plant based diet

Also, get inspired to cook healthier with Yoga District’s wonderful vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free recipes. 

Another way to practice ahimsa is to be a conscious consumer! Learn in our Conscious Consumption Guide how to shop sustainably (shrinking the ecological footprint of your purchases). Additionally, if you care about decreasing your consumerism (being more environmentally sustainable) then our Upcycling Guide has a lot of helpful tips. 

You can also check out our Recycling Guide and Energy Saving Guide for more suggestions on how to practice environmental ahimsa. Of course, recycling and living greener are always noble actions but not always easy tasks to accomplish. If you keep trying and practicing then it will get easier!

SATYA: TRUTHFULNESS 

Satya is another yama, and it teaches us to live honestly. Living with satya challenges a person to engage with the truth every day. It inspires us to find our voices and speak up for what we believe in when necessary. 

To live your truth, you can reflect on your values. Let that steer you to how you can best serve our planet. Is it through wanting to protect green spaces? Or reaching out to your congress member to help enact needed policy changes? If yes, then our Climate Policy Outreach Guide provides useful suggestions. Or maybe you are interested in helping in a more localized way, like community gardens or other forms of mutual aid.

ASTEYA: NON-STEALING and BRAHMACHARYA: RIGHT USE OF ENERGY 

Practicing the yamas of asteya and brahmacharya on an environmental level means being conscious of our use of the Earth’s resources. Also, these yamas can guide us toward the right use of our energy in our efforts to live greener. 

Earth’s resources are to be used thoughtfully. They should be shared among its inhabitants as fairly as possible. On a personal level, consider which environmental efforts you want to direct most of your energy towards for maximum impact. 

APARIGRAHA: NON- POSSESSIVENESS 

We can detach ourselves from consumerism through the yama of aparigraha. One way to practice aparigraha is to practice mindful eating, knowing when we’ve had enough and what foods we truly need. For suggestions on how to practice aparigraha environmentally then check out any applicable guides (conscious consumption, upcycling, recycling, etc.) in the ahimsa section. 

Our planet is so valuable it deserves more than just one day of recognition! Thanks for being part of this community that works to find ways to honor the planet daily.

Sources 

1. Yoga Definition, https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/4/yoga
2. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2526

– Charon K.

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inspiring quotes from MLK jr and swami sivananda

“We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”- Martin Luther King, Jr  

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”-  Martin Luther King, Jr. 

“By doing service you purify your heart. Egoism, hatred, jealousy, the idea of superiority and all the kindred negative qualities will vanish. Humility, pure love, sympathy, tolerance and mercy will be developed. The sense of separateness will be annihilated. Selfishness will be eradicated. You will get a broad and liberal outlook on life. You will begin to feel oneness and unity. Eventually you will obtain knowledge of the Self. You will realize “One in all” and “all in One”. You will feel unbounded joy.” – Swami Sivananda

get started

There are many government and nonprofit organizations with projects happening locally that are looking for volunteers on MLK Day and beyond. You can also participate in mutual aid for a more localized grass roots approach . Mutual aid groups are run by organizers and volunteers who respond to the articulated needs of their community. These groups are rooted in the belief that those on the front lines have the wisdom to solve the problems, and that collective action is the way to make it happen. By creating a space where people can come together to address a shared need despite different lived experiences, we can build solidarity and create lasting change. Check out our guide to Mutual Aid to learn how you can join a mutual aid network in your community.

yoga district / activist gives back

As community-run yoga centers, Yoga District is committed to providing diverse, accessible, affordable yoga to all. We want to be a safe space in the community when anyone feels like they can explore their yoga journey. Offering a sliding scale, the ability to pay is not a factor in accessing our classes. Many also join our work-study program to become community volunteers who also take unlimited free yoga classes. Funds from Yoga District classes are directed to its non-profit Yoga Activist, which supports trauma-sensitive yoga outreach trainings, yoga mat donations, and community outreach classes. Thanks for your support of our mission to serve diverse communities through yoga and wellness education!

By Charon K and Jasmine C.

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What is mutual aid?

In  the face of crises like the pandemic and climate change, more and more people are feeling called to respond within their own communities. When this work is done alongside social movements advocating for transformative change, it’s called mutual aid (1,2).

Dean Spade (a trans activist, writer, and teacher) defines mutual aid as “a form of political participation in which people take responsibility for caring for one another and changing political conditions” (1, 2, 3). It happens when people in a community come together to share resources to meet each other’s needs. This can look like: 

• Community-based childcare for working parents
• Organized potlucks to feed hungry neighbors
• Regular supply drops to your local crisis center
• And many other things.

Creating Transformative Change

Ultimately, mutual aid comes from the awareness that the systems currently in place are not going to meet people’s needs. Often, those systems have created the crisis or further exacerbated them. In response to these systems, mutual aid projects work to meet people’s needs and build a shared understanding about why people don’t have what they need.

