| I follow, as best I am able, the Yoga Sutra laws of life | | | | those who do not support troops that the troops are |
| (yama) and rules for living (niyama); and I am | | | | worthy of our love and prayers too? I'm not sure yet |
| appreciative of those who serve and have served in | | | | what to do with this information. So I'll do what I often |
| the military. I recently learned that some in the yoga | | | | do I am troubled; curl up on the couch with my fiance, |
| community believe these to be mutually exclusive. | | | | Scott, and talk it through. And Scott, a United States |
| My heart is heavy as we enter the final week of the | | | | Marine Corps Veteran of several foreign conflicts, will |
| year. The holiday email card I sent to my yoga friends | | | | give me a hug and tell me to "just breathe". |
| and contacts provoked hostility, threats and complaints. | | | | To wish safety and health to the boys, girls, men, |
| The message I sent from my yoga retreat center of | | | | women who put themselves in harm's way does not |
| "season's greetings" to all and "thanks and wishes for | | | | equate supporting war or a particular political party. It |
| troops, veterans and their families to be safe and | | | | means wishing loving kindness (ahimsa) and |
| healthy" was heard by some (who chose to respond) | | | | contentment (samtosha); specifically to those who |
| as "support for murderers", "shameful", "evil", | | | | may have trouble feeling loving and content this holiday |
| "supportive of unsustainable lifestyles", "war lover" and | | | | season. Some who responded felt similarly and have |
| other words I consider even less pleasing. 5% of those | | | | inquired about how they can help in my initiative to |
| I'd emailed many times previously about opportunities | | | | make the yoga retreat center handicapped accessible |
| to take discounted yoga vacations, reported my | | | | for wounded veterans. These yogis and yoginis were |
| holiday card as spam. Another 20% of those who | | | | the minority. |
| received the email card unsubscribed to my | | | | As I write this, two days before Christmas, I continue |
| newsletter. | | | | to receive a flurry of "unsubscribe" notices from my |
| My disappointment from this experience is not from | | | | yoga email contacts - should I conclude that not all |
| losing potential customers for the retreat center. | | | | humans deserve safety and health or just that I did a |
| Rather I learned a bit about my own naiveté | | | | lousy job of communicating this intention? You decide, |
| and an uncomfortable lesson: some who consider | | | | my full email holiday card text is below. |
| themselves "peaceful, loving, non-violent" are | | | | To those of you who wished upon me death from |
| selectively so. Teachings of the Sutra and most | | | | war....I wish to you and your loved ones, ahimsa and |
| Eastern and Western religions do not teach us of a | | | | samtosha. Namaste and happy holidays to all. |
| god or universe who picks and chooses to whom | | | | Full text of my email that provoked anger and threats: |
| well-being is wished. We are taught to love all beings, | | | | Subject: Happy holidays and thanks to troops and |
| even those with whom we disagree and of whom we | | | | veterans |
| disapprove. | | | | Season's Greetings |
| So is my lesson here to omit mention of individuals | | | | Thank you to all troops and veterans around the world. |
| who have served our country in all yoga marketing | | | | Wishing you and your families a safe and healthy |
| materials? Is it to develop a thicker skin and "let it go" | | | | holiday season. |
| when I am called a "war lover"? Is it to try to explain to | | | | |