I am a Yogi, I Speak for the Trees!

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By: Grace Ludwig 

“Those who see all creatures in themselves / And themselves in all creatures know no fear. / Those who see all creatures in themselves / And themselves in all creatures know no grief. / How can the multiplicity of life / Delude the one who sees its unity?” 

This passage from the Isha Upanishad outlines the concept of interconnectedness which says, ‘I am a part of a whole that is connected to all other beings within this universe.’ This is a lovely sentiment and, over the last few years, has become particularly popular within Western Yoga as well-meaning tree-hugging Yogis attempt to put an end to the rapid acceleration of the climate crisis.

But, as this rather tumultuous year goes on, it has become clear to me that most of us who live in the Western world have a hard time connecting to this concept. After all, if we were, we wouldn’t be experiencing fear, grief, delusion, or the climate crisis at all for that matter! 

So, why is it that this concept keeps being brought up in my Yoga classes but nothing seems to happen? With such a substantial part of the population practicing Yoga these days--over 36 million in the U.S. alone--one would expect to see some change eventually (Rakicevic, 2020). Unfortunately, simply raising social awareness of a problem doesn’t do much. In fact, according to the Stanford Review, raising awareness oftentimes backfires and creates communities of people even less likely to take action after being informed of a problem (Christiano & Neimand, 2017). Sadly, Yoga is no exception–research shows that Yogis are even less likely than non-Yogis to make environmentally conscious choices. 

So, does this mean we should stop practicing Yoga to help the environment? Absolutely not!  Though Westerm Yogis may not be contributing positively to the climate crisis yet, for one simple reason Yoga does have the power to create great change: Yoga is action-oriented. Raising awareness, if used in a way that clearly calls for action, has been proven to create change (Christiano & Neimand, 2017). Western Yogis are all gung-ho about practicing asana because it is an activity encouraged by fitness gurus and doctors and it produces results. However, simply talking about Yoga philosophy in Western Yoga classes does not encourage Yoga students to actively practice the philosophical concepts outside of class. We’re told to “do” Yoga postures but are only asked to “be” truthful or “be” non-violent. How can one practice this state of being? 

To encourage Yoga students to reach a state of being we must encourage them to practice off the mat by outlining actions that embody these concepts. The good news is that, if you are reading this, you are likely among those who are ready to take action! The bad news is that it might be a little (or a lot) more work than you expected. After all, great change requires great change!

Here are a few suggestions on how to practice some Yogic concepts that will support the environment that you may have heard about in Yoga class:

  1. Ahimsa: non-violence

    • Eat less animal products and buy ethically sourced, local food when possible 

    • Switch to ethically sourced, eco-conscious toiletries, cosmetics, clothing, etc.

    • Practice habits that reduce food and packaging waste such as eating all leftovers, composting food scraps, and cooking instead of getting takeout

  2. Satya: truthfulness

    • Vote for politicians that will address the climate crisis 

    • Read, research, and share honest information with others when appropriate; think Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax 

    • Recognize misleading information in advertising (i.e. “Greenwashing”)

  3. Aparigraha: non-attachment

    • Consume consciously by only buying what you need and making purchases from small businesses instead of Big-Box stores or Amazon

    • Walk, bike, or take public transportation instead of a car when possible

    • Travel with the environment in mind by taking a road trip instead of a flight, packing a lunch instead of getting fast-food, and carrying reusable utensils

To learn more about the role Yoga can play in the climate emergency, as well as the religious, political, and economic origins of the climate crisis, please join me over Zoom on October 25th , 3-5pm EST! 

References: 

Neimand, Ann Christiano & Annie, and Ann Christiano. “Stop Raising Awareness Already (SSIR).” Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2020. https://ssir.org/articles/entry/stop_raising_awareness_already. 

Rakicevic, Mira. “31 Yoga Statistics: The Modern World Embraces Yoga.” DisturbMeNot!, June 4, 2020. https://disturbmenot.co/yoga-statistics/. 

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Grace Ludwig is a Yogi all day every day! Grace is a recent graduate from Loyola Marymount University’s Masters in Yoga Studies, where she completed research on Yoga philosophy and Yoga’s role in the environmental crisis. Grace is a Yoga teacher (RYT-500), Yoga Therapist, reiki healer, and environmental advocate and aims at cultivating healing spaces through which all sentient beings can benefit. She currently lives in Marin County, California and in her spare time enjoys company with her sister and her dog, as well as creating art and music. 


Amy Osborne