bigger than the mat, bigger than the moment, bigger than just me
meeting this moment, my heart, and MLK Jr.'s lead...
Before I ever stepped onto a yoga mat, I was practicing the core values and virtues of the practice: ahimsa, do no harm, radical compassion, and satya, that which is, absolute truth. Before I ever held my body upside down into a downdog or sang "aum" with all my heart and spirit, I was practicing. I was practicing what it is to love unconditionally, I was practicing forgiveness, I was practicing how to forgive and use the wounds as well as seeing wide and well beyond them. I was practicing showing up in my body with all the dysfunction and dysregulation, with all the depth and divinity, with all the holes and holiness. I was practicing showing up. I was practicing coming forward, full into life with all its hurt and all its hope, with all its harm and all its healing. I was practicing.
The practice of yoga not only saved my life; it gave me life. And all without any declaration or notoriety, no need of boast or brag. It just met and continued meeting me, especially during a time when it was crucial to know there was a way to peace and that I was not alone. All thanks to my suffering and grieving heart, I knew I needed/we needed (and deserve) compassion. All thanks to my traumas and un-truths, I knew I needed/we needed (and deserve) truth. And that was my footing, as well as my pace—compassion partnered sweetly with truth.
A little over a decade later, and I have yet to lose that footing and pace. The practice is present in all that I do, especially when I fall short, especially when I forget who I am, especially when the earth shakes, and my heart shatters. I have learned that this practice is way bigger than the mat and the movement we do upon it; it is a lived practice, an embodied practice, a way of being within the world and within our own inner experience with steadiness, ease, authenticity, and joy. It is a way of honoring our own inner and personal happenings while also holding—as best we can—all the concurrent and collective happenings in the world—big picture and small—with compassion, with truth, with tenderness, with love. Yoga is the practice of coming home to our wholeness and coming home to the wholeness of one another, regardless of any and all differences and distances between. It reminds us of and is the very core of the entire practice: we are one, we are connected, we are the unity. And as long as there is distance and disconnect between, we will know suffering.
And suffering I know… suffering we know.
For 470 days, we have witnessed violence and terror in Gaza, with countless lives lost and the ongoing pain of a people denied basic humanity. But today, we also witness a ceasefire agreement following those 470 days of genocide, a fragile pause in the horror, though we know the wounds will take much longer to heal. As I sit here today, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I think of his legacy, of the sacrifice he made in his quest for unity and sovereignty for all. His hope was for us to know peace—not just as a concept, but as a lived reality, one that asks us to transcend division. Today, we see a tidal wave of quotes that rejoice in the practice and possibilities of peace. But I wonder—where will those sentiments be tomorrow? And the next day? And the next?
Today, I sit on my cushion and feel the tension between fear and calm. I see the need for political change, the urgency of standing up against rising fascism, the struggles of communities like those suffering in the LA fires, and I ask: Where is the real yoga? Where is the unity? Where is the love? Where are the sacrifices being made? Where is the yoga being practiced?
I had a conversation with a comrade recently, someone whose work reflects the true heart of yoga—expanding the reach of this practice to the youth and community, fighting for what is right while holding space for healing and truth. She shared how difficult it is to witness the contradictions that arise within the yoga community—especially when yoga is everywhere, yet so often, we fail to see the deeper work within. It’s easy to get lost in the poses, the props, and the marketing, but are we truly doing the work of healing and transformation?
In this time of political upheaval and growing division, yoga must be more than just a physical practice. It must be the practice that calls us to account for the systems of harm and division we continue to uphold—whether through personal apathy or institutional injustice. We must shed the stories and structures that prevent us from truly seeing ourselves and each other.
As my friend shared, we live in a world where even those who call themselves allies sometimes fail to live into their promises, where corporations tout diversity and inclusion while still upholding harmful practices. When she faced the reality of a sponsor whose actions did not align with her values, she made the courageous decision to refuse their donation. This decision, made in integrity and truth, embodies the very essence of ahimsa—doing no harm, even when the easy path is more convenient.
It’s moments like these, moments where we choose truth over comfort, where we align with the deeper values of yoga, that we spark true change. The world needs us to stay committed to this path, even when it’s hard, even when it costs us. Yoga teaches us to act in integrity, to speak out against oppression, to love even when it’s uncomfortable, and to be willing to sacrifice for the greater good.
In these moments of tension, when fear and uncertainty seem overwhelming, I remind myself that change begins with those of us who are willing to lead with love, compassion, and truth. It starts with individuals willing to choose connection over division, unity over separation, and love over hate. Now is the time to remember that yoga is not just about the poses—it’s about what we do in the face of injustice. It’s about how we show up for each other and for the world.
