I just added a new quote to my random quote generator. Its from one of the many books that i am currently reading, called Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga. For anyone looking for a pretty good intro to yoga (or for those that are looking for some more guidance), its worth checking out. I just wanted to share the extended version of the quote:

“We come to the mat fresh from a culture that teaches us that safety is found in separation and disconnection. If we believe that what happens in one school system doesn’t affect another school system; if we believe that what happens to one gender doesn’t affect the other; if we believe that what happens in one part of the world doesn’t affect the rest of the world, then we can convince ourselves that we are safe. But to rely on disconnection for protection is to rely on falsehood. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Truth pressed to the earth will rise again.”

Deep within ourselves, we know the truth. We know that we are all connected, that we are part of something larger than ourselves. but our unwillingness to honor that connection creates intolerable tension. We all carry this tension within us to some degree. When we step onto our mats, that tension is manifest in our relationship with our bodies. The body at the beginning of practice is catalogue of inadequacies: “My shoulder is hurting today.” “I haven’t been getting enough sleep.” “My legs are really tight.” “I haven’t been here for two weeks and I am really out of shape.” We arrive on our mats with devalued bodies.

A half hour into class, I pause and invite my students to take a moment to connect to the improved state of the bodies. Miraculously, the sack of potatoes they dragged into the studio has been trasvormed into an alive, responsive, sensuous being. their bodies have not changed; it is their experience of their bodies that has changed. Their practice has broken through the layers of falsehood, the sense of disconnection that formed in between classes.

As we practice yoga, the intelligence of our minds enters into an ancient dance with the intelligence of our bodies. We become integrated once again. We experience the power of connection.”

- Rolf Gates

This passage really spoke to me. I’m a firm believer in the interconnectedness of everything and this really made me think about how that disconnection we forcibly experience doesn’t just need to be mended at the community level, but far more local - within our own bodies. We are raised in a culture that teaches us to hate our bodies. If we can’t even recognize the connections within our physical and mental self, how can we make strong, honest and positive connections with those around us? And without those connections to our loved ones and our neighbors, then we are easier to control, self-determination will remain a dream, and we will continue to fail and be failed by our relationships.