The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root yuj, to join. Union of body, mind and spirit. But, according to researcher Valin S. Jordan of San José State University, it can also be union with others and with the struggle for a fairer world.
The article
In a 2020 article in the Journal of Contemplative Inquiry, Jordan presents yoga both as a way of teaching and as a form of inquiry for social justice work.
Change starts within
The core idea is that transformation begins with the self and then spreads into collective life. By observing body, mind and spirit we can discover how we have internalised marginalisation or silence, and that awareness can open the way to anti-oppressive engagement.
A personal lens
Jordan uses her own practice as a case study: how yoga has helped her reflect critically on herself and on the systems that exclude people. She also draws on several spiritual traditions to consider how suffering can create human connection.
Questions for practice
- What do I notice in my body when I feel excluded, or when I exclude someone?
- How can I take ahimsa, non-violence, beyond the mat?
- Who is missing from my class, and why?
Source: Journal of Contemplative Inquiry – Yoga for social justice (Valin S. Jordan, 2020).