And so, as we reflect on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., let us remember his call for love, unity, and justice. Let us honor his vision by living it out, not just today, but every day. May we choose love, even in the most difficult moments, and may we continue to work for a world where unity and peace are the guiding principles.
This is yoga, ya’ll. And this is love. May we all carry this truth in our hearts, and may we never give up, never give in.
With all my love and hope,
All my compassion and truth,
keri
Martin Luther King Jr. is a constant reminder of the heart of this practice—of what it means to love fiercely, act courageously, and live in service to peace and freedom. His commitment to nonviolence and justice, rooted deeply in the yogic teachings of ahimsa and satya, is something I turn to again and again in these times of political upheaval and division. King was a spiritual warrior—fighting not with fists or force but with the quiet strength of unity, the kind that comes from knowing we are all connected, that our liberation is bound together. The yoga we practice is not just about the poses; it's about liberation, it's about samadhi—the full union of heart, mind, body, and spirit, and the transformation of that union into action for the greater good.
I am deeply humbled by his teachings and the way he lived his life—steadfast in his belief that love can overcome hate, that unity can heal division. This courage, this grace under fire, speaks directly to the heart of the practice I hold dear. And in this moment, with the weight of grief and loss in the world, his legacy is a beacon of light and possibility. He showed us that the work for peace is not passive, it’s active and requires the willingness to stand for truth, to sacrifice, and to call for justice—especially when it’s hard. This is the work we are here to do in the world: to hold peace, to fight for it, and to make it not just a dream, but a reality we build together.
One of his speeches that deeply resonates with me and the work we do is his "The Drum Major Instinct". In it, he speaks of love, service, and humility, saying:
“Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
This reminds me that the work we are here to do, whether on the mat or in the world, begins with love—radical love that sees beyond our differences, beyond the walls we build, and believes in the power of service. It is from this place that we transform, not just ourselves but the world. This is yoga. And this is what King’s legacy continues to teach me: that peace is not something we wait for, it is something we actively create. And in that creation, we come closer to the unity that will heal us all.
The world needs us now to be the heart-centered leaders it deserves. We will have to be brave—brave enough to challenge power and authority when it oppresses and abuses. We will have to challenge the complacency that allows systems of harm to persist. We might have to sacrifice, to let go of the comforts and benefits we may gain from these unsustainable and divisive powers, so that we can rise into the heart and humanity of us all. The work won’t be easy, but in the words of Dr. King, “The time is always right to do what is right.” The time is now. We are here for this. We are the ones who will lead with love, and together, we will rise into the future that is ours to create.
PS: I’m still buzzing with excitement from this past weekend, a balm for my heart and soul that I didn’t even know I needed! On Saturday, I debuted at The Hive for the first public practice in over seven months. No marketing, no website, no social media—just the buzz of an invitation to come together again, and man oh man, our community showed up in full force. We filled the space with heart, soul, intelligence, and light. It was pure magic. Thank you to all who made this debut what it was—especially Christy, our Queen Bee, for your unwavering dedication to this transformative space. What once was is no more, and what is will continue to evolve and grow. It was grounding and humbling to share my heart—and the heart of this practice—with you all. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
And then, on Sunday, I held a virtual space with one of my comrade’s in compassion
for pet loss grief, where we collectively raised $415 for the Pasadena Humane Society’s relief efforts for animals impacted by the LA fires. One of our participants generously more-than-doubled that donation, bringing the total to $1,000. This is the power of community—of showing up, sharing, and healing together. I’m so deeply grateful to each and every one of you who made this possible.It’s a reminder that all of this work—this yoga—is bigger than just the self, bigger than any single moment or investment. It’s about how we show up for one another and how our actions ripple out into the world. It’s how we hold space for each other’s grief, joy, and growth, and how we transform those shared moments into lasting change. This work, this community, is a testament to what’s possible when we come together with open hearts. We are creating something that extends beyond us, something that will continue to impact lives in ways we may never fully see. All of this is a part of something bigger—a collective journey of healing, compassion, and connection.
All of this work is yoga. All of this work is ours. It’s in every breath, every practice, and every act of love we share with ourselves and the world. I am humbled, honored, and amazed that all the fragments, the detours, and the losses have led me here—to this moment, to this work, and to this space of collective healing. We are truly creating something beautiful together, and I am beyond grateful to be part of it.
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