The concept of mutual aid is not new. Mutual aid projects have been part of robust social movements for centuries. The most famous example in the US is the Black Panther Party’s multitude of survival programs of the 1960s and 1970s, which included: 

• A free breakfast program
• Free ambulance program
• Free medical clinics
  

  DC Wards Mutual Aid Efforts 2021

• Free errand rides for seniors
• Legal aid education.

The header image on this story is from one of the Black Panthers’ many mutual aid programs. Through soliciting food and money from neighbors and local businesses, the Black Panthers’ Free Breakfast for Children program fed 50,000 kids in 45 cities. Before that, mutual aid groups like the Free African Society in the late 1700s and the New York African Mutual Relief Society in the early 1800s organized in Philadelphia and New York City to take care of the sick, educate orphans, and protect deceased members’ families (2,5).  To learn more about other mutual aid projects in history, please refer to, “What is Mutual Aid?” and “Solidarity, Not Charity: A Visual History of Mutual Aid” in the source section at the bottom of this post.

In today’s society, individual self-reliance is often praised over community care. Despite advances in technology to connect us, we’re more socially disconnected than ever (4). This means that many of us don’t have the networks around us to get help with mental health, drug use, domestic violence, or abuse until law enforcement is involved – which can often escalate rather than alleviate the problem. We’re forced to rely on institutions that undermine people’s ability to access what they need, and wealth and resources are increasingly concentrated at the highest socioeconomic levels. All of these factors undercut our ability to take care of ourselves and our communities. In this context, choosing to support and stand in solidarity with the most vulnerable among us is a radical act (1,3).

Solidarity, Not Charity

To be clear, mutual aid is not charity (5,6). Terms like charity, social services, and aid usually refer to wealthy people, organizations, or government entities “giving back” to people who are struggling. The rich decide who gets help, the limits to that help, and the eligibility requirements to receive help. These models aren’t designed to address the root causes of injustice and fail to meet the true needs of people on the ground. They make the wealthy look generous while upholding the same systems that concentrate wealth.

Mutual aid, on the other hand, exposes the failures of current systems and offers an alternative. Mutual aid groups are run by organizers and volunteers who respond to the articulated needs of their community. They’re rooted in the belief that those on the front lines have the wisdom to solve the problems, and that collective action is the way to make it happen. By creating a space where people can come together to address a shared need despite different lived experiences, we can build solidarity and create lasting change. 

Building Sustainable Systems

GWU’s community garden project

Mutual aid allows us to create new systems of care and solidarity to address harm and foster well-being within our communities. As we experience the worsening effects of climate change, the foundation of support that we build now will determine how prepared we are for the next disaster. Mutual aid projects operating in communities recently impacted by extreme weather are creating the relational infrastructure for new systems of care that will improve community preparedness for the future.

Following Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, it was mutual aid networks like Centros de Apoyo Mutuo (Centers of Mutual Aid, or CAM) working towards food justice that made it possible for many people to eat when the island’s food distribution systems were shut down. Similarly, it was local solar power initiatives organized by Proyecto de Apoyo Mutuo and other Centros that allowed residents to charge medical devices and keep the lights on in the 11 months it took to restore the electrical grid (7,8).  

Participating in mutual aid can help us imagine and create a transition from extractive and unjust systems to a sustainable and regenerative way of living. The foundations we build now will make our communities stronger for years to come.

How we can Get Involved 

The first step is to take action. If you’re interested in joining a mutual aid network, it’s highly likely one already exists near you (9,10,11). Do some research to find out where people in your community are connecting and communicating. Some might use a community-specific Google doc, form, and spreadsheets while large mutual aid networks may rely on online applications (Facebook, Slack, and WhatsApp) to meet their infrastructure needs.

Mutual aid networks operate as diversely as the communities they serve. Below is a list of a few mutual aid projects currently operating in the area (there are so many more initiatives not included):

1. Food Projects 
2. Temporary Housing
3. Alleviating Concerns about Deportation
4. Restorative Justice 
5. Childcare Collectives
6. Accompaniment Projects 

If there’s a particular issue you’re passionate about then search to see if there are mutual aid project(s) or group(s) near you. If not, then you can always start your own. There are mutual aid toolkits out there to help you create your own mutual aid group by instructing on how to build a neighborhood pod and engage with your neighbors (12). Unfortunately, there isn’t an extensive database that lays out all the mutual aid efforts in the DC area, but there are mutual aid groups operating in every ward of the city. The DC Mutual Aid Network (DCMA) is a grassroots community-led effort that aims to take care of each other and keep our city safe (12). There are autonomous groups for each ward (with Wards 7 and 8 combined) who share resources, best practices and offer referrals to other groups. 

There are also so many opportunities to join mutual aid groups that are doing transformative work in the DMV. 

