Can a Daily Practice Help Heal the World? Reaching Beyond the Yoga Mat

By Chip Richards

“We need to take those very qualities that we’re learning in the yoga room, and begin to truly apply them in our families, in our local community, and into our global family as well.”
- Seane Corn

During the lead up to 2015 World Water Day, I shared a profound conversation with cellular biologist and author of Biology of Belief, Bruce Lipton. In our conversation, Bruce broke down the ‘Science 101′ basics of how our collective thoughts and intent actually influence the atmosphere and state of the world; shining a powerful light on the growing importance and creative possibility of conscious events and synchronized meditations to support the healing and vitality of humanity and the world.

With June 21 Solstice and the first ever International Day of Yoga just around the corner, I felt inspired to share a glimpse into Bruce’s lens to highlight the positive impact that a simple daily practice can make on our personal and planetary wellbeing – especially when we come together with others of like mind and intent.

Our consciousness is the field that governs the physical world. As we change the field, the world around us changes.
- Bruce Lipton

Here’s my simpleton version of Bruce’s message: historically human brain waves and electrical activity were measured with a device called an electroencephalogram (EEG) which involves connecting wires and flat metal discs (electrodes) to the scalp of the person being studied. But in more recent times, scientists have been able to use what they call a magnetoencephalogram (MEG), which maps the same brain activity without connecting anything physically to the head. Scientists have realized that the electrical currents occurring naturally in the brain can be read in the magnetic “field” outside of our body.

Our thoughts and state of mind are constantly creating an electromagnetic field.

As individuals, our thoughts and state of mind are constantly creating this electromagnetic field which stretches well beyond the borders of our body. And when people come together with unified energy and intent (or when a group of people is impacted by the same powerful event), their thoughts create a collective field of energy which is even greater.

At this point in our conversation Bruce shared a quote from Albert Einstein, which for him brings it all together (Bruce is already one of the most positively energetic individuals I know and I’m pretty sure he levitated when he shared this quote).

The field is the soul governing agency of the particle.
- Albert Einstein

If we know that our thoughts (individually and collectively) create the “field” and if the field is what actually controls and governs the “particle” (matter, stuff, our bodies, the world around us), then what Einstein was really saying was that our thoughts and intent actually create the world that we live in.

We are not just casual visitors… We are the cultural creatives and we do make a difference. As we improve the field, we improve the quality of our life.
- Bruce Lipton

Amidst the rapidly expanding positive initiatives, projects, foundations and focus groups devoted to creating positive change in the world, it is powerful to consider that possibly the best first step that any of us can take to contribute to changing, healing, loving and harmonizing the planet is simply to bring ourselves into a state where we think, feel and embody the energy of the positive change, healing, love and harmony we truly wish to see in the world.

Enter Yoga and a practical pathway to quite literally “Be the Change.”

The more yoga I do, the healthier I am,
the more I love myself and the more I love others.
- Seane Corn

Throughout its development by ancient sages of India, yoga always has been seen as an integral practice to restore, regenerate and elevate vitality of our entire system – our physical, mental and energetic bodies. The system of yoga maintains that every element of matter in the cosmos (or “field” as Lipton and other scientists would call it), is vibrant with life and connected, part of the whole.

If our intention is to send more positive energy out into the field, it goes to follow that one of the best places to start is by moving our bodies in such a way that we generate the type of thoughts and feelings we want to be sending. If we want to influence the field on a massive scale, then what better way than to gather with hundreds, thousands or even millions of people around the world who are inspired and committed to doing the same?

Gather with people around the world to send more positive energy out into the field.

With close to 200 million people around the world currently practicing some form of yoga, what an extraordinary opportunity we have to be the cultural creatives Lipton speaks of, simply by doing/being that which makes come alive (literally!).

On June 21, the International Day of Yoga is giving the world a big opportunity to do just that.

When 175 countries out of the 193-member UN General Assembly signed up as co-sponsors of the International Day of Yoga in December, 2014, it was a landslide victory for India and the highest number of co-sponsors ever for a UNGA resolution.

The vote came in response to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inaugural speech at the UNGA in September 2014, in which he called for the world community to celebrate yoga at the international level.

Yoga is an invaluable gift of our ancient tradition. It is not about exercise, it’s a path through which an individual can discover his sense of oneness with nature. It embodies unity, unity of the mind and the body, thought and action, restraint and fulfilment. On the whole, it’s a holistic approach to health and wellbeing.
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Yoga is really about being able to synchronize with the deep rhythm of nature, the deep rhythm of what it is to be alive in the universe.
- Shiva Rea

The word “yoga” comes from the Sanskrit root yuj, which means “to join” or “to yoke”. So feel free to join us on International Day of Yoga for the Yoga Day Summit, a free 8-hour online video event from UPLIFT and The Shift Network, which follows the roots of yoga from its ancient origins to its most modern manifestations, culminating with UPLIFT’s #YogaForChange program and a Global Synchronised Meditation!
 

Chip Richards is an internationally published author, speaker and coach and one of the founding contributors and creative directors of UPLIFT. Chip is the author of Amazon #1 best selling book, “Writing the Story Within” and has shared his keynote journey into, “Becoming the Hero of Your Own Life Story” as a speaker at TEDx and in various international events.