My sisters and I call Boston home. When we decided to open a yoga studio, we all unanimously knew we would open in the heart of Boston (Even though only 2 out of 4 of us now live in Boston full time. This is where we grew up). We love our city. We proudly shout the song by The Standells “Well I love that dirty Water…Oh Boston you’re my home!” It has been less than 48 hours since the Marathon bombings. As I type those two words together, the tears swell up and my throat tightens. The experience of hearing two bombs go off in the city I love, and then not knowing what had happened and if one of my sisters (who was near the finish line) was harmed is still very, very fresh and raw in my mind and body.
Boston like any city in America or anywhere in the world for that matter is full of loving caring amazing heroes; The people who ran to the injured to help, the people who ran 26.2 miles and ran 2 more to the hospital to give blood, the people who opened their apartments to total strangers. This is what humanity is all about.
So how do we make sense? What do we do next? We chase the Unicorn. The Unicorn? The Boston Marathon’s symbol is that of a unicorn. In 1887 Boston Athletic Association chose the unicorn as their symbol and to this day there is a unicorn on all the Boston Marathon medals. It is a fitting symbol as you think about athletes that chase the undoable, the elusive, and chase that thing like an un-quenching thirst-the desire for accomplishment, of total completion, of Samadhi the space in time when all is just that very moment.
We are being called upon now to chase the unicorn for peace! This is not a time to hide, to remain quiet, to stay complacent. It is time to lace up the sneakers and run toward it. And, we must train for it every day.
What I know for sure now that was previously only a concept of mind, is that the only thing we can absolutely be sure of is the very moment we have. We have no control of our fate. But we can control how we are with others in the present and that we have total control of who we choose to be in this world. Monday, my family and friends, all made very small choices. Had any of our choices had just been slightly different, our fate could have been that of Martin Richard, Krystle Campbell, Lu Lingzi, or any of the 180+ injured.
The truth is we are all the victims, we are the injured, we are the mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, friends. We are one. At this time I am reminded so much of the Indian philosopher’s Krishnamurti’s quote, “What you are the world is. And without your transformation there can be no transformation of the world.”
So my sisters and I are ready. Every student of ours that came to our “This one’s for you Boston” classes on Tuesday are ready. Are you ready? Practice yoga, practice truth, practice love and run after your own inner unicorn. Our world is relying that we finally realize that which has only eluded those before us, the dream of peace and a non-violent world.