It may take some time to find where you can plug in within your neighborhood, and ultimately, it’s up to you to determine how to get involved. Here are a few ways to get involved:

• Give money or material resources such as food or other articulated needs
• Give your time
• Reach out to local organizers and mutual aid networks to see where you can make the most impact in your neighborhood. 
• Take initiative to create a new mutual aid network to respond to an unmet need

In the words of Dean Spade, “Activism and mutual aid shouldn’t feel like volunteering or a hobby ‒ it should feel like living in alignment with our hopes for the world and with our passions. It should enliven us” (1). It shows us that we know best how to address the different crises we face. It allows us to practice love and solidarity together with the belief that all of us play a role in the solutions to our problems. Our well-being, health, and dignity are all interconnected, and our survival depends on cooperation. The more we practice this work, the stronger we’ll be.

Sources: 

1. 1. Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the Next) by Dean Spade, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55937838-mutual-aid?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=fIqXH2PfU7&rank=1
   2. What is Mutual Aid?, https://www.tyeshamaddox.com/what-is-mutual-aid 

• A Mutual Aid Explainer (video), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsoYeD6JGu0

• Social Isolation and Loneliness, https://www.who.int/teams/social-determinants-of-health/demographic-change-and-healthy-ageing/social-isolation-and-loneliness 

• Solidarity, Not Charity: A Visual History of Mutual Aid, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-12-22/a-visual-history-of-mutual-aid

1. 1. Differences between mutual aid and charity (podcast), https://www.stitcher.com/show/rebel-steps/episode/s1e5-support-your-community-mutual-aid-55103630
   2. Mutual Aid: Lessons from Puerto Rico, https://www.societyandspace.org/articles/mutual-aid-lessons-from-puerto-rico
   3. (Solar) Power to the People, https://mutualaiddisasterrelief.org/solar-power-to-the-people/?doing_wp_cron=1636040734.3724091053009033203125
   4. Mutual Aid Network, ​​https://www.idealist.org/en/days/what-is-a-mutual-aid-network
   5. Idealist Mutual Aid Group Database, https://www.idealist.org/en/groups?q=&searchMode=true
   6. DC Mutual Aid Network, https://www.facebook.com/groups/492881801379594/
   7. Mutual Aid 101 Toolkit, https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRMxV09kdojzMdyOfapJUOB6Ko2_1iAfIm8ELeIgma21wIt5HoTqP1QXadF01eZc0ySrPW6VtU_veyp/pub
   8. Mutual Aid, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutual_aid_(organization_theory)

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Code Red for Humanity

Last week, you may have heard about another climate report published by the United Nations International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (1). The report compiles evidence from a range of studies to provide the most comprehensive look at our changing climate to date. The evidence is unequivocal that human influence is warming the planet’s:

• atmosphere
• ocean
• land

With each additional increment of warming, changes in weather and climate continue to become more extreme (2). 

These changes are happening right before our eyes. We’re in the middle of a summer of astonishing climate extremes cropping up across the globe (3):

• deadly heatwaves
• unprecedented floods
• uncontrollable wildfires.

As of publication, July 2021 was the hottest ever recorded on Earth (4). There is no doubt what is going on with our planet. Climate change is not a problem of the future. It is happening now in every part of the world and we needed to act yesterday!

The IPCC report makes it clear that if the world continues to burn fossil fuels, we’re on track for catastrophic warming. On the flip side, scientists highlight that catastrophe can be avoided if global governments act quickly (5). We have a window of opportunity to prevent things from getting even worse. This requires the world to start cutting emissions from greenhouse gasses immediately. 

Our Future Hangs in the Balance 

This glimmer of hope comes at a critical time for climate legislation in the United States. Last week, the US Senate approved a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill that would give a much-needed boost to the country’s clean energy infrastructure (6). While it’s a big step forward, it doesn’t go far enough to meet the emissions reductions we need.

The opportunity now lies with a process called budget reconciliation, which allows the Senate to pass budget-related measures with a simple majority vote. Last week, the Senate voted to begin that process and start drafting a plan to, in part, cut US carbon emissions in half by 2030. If passed, this plan would result in the most consequential investments in climate, justice, and communities we’ve seen to date (7 and 8). 

The significance of this can’t be overstated. What we do now will have an impact on the rest of our lives. We have an opportunity to create a less polluted, healthier, and safer future for our communities. It’s our future to create, so we need to make sure our leaders deliver. In order to make the emissions reductions necessary to avoid the worst climate effects, we need a Clean Electricity Standard that gets us on a path to 100% clean power by 2035 (9). 

In a previous post in this series, we outlined how to call your members of Congress. It’s more important than ever that our representatives understand the urgency of this moment, so here are some more tips for making your voice heard:

1. Make a plan. Find out how to reach your representatives, and take some notes to remember what you want to say.
2. Introduce yourself and let them know you’re a constituent. “Hi, my name is Hailey, and I live in your district/state.”
3. Tell them why you’re calling. “I’m calling to ask my representative to support a bold climate plan that invests at the scale of the crisis.” 
4. Make a specific ask. For example: “I’m asking that my representative fight to make sure the final budget agreement includes:

• A Clean Electricity Standard that cuts pollution in half by 2030 and modernizes our energy grid.
• Funding allocated for frontline and climate justice communities.
• Tax incentives for clean energy and electric vehicles.
• A Civilian Climate Corps that puts people to work.”

