A Yoga Revolution

By Maya Breuer

Several years ago a young student of the Brown University Rites and Reasons Theater group reluctantly participated in my yoga class. The class was one of several that were required as a prerequisite for the university theatre group. It involved me giving a weekly talk about yoga (lecture, Q & A style) and teaching several basic yoga classes. The objective of the course was to introduce the students to the practice of yoga and demonstrate how it could be used as a tool to maintain balance and well being. I created a course that provided the basics of yoga: simple breathing techniques, yoga postures, a meditation practice and relaxation techniques.

I was surprised when this young student, let’s call him John, as I cannot recall his name, joined the line of students wanting for a word with me after the class.  I just knew he was going to complain about something--the music had not been hip enough, the postures were too challenging, or the relaxation period too long. To my surprise, he looked me square in the eyes and said “Maya, we need a Revolution.”  A Revolution, I shot back? “Yes,” he said, “we need a Yoga Revolution. You need to start a revolution for our peoples. My Moms in NY could use this-- all of this. My aunties and my cousins are struggling too; my brother just got out of jail, he needs to learn how to breathe. I’m from the Bronx, I ‘m not sure about other places but we need this in the Bronx for sure.

Since I started these classes I feel great! And you know when I came in here I was not down for this…”Is this really what yoga does for you-make you feel good. Does it do more.  is there more?  

This conversation has stayed on my mind over the past few years and I often re play the tape of his voice and I see him raising his hand in a defiant sign, saying, yeah, Revolution, Maya, Revolution!. You can do it!  And, so I am…now is the time.

Each day I hear about and experience first hand the shameful health statistics of many black people and other people of color as well: the early death rates for our youth, the premature births and death of infants, the death and maiming of black youth due to street- gun violence; surges in drug abuse among minority men, women, and children; depression; diabetes, hypertension, stroke; and obesity our deadliest disease-a premature specter of early death.

There are 5 black women enrolled in my yoga classes and each of them has lost a child to gun violence, asthma, depression, suicide or driving while black

So much attention is given to the plight of the lives and situations of blacks who live outside of the United States. Certainly I am concerned for the myriad socio economic and health dilemmas that are adversely impacting black people everywhere, yet, still I think we need to do something for ourselves at home as well. Black people (in general) within the American culture still (generally) need many things to make our lives more palatable and to thrive. Our health and well being is one of the major areas where we are suffering. Our health and well being is one of the major things we can change with the practice of yoga.

The Yoga Revolution for Women of Color

We have long been the caregivers of our families and historically taking care of our others while placing ourselves last. With the recent movements in equality and affirmative action many of us have  become more feminist minded and placed ourselves along side our white counterparts to access   education and gain upwardly mobile positions in  the arenas including the arts, education, medicine etc. One would think that women of coor and particularly black women would not still be care taking to the degree that we are. Yet we are still doing it. We are still putting ourselves last.  

One of the things I first leaned in yoga is that Yoga is a practice that promotes self-interest. I do not do your yoga nor can you do mine; I cannot think consciously and take actions for you or anyone other than myself; I cannot sit and mediate and will you to receive the benefits. Yoga is something that one can only do for oneself.

It is time for women of color to take care of themselves.

I believe that if we take care of ourselves first our families will follow.  I know if I start the Yoga Revolution for and with women of color it will spread like wild fire throughout our communities. First we must practice yoga and  then we will be living consciously . By modeling this new way of life within our communities, and  families the revolution will grow.

Yoga is no longer a dirty word in my family or in my church.  My mother breathes and releases as she calls Bingo, my sister living with parts of her brain tumor that could not be removed and relaxes more often because of yoga. My lovely daughter left the hubbub of the engineering world and now teaches yoga and is a massage therapist; my son a computer whiz is also a yoga practitioner, black belt Karate master and he also meditates daily.

All of these changes took place all around me while I was practicing and teaching yoga; talking about the breath. I guess I was really walking my talk and when I looked around my family had gotten on to the band wagon with me. The revolution has begun.