Perhaps one area in which we can
begin this journey of healing is in an
intention to heal our relationship with
the land. As the guardians of much of
Australian’s land mass, we white folk
are not doing such a great job of caring
for the environment, the forests and
the earth. From logging in Tasmania
to mining in Western Australia we are
leaving deep scars across our nation
affecting the waters, the air and Earth
herself. If all of us, Aboriginal and
non-Aboriginal, were able to come
together in taking responsibility for
healing our relationship with our
environment, perhaps we could begin
to take small steps towards healing our
relationships with all ancestors.
Sometimes when we look at the
cultural problems and the legacy of
stolen land, the violent past with which
the nation of Australia was born and the
many lies and violations of Indigenous
rights which have taken place, it is
challenging to see a positive way
forward where reconciliation can take
place. But yoga teaches us that it is never
too late for healing to happen. There
is no power greater than the power of
ahimsa, and there is nothing that can
generate that power more profoundly
that our collective intention. The word
satsang in Sanskrit means “to come
together in truth” and describes
a community connection with an
intention of mutual upliftment andbenevolence. Our challenge here in
Australia is to seek our satsang with all
members of our communities and to
acknowledge honestly the pain and
suffering in our past, while doing all
we can to make choices moving into
the future which minimise the potential
for the same suffering to arise again.
One way in which this can happen is
through collaboration of Indigenous and
non-Indigenous communities –
whether in the arts, in the workplace
or in policy- and decision-making on
a political level. Another way is through
acknowledgement and respect of
Aboriginal culture and heritage as
a rich part of our collective histories.
One example of many comes from
yoga teacher and playwright Rachael
Coopes. She recently wrote and appeared
in the play Sugarland at the Australian
Theatre for Young People in Sydney,
which included a focus on Indigenous
communities in the Northern Territory.
The production received a positive
response. In one review, the Sydney
Morning Herald echoed all of our hopes
for the future: “Ultimately emerging
from a troubling picture is an affirmative
tale of bonding, [with the] ability to
illuminate how similarities between
blacks and whites eclipse differences”.Katie Manitsas is a yoga teacher,
doula, writer and activist. She
blogs at KatieManitsas.com.au.Acknowledgement
of Country
One way in which we as yogis
and yoga teachers can heal
the past here in Australia is by
acknowledging the country we
live, practise and teach on, every
time we roll out our yoga mats.
This formal Acknowledgement
of Country only takes a moment
and would be a beautiful
intention to set at the beginning
of every yoga class, whether said
out loud or as a silent prayer.
An Acknowledgement of
Country can be done by
everyone, Indigenous or non-
Indigenous, to pay respect
to the fact that we are on
Aboriginal land. A simple
acknowledgement of country
is worded like this:“I would like to show my
respect and acknowledge the
traditional custodians of this
land, of Elders past and present,
on which this yoga class
takes place.”66
may/june 2015yogajournal.com.auPhOTO: TErOhAkAlA/shuTTErsTOCk.COmyj43_62-66_Aborigional spiritual teachings and yoga.indd 66 31/03/2015 10:51 am