The bottom line is that it’s not too late, but we need to act in a big way. As humans, we have agency, and we’ve never had more certainty about how our actions affect the planet. The fight for climate action is a fight that’s rooted in ahimsa, or unconditional love, a foundational principle of yoga ethics. Let’s tap into our love for each other, our communities, and our planet to make our voices heard and fight for our future.

Sources

1. 1. IPCC report: ‘Code red’ for human driven global heating, warns UN chief, https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/08/1097362
   2. Key takeaways from the new IPCC report, https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2021/08/key-takeaways-from-the-new-ipcc-report/ 
   3. Heat waves, wildfires & drought: How this summer is a ‘preview’ of Earth’s coming climate crisis, https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/heat-wave-2021-climate-scientists-warn-new-normal-rcna1664
   4. It’s official: July was Earth’s hottest month on record, https://www.noaa.gov/news/its-official-july-2021-was-earths-hottest-month-on-record 
   5. Climate change: IPCC report is ‘code red for humanity’, https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-58130705
   6. The Senate Approves The $1 Trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill In A Historic Vote, https://www.npr.org/2021/08/10/1026081880/senate-passes-bipartisan-infrastructure-bill 
   7. A Livable Future Rests on Congress Passing a Climate-Focused Reconciliation Bill, ​​https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/livable-future-rests-congress-passing-climate-focused-reconciliation-bill 
   8. Climate Justice, https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/07/what-is-climate-justice/
   9. Clean Electricity Standard, https://www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/what-are-clean-electricity-standards

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To celebrate Pride Month, we collaborated with a Yoga District member to highlight Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual and/or Ally (LGBTQIA+) voices, leaders, and practitioners in our community. 

Meet Ciara, a member of both the Yoga District and the LGBTQIA+ community. Learn about her journey with yoga and how she feels yoga communities can create a more inclusive space for LGBTQIA+ yogis.

Tell us about yourself?

I’m an ecofeminist, first-generation American, and proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community (1, 2). I’ve lived in many cities around the world throughout my life, but D.C. is the first place that feels like home. 

During the day, I work as a human rights lawyer. I’m most passionate about advocating for rights at the intersection of gender and disability (e.g. ensuring women with disabilities can exercise full reproductive autonomy). 

In the evening, I like to curl up on the couch with my dog, tea, and a good book. I’m happiest at golden hour near the water.

How would you describe your yoga journey?

My yoga journey, in one word, is “healing.” I grew up as an elite athlete and was constantly learning how to make my body smaller, faster, and leaner. As a result, I formed a somewhat unhealthy relationship with my body at a young age. When I retired from my sport, this unhealthy relationship continued to grow as I suddenly felt disconnected from my body. 

Yoga has allowed me to reconnect with my body in a healthy way. Through my practice, I’m learning to accept the beautiful ways in which my body can move and take up space. I’ve learned that wherever I am in my body, each day is enough. 

I love how yoga brings people together and creates a strong sense of community. The practice of yoga creates a safe space for humans of all backgrounds and experiences to move and breathe together.

If I could take a yoga class with anyone?

I would invite the whole “Squad” (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib). Instead of playing music, we could do yoga to the sound of the Ginsburg Confirmation Hearings.

How can yoga’s public image in America become more inclusive? What can teachers, staff, and students do to make yoga classes more inclusive toward the LGBTQIA+ community?

Much of the marketing around yoga excludes the BIPOC community, people of diverse gender and sexual identities, people with disabilities, people with low incomes, and people who do not meet traditional notions of “beauty” in our society (3). This marketing renders yoga inaccessible to many.

The yoga community is diverse, and it is beautiful in its diversity. Our public image should reflect the notion that all people belong in the yoga community. All bodies and identities are welcome here.

Within the yoga community, far too many in our LGBTQIA+ community are trauma survivors. Yoga teachers and studio staff should do everything they can to ensure that all classes are trauma-informed. Teachers, in particular, should identify ways to ask for students’ consent before providing hands-on assists/adjustments (or avoid hands-on assists entirely). For practitioners looking to support LGBTQIA+ yoga communities, check out “Guidelines and Grace: Recommendations for Teaching Trauma-Informed Yoga” to learn more about trauma-informed yoga (4).

In addition to being trauma-informed, staff and teachers should be gender-inclusive. It’s likely that teachers and staff won’t know every student’s preferred pronouns (5). As a result, they should be intentional about the language they use to avoid gendered terms that may exclude some students. To learn more about how to create a more inclusive space in yoga, “Incorporate LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Language into Your Yoga Class” is a helpful resource (6).

Yoga is about union; the union of breath and body, and the union between persons and the communities to which they belong.

What would you say to your teenage self?

If I could talk to my teenage self, I would tell them that they deserve to feel at home in their body, in every way.

