My Yoga Journey – Heal The World Via Green Yoga
A Yogi Always Inspires
My yoga journey commenced during my primary school years, at a local park in (near) Miami Beach. A friend invited me to meet a member of her family, a certified fitness professional who was leading a Yoga Teacher Training. I watched in awe as the woman easily performed a handstand. Hour after hour, she gracefully displayed how flexible her body was.
Apart from her flexibility and the ease in which she moved from one posture to another, she also shared her thoughts on our connection to nature. She said that nature is our greatest teacher. As we talked about yoga and its ability to transform one’s body and thoughts, I felt a deep urge within to embrace this powerful tool and use it to channel my passion and inspiration for a greener world. On that day, I made a promise to myself; I vowed to become a pioneer of Green Yoga. Green Yoga is a concept that embodies the true essence of Yoga: the union of mind, body and spirit and the interconnectedness of all life within the Cosmos. Many years went by before I fulfilled my promise.
“Ecology and spirituality are fundamentally connected because deep ecological awareness, ultimately, is spiritual awareness.” Fritjof Capra
Log Out. Shut Down. Do Yoga
During a pivotal point of my undergraduate career, a course mate invited me to partner up with her for an assignment. Per the requirements of our self-care course, we had to spend a weekend engaging in an activity that increased our well being. So naturally we decided to do Yoga! Hot Yoga! As integral members of the support staff of our higher education institution, we were no stranger to stress. Between midterms and institutional challenges, we were in the thick of it! 90 minutes of an intense, sweat inducing Yoga sequence was just what we needed to experience a good night’s rest.
After we successfully completed our course, I continued to deepen my Yoga practice by becoming a student of Kundalini Yoga: a discipline well known for reversing the effects that stress has on the genetic expressions of DNA. My Kundalini Yoga practice made my physical body appeared more youthful; and the quality of my work improved as well! I was promoted to an executive position soon after.
“The power of Kundalini Yoga lies in the actual experience. It goes right into your hearth and extends your consciousness so you may have a wider horizon of grace and knowing the truth.” Yogi Bhajan.
Stars Can’t Shine Without Darkness
The final year of my college career, I received some bad news. One of my parents had a terrible, (potentially life-threatening) illness and, at the same time, the longevity of the college I attended was threatened by some very serious human rights and social justice concerns. I was being called to action in all areas of my life and being who I am, I answered all the calls; I was left very little energy for myself at the end of each day.
Through Restorative Yoga, I learned how to replenish my energy and conserve it as well. I started to put my wellness first. When my parent’s health got very bad, I found solace at a local park where I started practicing EcoYoga. The fresh air and sunlight added a new dimension to my Yoga practice.
“The first law of ecology is that everything is related to everything else.” Barry Commoner.
I also went on to complete the Ecology of Yoga Teacher Training Certification offered by Metta Earth Leadership Institute. Though the concept of EcoYoga was in mind for many years, it was only in September 2012 that I registered EcoYoga US: a green yoga company who aims is to connect people with each other and natural beauty on Planet Earth; through yoga courses and consultation.
Things were not changing at the family front though. My mother’s health showed no sign of improvement. She breathed her last breath on a summer night. Her death left me in a state of shock and I did the only thing I knew how to do: Yoga. I have always been described as a robot (an emotionless person), at work and in life. Yet, on that night, tears flowed freely from my eyes because I had to say goodbye, the only way a Yogi knows how.
Being on spiritual path does not prevent you from facing times of darkness. But it teaches you how to use the darkness as a tool to grow.
To A New Chapter
On June 21st 2015, the anniversary of my Mother’s death, I allowed my Yoga practice to lapse because I felt severely depressed. I spent most of the day in my apartment sulking about the fact my Mother wasn’t alive to experience the joy of attending her daughter’s college graduation. Later that evening I decided to go to the local grocery store. Truth be told, I had every intention of buying an ice cream tub to cry in it. I put on one of my favorite hooded sweater and headed towards the store. It was unusually chilly for the first day of summer, probably because of climate change.
While I waited in line to buy the ice cream, I heard a patron behind me thanking me profusely. I pivoted slightly and started conversing with him. He continued to thank me for coordinating the 1st World Yoga Day. Somewhat perplexed, I asked him why did he believe that. “It is your sweater.” He said. He explained how the image and word on the back of my sweater was in sync with the logo and theme of the International Day of Yoga.
I then realized that the sweater I was wearing was a prototype of Yoga apparel I designed for EcoYoga US. I told him that I was a practitioner of Yoga but my practice had lapsed; thus, I did not know about the launch of World Yoga Day (International Day of Yoga). Gently, he reminded me about the interconnectedness of Yoga. In the spirit of Oneness, I made my way back home and rolled out my yoga mat.
I am telling you my story to let you know how I healed my inner world via green yoga. Through EcoYoga US I can help you heal as well. Together, we can heal the world!
“The trees are our lungs, the rivers our circulation, the air our breath, and the earth our body.’ Deepak Chopra
People always ask me “How did you found EcoYoga US?”. The truth is EcoYoga US found me.
DIEULA JEAN PIERRE
Founder – EcoYoga US, Consultant and Yogi.
@ecoyogaus @DieulaDJPierre
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