About a year ago, I had a young man in class who kept responding to my corrections with “Yes, Ma’am.” While I enjoyed his manners, it was definitely out-of-the-norm for casual Marin. It turns out that this man had just finished his basic training for the Marine Corps, and was on his way to be deployed for duty in the Middle East. As this information was revealed during class, I noticed a slight tension building. What was a guy like that doing in yoga class? So I reminded the others in the class of a couple of things:
1. A common euphamism for the military is “The Service” — Seva, “Service” is a basic tenet of yoga practice.
2. One of the main texts employed in Yoga study is the Bhagavad Gita, the content of which is the conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna taking place on the battlefield before the start of the Kurukshetra war. Responding to Arjuna’s confusion and moral dilemma about fighting his own cousins, Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna his duties as a warrior and prince, and elaborates on different Yogic and Vedantic philosophies.
While Satya, or Peace, is a tenet highly valued in our commitment to yoga, I also acknowledge that there exists a powerful and destructive force that we may use for good in our lives. Shiva, one of the most revered gods in the Hindu pantheon, is known as the Destroyer, or Transformer. He reduces obstacles to rubble, and creates space for something new.
In that light, there are times when the gloves have to come off. Times when you must take a stand for your transformation, and be willing to take a wrecking ball to your own obstacles. Times when fire and noise and demolition are necessary tools on the path to enlightenment. Times when you will discover your own warrior within, just like our young warrior friend in class. In that way, we become our own army of transformation, united in creating a new world for ourselves.