Written by Aviva Tulasi
I don’t struggle to live and I am not harassed because of my identity. This privilege is not available to every American. Many individuals are denied agency over their lives because of their identity. What is my identity?
Aviva: I am a white cisgender Jewish woman. I am a daughter, wife, step-mother, sister, citizen of the United States of America, and a college educated teacher. I am privileged.
Sam: I am white cisgender nonreligious woman. I am a mom, a wife, daughter, sister and citizen of the US. I am a college educated nurse. I am a certified researcher and yoga teacher. I am privileged.
The cis-white cultural norm does little to change yet alone challenge the status quo. Too many marginalized individuals have lost their rights due to being othered.
Yoga teaches that life is universal. When we connect to our commonality rather than differences we build a resilience of love. Love is universal. Acceptance is Universal. And yet division rather than embracing unity seems to be the norm in the United States of America. We ought to embrace the true nature of ahimsa. Life is simply existence and all beings regardless of their identity deserve to be free from suffering.
We at Dogwood Studio have chosen the following sutra that affirms our mission, “Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu”
English Translation: “May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.”
This June we have the opportunity to reflect on the deep meaning of ahimsa and “Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu”. We can choose to sit back and watch others celebrate Pride Month, Juneteenth and Father’s day, or we can take an active role and reflect on our role in the status quo. Challenge yourself to explore your identity using the Wheel of Power created by Sylvia Duckworth, where your privileges lie and how you might be holding onto resistance to celebrating all being just as they are.
My privileged life does not require that I celebrate my identity. Instead, I will choose to celebrate the identities of marginalized beings. I will celebrate the right to choose. I will celebrate couples. I will celebrate choosing your identity. I will celebrate freedom. I will celebrate love.
Dogwood Studios is committed to learning and growing! We strive for everyone to feel respected and supported, to be treated equally, and to be celebrated for who they are. We are very excited about our ongoing endeavor to make Dogwood Studios a refuge and beacon of compassionate practice by including diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I).
Join us for a yoga class. You can practice live or with our video library. You can purchase a Green Subscription or a Gold Subscription to get unlimited access to our video library that contains a wide selection of pre-recorded videos allowing you to keep up with your yoga practice at times convenient for you.
The teaching team at Dogwood Studios will be taking advantage of summer with travel. You will notice we will have many different subs in June and July as Sam, Aviva and Ainslee take time for themselves.
Dogwood Studios will not have regular In Person options at Yoga Shala this July.
There will be a special In Person Mindful Movement at The Parlour on July 6th and July 13!
We will be celebrating July 4th with family so there won’t be Mindful Movement and Yoga on July 1st and 4th.
Reach out to us via email with any questions or comments at info@dogwoodstudioyoga.com.
Aviva Chaye Tulasi is a team member at Dogwood Studios. She is a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT). She applies the teachings of classical yoga to reduce the effects of negative stress and to balance the nervous system. Aviva is available for private sessions. Email Aviva at yogawithtulasi@gmail.com with any questions.
SAM Sather, founder of Dogwood Studios, is a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT), individualizes the yoga practice with appropriate modifications for participants’ unique bodies and medical histories with a focus on finding calm and improving health. She offers several live, online and in person yoga classes as well as private sessions so you can focus on your needs one-on-one.