Sources

1. What Is Ecofeminism? Understanding The Intersection Of Gender & The Environment, https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/ecofeminism-history-and-principles
2. Acronyms Explained, https://outrightinternational.org/content/acronyms-explained
3. Why We Use BIPOC, https://www.ywcaworks.org/blogs/ywca/fri-01152021-1332/why-we-use-bipoc#:~:text=DEFINITION,Indigenous%2C%20and%20people%20of%20color.
4. Guidelines and Grace: Recommendations for Teaching Trauma-Informed Yoga, https://yogamedicine.com/recommendations-for-teaching-trauma-informed-yoga/
5. What are Personal Pronouns and Why Do They Matter?, https://www.mypronouns.org/what-and-why
6. Incorporate LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Language into Your Yoga Class, https://chopra.com/articles/incorporate-lgbtqia-inclusive-language-into-your-yoga-class

The post LGBTQIA+ Community and Yoga: Meet Ciara! appeared first on Yoga District.

The origin of the history of black yogis isn’t a complicated one.

Like many yoga practitioners in the U.S., black people turned to yoga to practice physical, emotional, and spiritual self-care.

However, in the context of America’s history, the story of black yogis is layered. It’s a story of now and then.

It’s a story of two Americas. It’s a story of the fight for equality and representation.

Before I get into the “then,” let me start by framing its history. The Civil Rights Movement began in the late 1940s. President Harry S. Truman issued an executive order ending segregation in the military in 1948, followed by the desegregation of schools in 1954. But the fight for actual desegregation dragged on until the late 1960s, and the struggle for equality carried on much longer (1).  

When black yogis began practicing in the early 1950s during segregation, there were two Americas. It’s these two separate Americas that, I believe, led to the common misconception that when yoga was growing in popularity in white communities in the United States, it wasn’t also increasing in popularity in black communities. Simply put, mainstream media was not covering the stories of black yogis. 

Then

As early as the 1950s, black people were practicing yoga and embracing the concept of non-violence, also called ahimsa. Many creatives were under excessive scrutiny about what could be  perceived as socialist or communist tendencies. Yoga was not exempt from this scrutiny. Nevertheless, renowned black creatives such as Eartha Kitt and Herb Jeffries became yoga practitioners (2, 3). Leading up into the 1960s and 1970s, more and more black artists became practitioners, including saxophonist Sonny Rollins, and the musicians John and Alice Coltrane (4, 5, and 6). Alice later learned the Vedas and opened an Ashram in California in the 1980s (7, 8).

Civil Rights Movement

The practice of yoga was also closely aligned with the Civil Rights Movement. Ghandi was an inspiration to Martin Luther King Jr., and King adopted the practice of ahimsa as the basis of his non-violent approach to civil rights (9, 10). Based on her niece’s recommendation, Rosa Parks began practicing yoga at an older age. It helped her deal with the anxiety and stress that were closely linked to her work as an activist (11).

In an Ebony magazine article in 1975, civil rights leader Angela Davis talks about her experience practicing yoga when she was unjustly imprisoned for 18 months in the early 1970s. “Just the physical part was a help, in my case, because I couldn’t leave the cell for regular exercise,” Davis says (12). She saw yoga as a civil rights tool: “ I have never used yoga as an end in itself, but merely as a means of preparing myself for a more effective struggle. As a result of yoga I am more energetic. I am able to go and appeal to people and to organize them to do the kinds of things that are vital to our freedom” (13).

Source: Ebony Magazine, 1975, Pg. 96 “Yoga: Is For Everyone.”

The same Ebony magazine article, entitled “Yoga: Something for Everyone,” points out that yoga wasn’t just for black celebrities, artists, and activists, yoga is for everyone. This concept is best exemplified by former actress, Thelma Oliver, now Krishna Kaur, who began studying yoga under Yogi Bhajan in 1970 (14). Kaur established the first Yoga Center in South Central Los Angeles and founded Y.O.G.A. for Youth, a nonprofit that focuses on at-risk youth and the development of yoga programs for schools and juvenile detention centers (15).

Now

Today, many of the motivations for practicing yoga among the black community remain the same. Racism is still taking its toll and yoga remains a powerful tool to promote physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. 

There has been a lot of progress in the Civil Rights Movement, but the fight for equality for black communities continues. Especially when it comes to spaces that many subconsciously, or consciously, view as white. Seventy years later, representation of black folks in the yoga studio feels just as limited and underreported in mainstream media. 

However, there is some good news: 

1. Much of the yoga world knows there’s a problem. A simple Google search draws up headlines like, “Yoga Has a Diversity Problem” or “Why Your Yoga Class is so White.” Recently, many in the community have been doing the work to rectify the issue of representation. 
2. And for me, some of the best news is that many members of the black community are continuing the work of Krishna Kaur and the many black yogis before and after her. There are social media communities, black-led studios, black-led teacher training programs, and black-led Ashrams. Yoga is becoming more and more accessible, with many black leaders leading the charge. 

To keep the momentum going, we must acknowledge there’s still a lot of work to do undoing the perceived barriers of race and socioeconomic class that have become synonymous with yoga in the United States. To me, a good way to start is by celebrating the black yogis of today and yesterday. By telling their stories we begin to break down the American narrative of who yoga is for and boldly embrace the ideology that “Yoga is for everyone.” 

