My Dear Friend Aida (And obviously everyone else who may be wondering) Ive always loved your direct approach to information; thank you for asking the question I wish everyone else would ask: What are my thoughts on this? Ive received quite a bit of media nationally and internationally for this class but all the reports have come from people who have attended the class. This is one of the few public responses Ive seen from someone who has never attended the class at the Mirage and who also holds a great deal of respect in the yoga community. I have many thoughts about animals in captivity; its controversial. In fact, the way this job was gifted to me was pretty controversial from a yogic perspective but thats another story. Believe me, Ive had my own grandiose delusions of Free Willy moments in my time at the Mirage. I have seen the documentaries The Cove and Black Fish which have educated the public and fueled awareness and negative attention to entertainment with animals in captivity. But those visions of freedom didnt get very far when I thought to myself, how would I actually do it? Would I load my friends Cosmo, Lighting, Bella, K2, Mira Mar, Huf n Puf, Osbourne, Duchess and newly welcomed Sophie onto a truck and rush them out to the ocean to set them free? No, I would not. These are domesticated animals now. Putting them into the wild would be like leaving your beloved dog at the park and hoping he would be happy as a stray. Knowing where captive animals come from and how they are sourced, ethically or unethically, is important but they are here now and they are educational ambassadors for their species and their ecosystems. It is from them that we can learn and understand the importance of our humanity and our role as co creatures on the planet. Instead of signing a petition directed towards these specific animals and a beautiful yoga program aimed to educate below are just a few ideas of how you can make a difference and help protect these majestic creatures and their disappearing habitats: Stop littering and using single use plastics. Every year, marine debris injures and kills marine life and poses a threat to human and animal health. Do not interfere with animals in their wild habitat. Dont feed, swim, touch or harass the animals. Maintain a distance of at least 50 yards while appreciating their presence. Join an organization such as thankyouocean.org/, theoceanproject.org or (if youre worried about the tigers at the Mirage) savethetigerfund.org. Mindfulness and compassion doesnt take sides and point fingers. It takes quiet action and consistent practice to make a difference. If your emotions were stirred and agitated with the issues that documentaries like Black Fish and The Cove stimulated consider changing something in your life to contribute peace and stillness. Namaste. My yoga class and the Secret Gardens at the Mirage
Posted on: Tue, 03 Jun 2014 04:30:02 +0000
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