You may have seen the recent ruling by the United States Supreme Court against the Trump administration’s attempt to deport Venezuelan migrants without giving them the opportunity to challenge the grounds of their deportation.
It was a decision that affirmed the right to due process, a fundamental principle of fairness in legal proceedings and government actions.
And thank goodness it did, given that such deportations are intended to be irreversible and condemn those migrants to indefinite detention in a hellish prison.
On the one hand, I find it shocking that the Supreme Court had to intervene, having grown up in this country believing that such fundamental rights were precisely what made America great.
On the other hand, I shouldn’t be surprised because traditional yoga wisdom tells us that this sort of thing is to be expected.
In fact, the wisdom texts of yoga philosophy have a lot to say about justice and morality.
But here’s the real question: should yoga teachers share what yoga wisdom has to say about events like these in their classes?
As a matter of principle, the answer is, “yes.”
Why? Because yoga teachers are representatives of the yoga tradition, proponents of yoga culture, defenders of yoga’s values, and educators who have a responsibility to teach students about yoga philosophy and its relevance to our lived experiences.
As a practical matter, however, it may not be that simple: there may be some risk involved, your teaching environment may not support it, or you may not know enough about yoga philosophy to connect it to current events.
For some teachers, it may be the right thing to do. Others may have to weigh their circumstances a little more carefully. For myself, it’s standard operating procedure.
Here’s how I would share what yoga wisdom has to say about this Supreme Court ruling:
The wisdom texts of the yoga tradition speak of this season of time, known as Kali-yuga, as the age of industrialization, exploitation, irrational violence, and corruption.
The Bhāgavata Purāṇa describes it as a time when justice will bend to power, and a person’s worth will be measured only by their financial status, regardless of their knowledge, culture and behavior.
Sound familiar?
But yoga is not a philosophy of pure pessimism; It’s a tradition rooted in the eternal principles of dharma: respect for the rights of all beings to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Justice in accordance with the principles of dharma—universal harmony—is glorious, full of mercy, equitable, and free from duplicity.
Similarly, yoga wisdom measures a person’s worth by their behavior. If someone’s activities are dedicated to promoting the happiness of all beings, it’s an indication of their advancement in spiritual knowledge.
Every living being is originally happy, because in all living bodies there is an eternal spiritual spark that partakes of the divine conscious nature of the Absolute Truth. When our original spiritual awareness is revived, our natural condition of knowledge and peace is revived with it.
This is what motivates me in my personal practice. And with this understanding, we can all endeavor to revive our own spiritual nature and help others experience the same sublime consciousness.
If you are thinking about whether or not it is a good idea to talk about current events in asana classes, and how to make the connections between current events and yoga philosophy, then you may be interested in my free checklist that offers a series of thoughtful, nonjudgmental questions – giving you insight into your students’ needs, your own motivations, and your teaching environment. Whether you choose to speak up or stay silent, this guide will help you make that choice with confidence, clarity, and integrity. CLICK HERE to get it.
Wishing you all good fortune,
– Hari-k