Yoga: The Beauty of Integration- Honoring All Sides of Who we Are
Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II) pose is a foundational standing pose in yoga that embodies strength and buoyancy, grounding and expansion, stability and freedom. The ability to integrate these complimentary opposites into my physicality has been one of the most beneficial aspects of this incredible practice of Yoga. Feeling how the muscular engagement of my legs and feet can provide the strength and stability for increased openness and freedom, is empowering. This is only one specific example of how doing these physical poses has cultivated an awareness deep within me, about how apparent dualities serve each other, as opposed to contradict.
As a multiracial daughter of a Jamaican mother and Chinese father, I continue to discover how supportive my Yoga practice has been with nurturing these different cultural aspects of myself. I admit that I never always had the desire, inclination, nor the strength to question what these separate lineages involved nor what they meant for me during my own upbringing. Perhaps I didn’t want to identify with what made me different, with what was unknown and perhaps scary on the surface. I didn’t quite see how each of these variances supported my individuality, my uniqueness and my own authentic self.
I am not either/or. I am both. I am all.
That’s the gift of Yoga. To not only acknowledge, but to welcome all these pieces of ourselves. All the pieces that define our ethnicity and our historical influences. All the traits of ourselves that we not only celebrate, but that we fear. All the aspects that make us proud, and those that we know need work. All the behaviors we want to foster, and all those we want to remove.
Yoga allows me to embrace my positive qualities, and instead of ignoring those less-desirable ones, permits me to soften and take a gentler look at what growth areas I want to focus on, within myself. From strength, I can surrender and cultivate an openness and a greater sense of freedom.
Even more amazing, is then the recognition that these complementary opposites extend beyond our individual selves. Just like our opposite traits and qualities support our individual growth and richness, so too, do our opposites complement our collective experience. How can we allow our differences to enhance our relationships with each other? How can we embrace our inner warrior and cultivate strength that enables us to be open and willing to listen to other perspectives with an open heart?
Yoga can be that catalyst. Through movement, we can explore ways to strike that balance between stability and ease. Through breath we examine each inhalation as an opportunity to welcome something new - new ideas, new beginnings, new perspectives. Each exhalation is the release of what no longer serves us, the release of beliefs or identities that are currently limiting.
Yoga is a powerful way to explore balance, harmony, and the dynamic interplay of seemingly opposing forces. It’s been a tremendous gift to me and to so many others. It’s a practice that can be beneficial to anyone, independent of age, body type, ethnicity, gender or level of experience. It’s what motivates me to teach so that others can connect to, and embrace, all facets of themselves. With compassion, with love and with grace.