In the last week, I’ve seen increasing calls among the yoga community to help organisations working to address the covid crisis in India. As I’ve been working to increase my knowledge and understanding of the roots of yoga in India, these calls to help have struck a chord with me.
Susanna Barkataki is a yoga teacher and activist who focuses on equity and diversity in yoga. She wrote on social media “As organizations and people that benefit from yoga and other wisdom traditions from India we need to show up in relationship to this situation, acknowledging the pain and hurt, addressing the need and doing our best to support rather than appropriate.” Her post lists many vetted organisations seeking aid to respond to covid in India.
Michelle C Johnson a yoga teacher and social justice activist shared similar thoughts in her latest newsletter and shared a link to a comprehensive list of organisations accepting international donations to support local efforts, non-profits and independent media. But what truly spoke to me was Michelle’s words on social media “If you are not Desi and someone who has benefited from the practice of yoga, please consider offering support. Not from an ego place or some space derived from a savior complex, but because responding to a country hurting is the yogic and right thing to do.”
I wrote previously about how yoga philosophy encourages compassion and compassion is more than just being nice. Michelle also wrote in her social media post “Yoga is about remembering our connection with all beings. Awareness is only part of this. The noticing happens first, and then we must respond to what we see. We must respond to what causes us dissonance and isn’t right.”
So if you are watching what is happening in India and it doesn’t feel right, consider taking action. Just in case you missed it, here’s the link again to a comprehensive list of organisations accepting international donations to support local efforts in India, non-profits in India and independent media.
To learn more about the covid crisis in India, see this in-depth Guardian article from Arundhati Roy ‘We are witnessing a crime against humanity‘. And to get informed in general about South Asia check out independent online magazine The Juggernaut.
Update: Here’s another briefer list of places you can donate vetted by Sana Javeri Kadri of Diaspora Co.