For more information about the History of Blacks in Yoga, check out the short documentary entitled The Uncommon Yogi: A History of Blacks and Yoga in the U.S. (16).

A Brief History of Black Yogis in America Pt.1 was also a helpful research resource for this blog post (17).

Sources

1. Civil Rights Movement Timeline,  https://www.history.com/topics/civil-rights-movement/civil-rights-movement-timeline
2. Eartha Kitt, https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17716269
3. Herb Jefferies, https://www.npr.org/2014/05/27/316339183/the-bronze-buckaroo-rides-off-into-the-sunset
4. Sonny Rollins, https://www.npr.org/2017/06/12/531642637/after-7-decades-sonny-rollins-cant-get-music-off-his-mind
5. John Coltrane, https://www.npr.org/2008/06/18/91621422/john-coltrane-saxophone-icon-pt-1
6. Alice Coltrane, https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2017/05/21/529124610/by-any-name-alice-coltrane-turiyasangitananda-was-a-force
7. Vedas, https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/5007/vedas
8. Alice Coltrane’s Ashram, https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/alice-coltranes-sai-anantam-ashram
9. Ahimsa Its Theory and Practice in Gandhism, https://www.mkgandhi.org/articles/ahimsa-Its-theory-and-practice-in-Gandhism.html
10. King’s 6 principles of nonviolence, https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/sites/mlk/files/lesson-activities/six_principles_of_nonviolence.pdf
11. Rosa Parks in Yoga, https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/rosa-parks-yoga-images/
12. Angela Davis, https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/angela-davis
13. Yoga: Something for Everyone, https://books.google.com/books?id=iVx7JXZQWgEC&pg=PA96&dq=ebony+sept+1975+yoga+for+everybody&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiS54yOnpDvAhXOqp4KHSpUASAQ6AEwAXoECAcQAg#v=onepage&q=ebony%20sept%201975%20yoga%20for%20everybody&f=false
14. About Krishna, http://www.krishnakaur.org/about-krishna/
15. Yoga for Youth Board of Directors, https://yogaforyouth.org/bod/
16. The Uncommon Yogi: A History of Blacks and Yoga in the U.S., https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&feature=share&v=xQqSdB9PD38
17. A Brief History of Black Yogis in America Pt.1, https://www.michealsinclair.com/blog-ss/2017/2/3

The post Celebrating Black Yogis: Then and Now appeared first on Yoga District.

With the holiday season underway, many of us are stocking up on gifts and increasing our consumption. Find out how to shrink the ecological footprint of your purchases by shopping sustainably, and read on for a sustainable gift guide for the holidays!

The Inconvenient Truth

Natural resources are continually extracted to produce goods that are used in the U.S., often briefly, before being tossed into landfills. Each step in a good’s production, distribution, use, and disposal has an environmental impact. Global supply chains account for a majority of corporate emissions and often require significant energy, water, chemical, and material use (1). All this, while it’s estimated that the average American throws out around 7 pounds of material each day – roughly three times the global average (2). This waste is then sent to landfills and incinerators, which emit harmful pollutants into nearby communities – often in low-income communities and communities of color (3). This cycle of consumption and disposal results in wasted natural resources and pollution that threatens our health, environment, and climate. Fortunately, we can each do our part to help break this cycle.

What Does It Mean To Be A Conscious Consumer?

Conscious consumption means engaging with the economy with more awareness of how our purchases impact the environment and society at large. We live in a consumerist culture with constant pressures to buy, buy, buy. These pressures can lead us to become unconscious of the impact of our purchases. The effects of this kind of culture result in an outsized dependence on fossil fuels and other non-renewables. All of which contribute to climate change and the pollution of our air and water (4). 

While we wait for corporations to act on environmental issues, and encourage them to do so, we can use our collective purchasing power to encourage social change. The good news? Shopping sustainably can not only help cut down on waste and pollution but save you money as well!

How To Shop Consciously

To break this cycle of unbridled consumerism, try to practice mindfulness in each of your purchases. Consider the entire life cycle impact of a product: from raw materials to its usable lifespan to its disposal. Individual choices add up quickly, so consider the following practices to reduce the environmental impact of your purchases:

Go minimal. Adopting a more minimalist lifestyle can make a significant difference in your environmental impact. Before you check out, check in with yourself and learn to distinguish between necessary and unnecessary buys. Limit non-essential purchases to save money and support the planet!

Prioritize products that are built to last. Planned obsolescence is a major driver of waste. When it comes to electronics, household items, clothing, and so many other goods, we’re encouraged to ditch current models to buy more (5). To avoid this, opt for items that will last longer, and the planet (as well as your wallet) will thank you. 

Shop local and shop small. There are so many benefits of supporting small local businesses, especially in these trying times. Shopping locally can reduce the environmental impact of your purchases. Locally owned businesses tend to make more local purchases, which require less transportation and fewer emissions (6).

Buy used. Shopping second-hand is one of the best ways to reduce your ecological footprint. Plus, pre-owned goods can offer big savings without compromising on quality. Whether it’s clothes, accessories, furniture, books, electronics, or vehicles, it always feels good to give something another life. (7).

