YOGAJOURNAL.COM 77Focus On Higher Ideals
My passion for life undoubtedly comes from my Cuban roots.
My mother fled her home country of Cuba at the age of nine,
with her parents, three siblings, grandmother, dog, and $35.
They left behind family who still live in Cuba today. There’s
a spark and creative fire that radiates in the Cuban culture. So it’s
unfortunate that Cuba is a controversial country to visit as
a traveler. The Cuban people have been, and continue to be, in
my opinion, exploited and abused by their government —through
injustices such as incarceration without a fair trial and lack of
a free press. Because of this, there are mixed feelings about when
and if it is appropriate to visit this both beautiful and bleeding
country.
In October of 2015, I was approached by yoga photographer
Robert Sturman to go to Cuba for what proved to be an epic and
powerful photo shoot. I had to consider my highest ideal behind
going. I didn’t want to go for selfish reasons, which included
indulging my senses with dancing, eating, drinking, and relaxing
on the beach; snapping instagrammable pictures; or going to
“experience” Cuba as a tourist. As a practicing yogi, that
wouldn’t be ideal for me. Instead, I wanted my visit to be for
a greater purpose—to indirectly and directly serve Cuban people,
instead of supporting a government that tore families apart. It’s
important to consider that serving is different than “helping,”
because helping implies some kind of superiority on the part of
the helper. The last thing Cubans need is outsiders coming in to
tell them what they need or how to do things.
Instead, I chose to practice Karma Yoga, or the path of selfless
service, and Bhakti Yoga–the path of devotion—during my trip
with Robert. This meant I brought supplies and resources for my
relatives and for the yoga community. I arrived with cash, my
wedding dress, Havaianas flip flops, toys, and more clothes. It
was my way of serving a community that had given me so much.
This is where practicing Bhakti Yoga became imperative.
Bhakti Yoga is a higher form of love—one in which you identify
with another person and hold them in the highest reverence
and admiration. There’s a sense of duty to them and their plight.Feeling this devotion for Cuban people
was vital in keeping my highest ideal in
focus. As a yoga traveler, it’s your duty to
practice Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga as
you step into places, like Cuba, that have
endured deep suffering.
In Spanish, there’s a phrase for when
a Cuban uses his or her ingenuity and
creativity to solve any problem. We say
“Hacerlo a lo Cubano,” which loosely
translates to “Do it the Cuban way.” If
yogis all over the world traveled this way,
we could start our own popular Spanish
phrase about serving a greatest purpose:
“Hacerlo a lo yogi,” or “Do it like a yogi.”
I was so grateful for this unforgettable
trip with Robert. I redefined my Cuban
roots, connected with family, and made
art with a new friend. Walking the streets
of Havana made me proud to be a Cuban
and a yoga teacher. Combining both
tradition and new perspective, I can now
say “Lo hice a lo Cubano y a lo yogi,” or
“I did it the Cuban and yogi way!”A trip to Cuba taught me the importance, and deeper meaning, of Bhakti
Yoga and Karma Yoga.RINA JAKUBOWICZ is an international bilingual yoga teacher, Reiki practitioner, motivational speaker, and author.
Her new best-selling book is The Yoga Mind: 52 Essential Principles of Yoga Philosophy. Learn more at rinayoga.com.Stay with friends, or at an AirBnB,
or Casa Particular—someone’s
house rented out to visitors. All
hotels are government-owned.
And eat at non-state-owned
restaurants, called Paladeras.SEVA SUGGESTIONS