Yoga Is A Sacred Place For Healing And Growth, Abuse Of Any Kind Will NOT Be Tolerated

It's been quite a week for me. There's a lot going on in the world and this week I really felt that a lot of it came home to me. To reflect, and to act. 

For the last few weeks I've been musing (and grieving) about womens' rights and the injustices which have been perpetrated against us for centuries. 

Since last January I've been directly confronted by this. Yogi Bhajan, the founder of Kundalini Yoga, the lineage through which I trained, the lineage which has brought me so much healing, and which I have joyfully and passionately been sharing for almost 20 years, guiding many, many others to their own healing, was accused of sexual abuse. Not by one woman, but by many many. 

This brought me into massive conflict. I know these teachings work. In some way I am a representative of the lineage. But in no way do I support or condone abuse of anyone in any situation.

I grounded myself in 'trust the teachings, not the teacher'. To trust that my healing was authentic, that my teaching has impact, but to remember that it is not me, but the energy that the practices activate, that creates the healing. 

But this week, when planning the Nidra, Neuroplasticity, Mind & Brain workshop with Nirlipta Tuli for you all, I was contacted by his wife, Uma, founder of Yoni Shakti, who I have been following for many years. In fact it is through her that I have found faith and understanding in my need for more nourishing practices, to honour my feminine energy, and my cycles, monthly and lifetime. 

In response to the shocking increase of reports of abuse of women within the yoga world, Uma started a campaign to promote yoga as a safe place of healing for all women and girls - Yoni Shakti - The Movement.

Uma was concerned that I had trained with a perpetrator. And that I hadn't made a public statement to distance myself from his behaviour.

This shocked me deeply. I felt that I was being tarnished with the same brush as a sexual predator. Not only that, but who else was seeing me in that light following the exposure of Yogi Bhajan's dark past?

I called my authenticity and trust-worthiness as a teacher into question. I felt judged, without being truly seen. But I was also conscious of old patterns surfacing - hierarchical issues of not being good enough, feeling shamed.

I reached out to women I know I can trust to deeply listen, hear me, and also step up to tell me the truth, beyond my projections. They helped me see there was no judgement, just an apparent conflict of values. There was validity in what I was feeling, but also in Uma and Nirlipta's need for absolute integrity and clarity from any people they work with. 

And then a few days later I came across a live session that another inspiring woman that I follow, Tara Mohr, had shared, on guilt - misplaced and valid - apologies, and activism as healing. 

This was the blessed missing piece of the puzzle. To heal my conflict over Yogi Bhajan's abusive behaviour, for which he will never atone, I had to take a stand. I had to stand with those who'd been abused and impacted by Yogi Bhajan's acts.

I felt I had done nothing wrong. Whereas in fact I had done nothing. Part of my shame was my passivity. 

And I realised that I AM THOSE WOMEN. I was not abused, but I've been deeply betrayed and my innocence and trust in my own integrity and the teachings harshly damaged by his behaviour. 

I realised that Uma's response, rather than being judgement, is her absolutely crystal clear and uncompromising statement for what she stands. That Yoni Shakti - The Movement should : 

Eradicate Abuse of Women in Yoga and Reclaim Yoga as a Tool for Healing and Justice

This has been a tough but precious experience for me this week. Uma and Nirlipta have generously opened their hearts to me, to listen to my feelings of betrayal (by Yogi Bhajan) and perceived judgement (by them), and we have found a place to meet and heal. I'm truly grateful. 

Through this I have found the strength to grow into even deeper integrity and to stand for what I know to be true:

Yoga is a sacred place for healing and growth and abuse of any kind will not be tolerated

Whatever gender you are or identify as, I sincerely hope that everyone in this community agrees that this is an essential premise for all spiritual or healing practice, and will sign up to become an ally of The Movement. 

You will find precious materials on the site to nurture your own awareness and share with your own communities and students to educate and support them. The more of us that stand up and speak out, the less safe the perpetrators will feel to continue shaming and abusing women and girls in yoga. 

There are over 2,000 of us in this community - let's see how many of us can raise our voices in support of this movement. I have faith in you all! 

If you are also in need of support or healing this month, I would love to invite you to join me; I have two wonderful  nurturing spaces for connection for you :

• If you need to deeply relax and heal mind and body, as well dive into the fascinating world of your brain, please sign up for our 3-hour workshop on Satuday 10th April on Nidra, Neuroplasticity, Mind & Brain here, and experience the incredible teaching, compassion and wisdom of Nirlipta himself

• And for a chance to join my year-long deep-dive coaching journey, Awakened Potential, starting in May, jump into my Deep Dive Quiz, and then sign up for a free one-hour private chat with me, to see how I can serve and support you through these times, into the next version of yourself.

As always, I am here for you, bringing as much integrity, care and love as possible to all those who I serve, and all that I do,