The Wall That Heals
Had the opportunity to visit The Wall that Heals at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus with my students in the Yoga for a Lifetime course today.
I would HIGHLY recommend visiting this travelling installation -- it's open 24/7 through Sunday. The tour guides are engaging & respectful, very welcoming ... & recommended viewing the wall during the day, but also at night when it's lit up, as well as in the rain -- when the names seem to disappear & the wall looks almost like it's "crying." So moving.
What does Yoga have to do with a war veterans' memorial?
The foundation of Yoga philosophy is the practice of AHIMSA, which has been translated as "non-violence" ... yet a more nuanced definition is "unconditional positive regard." Rather than an action, AHIMSA involves an INTENTION of no harm in one's words, actions or thoughts (which of course then influences our actions, thoughts & speech ).
This philosophy of AHIMSA requires much more self-reflection & an awareness that reality is often not cut & dry, but rather there is nuance, context & grey area. For example, life can present us with actions that may be perceived as "violent," -- consider eating animals or addressing injustice or accidentally stepping on a bug -- yet we can carry within ourselves the INTENT to do the least harm possible in any situation or relationship we are in.
Questions we considered at The Wall that Heals:
- The microcosm reflects the macrocosm & vice versa -- how does our own practice of AHIMSA influence not only ourselves, but also our family, community, & even globally in regards to conflicts / peacemaking?
- It has been said that the Yogi who has mastered AHIMSA -- that all animosity disappears from anyone who even enters their presence. Have you met someone who has that effect on you / others? What implications could this have in our communities ... if WE become that person in whose presence peace is an automatic response?
In light of the current events in Gaza & Israel, these questions are top-of-mind.
I hope you'll visit The Wall that Heals at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus this weekend.
May we all experience peace.