Look for less packaging. Nearly one-third of garbage collected in the U.S. comes from containers and packaging, which are typically thrown out after purchase (2). Some companies are beginning to account for the impact of packaging and are starting to offer products with little or no packaging. A good tip is to avoid individually packaged goods, like snack packs. Buying items in bulk can also often lessen the packaging involved. (8)

Avoid single-use plastics. Single-use plastics are made from fossil fuel-based chemicals and are meant to be discarded immediately after use. Producing plastic is very carbon-intensive and emits harmful pollutants into our air. Because plastic isn’t biodegradable, every piece of plastic ever produced is still on this planet in some form. Some easy ways to avoid single-use plastics include bringing reusable bags to the grocery, using a reusable water bottle, and storing food in reusable containers. (9)

Embrace slow fashion. The impacts of the fashion industry supply chain are immense, and the average American is responsible for 70 lbs of textile waste per year (10)(11). We can offset this waste by mending and reusing the clothes we own, swapping with friends, and shopping second-hand. When you do need to buy something new, opt for quality, long-lasting items (12). 

Opt for natural ingredients and materials. Ethical consumption has increased in recent years as a result of more pressing environmental issues, making it easier to find products made with the planet in mind. If possible, research and buy from companies that put the planet and people first. Bamboo and hemp are great materials because they both grow quickly, require fewer resources, and are naturally renewable!  

Sustainable Gift Guide

Every holiday season, we face the decision of what to gift our loved ones. Giving gifts should be about thoughtfulness and gratitude, and it doesn’t have to come at a cost to the planet. Instead of piling on more stuff, consider these gifts for sustainable giving during the holidays and all year round:

• Classes and workshops – I love to give (and receive!) the gift of an experience. Personally, after watching the Great Pottery Throw Down this year, a wheel pottery class is at the top of my wish list. Online courses are another great option!
• A massage or spa treatment – Give the gift of relaxation and pamper your loved ones! It’s hard to go wrong here. When it’s safe to receive these treatments, this gift will be much appreciated.
• A gift card to a favorite local restaurant – Support the hard-hit restaurant industry and give the gift of a delicious meal. Just don’t forget to pack up your leftovers!
• Organize an affordable weekend trip – Plan a trip for when it’s safe to travel! Book some train tickets and an Airbnb or campsite for a memory-making, low-cost getaway from the city.
• Books – Books (new, used, or online) can offer something for everyone on your list. Round up some reads that a friend will love and leave a thoughtful message inside for a personal gift. Opt for independent booksellers over large corporations whenever possible.
• Offset their carbon emissions – Ask your loved one to calculate their annual emissions (or estimate it yourself) with Conservation International and purchase carbon offsets to cancel out their personal emissions (13). Carbon offsets provide measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and help protect forests, preserve biodiversity, and benefit local communities (14).  
• Composting service – While D.C. offers free compost drop-off at select farmers markets around the district, there are lots of companies that offer home pick-up services. A great gift for a busy friend! Learn more about composting in our Mindful Meals blog post. 
• Donate in their name – There are so many incredible non-profit organizations that are doing good for our environment and communities. Oftentimes smaller local actors are the ones that make the most impact and need the most support. 
• Meditation class or app – Sign your loved one up for a meditation class or give a subscription to one of the many meditation apps out there today.
• Class pack from Yoga District – For the fellow yogis in your life, give the gift that keeps on giving with a class pack from Yoga District!

Sources:

1. EPA Center for Corporate Climate Leadership Supply Chain Guidance, https://www.epa.gov/climateleadership/center-corporate-climate-leadership-supply-chain-guidance
2. Trash in America, https://frontiergroup.org/reports/fg/trash-america 
3. DC’s Waste and Environmental Racism, http://www.energyjustice.net/content/dcs-waste-and-environmental-racism
4. Shop Till We Drop: Does Consumption Culture Contribute to Environmental Degradation?, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/our-destructive-consumer/ 
5. Build to last: The environmental impact of planned durability, https://www.greenbiz.com/article/built-last-environmental-impact-planned-durability
6. Think Local! 7 Reasons Why Supporting Local Business is Good for Your Community, https://blog.mass.gov/blog/consumer-advice/think-local-7-reasons-why-supporting-local-business-is-good-for-your-community/#:~:text=They%20care%20about%20and%20are,carbon%20footprint%20than%20larger%20companies. 
7. How Second-Hand Shopping Can Save The Planet, https://greenwithless.com/second-hand-shopping-planet/ 
8. Trash in America, https://frontiergroup.org/reports/fg/trash-america
9. Single-Use Plastics 101, https://www.nrdc.org/stories/single-use-plastics-101
10. The Environmental Price of Fast Fashion, https://www.nature.com/articles/s43017-020-0039-9
11. Textile Waste By The Numbers, https://www.voxmagazine.com/news/textile-waste-by-the-numbers/article_9ea228ba-f13a-11e5-8c76-5b50180f85de.html 
12. How to Buy Less, Choose Well and Make It Last, https://goodonyou.eco/how-to-buy-less-choose-well-and-make-it-last/
13. Conservation International: Carbon Footprint Calculator,  https://www.conservation.org/carbon-footprint-calculator#/
14. Conservation International: Retire Carbon Credits, https://www.conservation.org/retire-carbon-credits

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Upcycling is the act of creating something of value out of something that would have otherwise been thrown out (1). Help the planet and your wallet with this easy introduction to upcycling!

