Peace cannot be for a selected few.
Martin Lurther King: Until we are ALL free none of us is free.

I AM A DIRECT PRODUCT OF COLD WAR.

My story is that from my mothers side, my grandparents fought against Mussolini, and against the Nazi's. They were on the left side during the Greek Civil war 1946-1949. In 1950 they got sponsored to come to what was Czechoslovakia. My mom was born here in Czech(as a Greek refugee). In 1968 the Russians rolled into Czech. I was born in 1975. A year prior to my birth, the Junta in Greece ended. This meant that the Greek people in Eastern Europe could for the first time go back to Greece( or straight up move back) My grandparents made their return to Greece in 1977. My parents, both signed the Charter77 and we left Czechoslovakia in 1979. Greece was not willing to accept my dad, the law back then was a foreign man(married to a Greek woman) wasn't eligible to get a residency/ working permit. That's where the Red Cross comes in and sponsors us to Canada. So in 1981, we all fly to Canada.

Having an opinion, or standing up for my beliefs runs in my family. It is something that has been for sure passed down to me. I am not a warrior though. I have known this for a good 27 years now. When I was 20 years old living on the Thai Burma border. I was in an all male camp. This camp was among many other things, full of soldiers, and guns. One day, we all went on a hike up to a beautiful hill, where you could see Karen State and the Salloween River, I was asked if I want to fire/shoot one of the guns. I was sure that I DIDN'T. Right away some of the men, asked me “you don't believe in our revolution? In our struggle?” Of course I did. I just didn't want to know what it felt like to hold a weapon, and shoot it.

I DEEPLY BELIEVE IN JUSTICE, AND SUPPORTING PEACE. I AM ALSO VERY AWARE THAT THE WORLD WE LIVE IN, IS VERY MUCH LEAD BY WHITE SUPREMACIST STRUCTURES. THESE ARE SO DEEPLY ENGRAVED IN US THAT WE DON'T EVEN REALIZE IT.

Cold War and my white privilege brought me to Canada. We all know that there have been so many wars since WWII, many supported and funded by European weapons. We also know that we are closing our borders to the people who suffer from war that we funded, we don't see them equally, and we definitely don't rush to their rescue. This reality is the opposite of peace. It is the opposite of equality. This shines light, mainly on our prejudices, and biases our comfort and the lifestyle we lead.

IN TIME OF WAR, AND TIME OF EXODUS, WOMEN ARE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE.

Mainly pregnant, disabled, older women, and then also Indigenous women, women of color, Roma, women in poverty, single women...they face really harsh ugly times. Their ability to survive and continue is unbelievable really. Their trauma takes years to recover if ever.

Did you know it was during the second world war in many western countries and especially in north America, that women were working at factories either producing canned food, or weapons to send off to the men at war...that the majority of them, realized, that they can in fact be independent financially and not rely on their husbands.

This was one of the ways, in which women gained the right to work, the right to vote, the right to own their own property. I just read that in the UK it was in 1982 that women could get served at a pub alone!!! Wow.

 

When you consider these facts, please also consider that women of color were not included in these privileges, Indigenous women weren't either. In Europe it was similar, the ethnic minorities of Europe in nation states had totally different legal rights. This is just to exemplify how racist our history is, how racist our behavior is.

Peace cannot be for a selected few. Martin Lurther King: Until we are ALL free none of us is free. We need to unlearn all this violence. We need to shed our entitled stance by engaging in meaningful communication. Also look examine the effects of patriarchal structures, of misogynist attitudes, look at how late form of capitalism has us so preoccupied with our digital world, observe how we are destroying mother earth.

WE HAVE SO MUCH WORK AHEAD OF US. IT'S HIGH TIME TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR OUR BEHAVIORS.

One of the most gentle, yet rebellious, and at the same time revolutionary ways of practicing peace is having a yoga practice. I don't mean this as a selling tip. I mean Yoga in and of itself, is all about encouraging ourselves to get rid of our attachments, comforts, absolutism, its philosophy is that we are all ONE (not the same). Allowing ourselves to be the best version of ourselves, stripping away at our egos. YOGA studios are also spaces mainly attended by women. Yes, it is also true that these spaces lack diversity both in terms of race and body size, but so much incredible work is being done to change this.

I AM SO BLESSED TO BE A WOMAN, AND TO RUN A DREAM STUDIO. I AM SO GRATEFUL, FOR BEING ABLE TO EXPRESS MYSELF, SHARE MY LOVE, AND KEEP MAKING CONNECTIONS TOWARDS PEACE AND SOLIDARITY. WE ALL STAND A CHANCE TOGETHER.

At Yoga Garden we are holding fundraising classes every TUESDAY, THURSDAY and SUNDAY 16-17pm. 150CZK is minimum donation.. All proceeds go to Clovek v Tisni which then transfers it to Ukrainian Refugees. We are also collecting all basic necessities, please feel free and come drop them off.

Thanks for reading.
Stay brave. Fists UP !
Big love C