The goal of upcycling is to inch us closer to a circular economy, which aims to take us from a “take, make, waste” model of consumption to one that reduces the amount of resources used through recycling and reusing materials in different ways (2). We can make use of what we already have access to instead of depleting resources to create new products and materials. 

Closing the Loop

The simple fact is that many of us consume far too much. According to the EPA, the average American will produce about 5 pounds of trash each day (3). They estimate that around 1.5 pounds of this is recycled. This means on average each individual is responsible for sending over 1,200 pounds of waste to landfills each year. Then there are the resources that go into the items we consume and how they’re extracted, but that’s a whole other story (4). 

An individual may not be able to upcycle their way to achieving a circular economy, but individual choices can add up to make an impact. We can begin to use less water, energy, and raw materials by being more mindful of the resources we consume and discard. Some may choose to see this as a practice of harm reduction and non-excess, two key aspects of yoga ethics.

Reduce, Reuse, Upcycle

When you purchase fewer materials, you save money! Recently, my roommate and I talked about planting herbs or veggies outside. We don’t have much space, so we figured hanging pots were our best option. Instead of buying planters, my roommate found old tennis ball baskets in the alley behind our apartment and fashioned them to hold the pots. We ended up saving money while reclaiming metal from ending up in a landfill. Plus we ended up with a very cool and rustic look. Total win!

With a little creativity, you can find whatever you might need in or around your own home. Another option is perusing the nearby sidewalks, alleys, or a local Buy Nothing Facebook group (5). During non-quarantine times, you could find something secondhand at a flea market or thrift store. Upcycling can be as simple as cleaning and repurposing glass jars from pasta sauce, salsa, nut butters, etc. I often choose which of these items to buy based on the utility of the jar! Use emptied jars for airtight food storage, organizing pens, or holding flowers. Empty spice jars store anything from q-tips to bobby-pins. You can even use them to propagate your houseplants! Since reclaimed glass often isn’t recycled, this is one of the easiest ways to reduce waste (6). 

Upcycled No-Sew T-Shirt Bag

Both the rise of fast fashion and the abundance of textile waste present opportunities for upcycling (7). Instead of tossing old T-shirts, convert them to zero-waste grocery bags or kitchen rags. A quick internet search will yield tons of other options for old clothes. There are even ways to customize and update tried-and-true wardrobe favorites to a new, current style. If you are willing to get crafty and creative, the options are endless!

For an easy introduction to upcycling, try transforming an old T-shirt into a chic new tote to use for groceries or your next flea market trip! Follow along with the instructions and photo. All you need is an old t-shirt and some scissors!

Instructions:

1. Cut the sleeves off your shirt, cutting along the inside of the seam.
2. Cut out a deep U-shape from the neck to create the handles.
3. Turn the shirt inside out, making sure the bottom is even and smooth.
4. Begin cutting strips about 3-4” in length, cutting to the same line.
5. Tie the strips together to create the bottom of the bag.
6. You’ll see little gaps between each knot. To close those gaps, tie each top strip to the bottom of the adjacent strip, making tight knots.
7. Tie a double knot at the ends to reinforce the corners. 
8. Turn your bag inside out and you have your tote! 

Go Get Creative! 

Upcycling can be so simple. Just come up with a plan of action, gather all the tools and materials you’ll use, and get started! There are many interesting materials out there waiting to be given a new life. With infinite ideas for upcycling online, the possibilities are endless. The basic goal of upcycling is to reduce waste and conserve resources. So next time you go to throw something away, try pausing to see if you can reinvent or reuse the item before it goes to waste. It’s all about being creative. Once you start practicing, you’ll start seeing new uses for things everywhere you look!

Sources:

1. What is Upcycling?, https://upcycledworld.com/what-is-upcycling/ 
2. Closing the Loop: How a Circular Economy Helps Us #BeatPollution, https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/closing-loop-how-circular-economy-helps-us-beatpollution 
3. National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Wastes and Recycling, https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials 
4. Resource Extraction Responsible for Half the World’s Carbon Emissions, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/mar/12/resource-extraction-carbon-emissions-biodiversity-loss
5. Buy Nothing, https://buynothingproject.org/about/
6. If You’re Not Recycling Glass Are You Really Recycling?, https://www.wastedive.com/news/if-youre-not-recycling-glass-are-you-really-recycling/570500/
7. Fast Fashion Speeding Toward Environmental Disaster, Report Warns, https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2020/apr/07/fast-fashion-speeding-toward-environmental-disaster-report-warns

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