Yoga & Protesting: The Sacred Act of Collective Liberation
I just got home from my very first protest and… whew. I’m still riding the energy wave.
We got so many honks — the enthusiastic, supportive kind — and a few middle fingers. Naturally, we smiled at both. Equal parts grace and grit over here. 💁♀️✌️
I was joined by two incredible women, one of their husbands (a gem of a man), and the other brought her 11-year-old son, who held his sign with the kind of conviction that made me believe we might be okay. The contrast hit me hard — an older man standing up for my rights, and a young boy learning to protest for my daughter’s. That’s the kind of full-circle energy I can get behind.
On the drive there, I blasted Rage Against the Machine like the suburban rebel I am, trying to psych myself up. I was feeling nervited (nervous + excited, obviously) and kept asking myself, “Why am I going?”
The answer?
Because some people are too scared to show up.
Because I’m privileged enough to be able to.
Because my body and voice are tools — and I intend to use them.
At one point I said, “I can’t believe we have to do this,” which wasn’t a complaint — more like a wtf timeline are we in? moment. I could’ve been in the garden, pulling weeds in peace. But instead, I chose to stand outside, on a bridge, with a sign and my whole heart.
And honestly? Teenage me would think I’m kind pretty badass. This all had me thinking about how protesting is a form of yoga.
From the salt marches in India to the streets of Selma, from Stonewall to Standing Rock, protesting has always been more than resistance—it is a prayer in motion. It is an embodiment of hope, a visible pulse of the people’s will. In every era of injustice, there have been those willing to stand together and say, “This is not okay.” Protest is not a new trend; it is an ancient tool of transformation. And when done with love, presence, and purpose—it becomes not only powerful, but deeply spiritual.
The History of Protest: A Legacy of Change
Throughout history, peaceful protest has served as a catalyst for some of the greatest transformations in human society. Gandhi’s nonviolent movement expelled colonial rule. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s marches and speeches ignited civil rights legislation. Women’s suffrage, labor rights, environmental protection, LGBTQ+ equality—all have been shaped by the courage to gather, to speak truth, and to hold systems accountable.
When people come together with a unified vision of justice, we create a force that transcends individual power. Protest isn’t about division—it’s about co-creation. Even if we’re fighting against systems that oppress, we’re doing it for a more loving, liberated world—for all of us.
The Energy of Gathering: Connection is Revolution
There is a sacred charge in the air when we walk side by side with strangers who share our values. There’s rhythm in the chants, heartbeat in the signs, and warmth in the mutual gaze of solidarity. These gatherings remind us we are not alone. The energy exchanged at a protest is not only emotional or political—it’s energetic.
In yoga, we often speak of union—of merging breath, body, and spirit into alignment with truth. Protesting is this same union, expanded outward. It is our collective asana, the posture we take in the world when we align with dharma, or right action.
We don’t show up just for ourselves. We show up for the person whose voice is shaking. For the child in the stroller. For the ancestor who couldn’t march. For the stranger who hates us—yes, even them. Because in a world where rights are stripped from some, none of us are truly free.
Protesting as a Yogic Practice: The Eight Limbs in Action
Many think of yoga only as poses on a mat, but true yoga—the yoga of the eight limbs—guides us far beyond physical form. Protest, when rooted in love and nonviolence, is deeply yogic.
Yama (ethical restraints) – Ahimsa, or nonviolence, is the first of the yamas. Protest rooted in peace is the embodiment of ahimsa. We resist without harm. We love even as we disagree.
Niyama (inner observances) – Svadhyaya, or self-study, is how we recognize our role in the world’s story. Protest asks us to reflect, to confront our privilege, our silence, and our responsibility.
Asana (posture) – The body holds truth. Standing, marching, holding a sign—these are postures of power and prayer.
Pranayama (breath control) – Breath calms the nervous system. It allows us to stay grounded when emotions rise. A deep breath before a chant or confrontation is yoga in action.
Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses) – We learn to tune out fear, criticism, and noise that distract from our purpose.
Dharana (concentration) and Dhyana (meditation) – A focused, meditative protest holds power. Our presence becomes the message.
Samadhi (union) – The ultimate goal of yoga: unity. Protesting for the rights of others brings us closer to this state—not just union with self, but with all beings.
Protest Is Love
Let us be clear: protesting is not hatred, and it’s not chaos. Protest is love in action. It is the embodiment of care for this world. It is chanting in the rain. It is linking arms in the face of injustice. It is holding the line not just for our children, but for yours, too. Even if you protest us, we will still fight for you. Because this is not about being right. It’s about being free—all of us.
So when you roll up your yoga mat and feel the urge to act, remember that what you do off the mat is just as sacred as what you do on it. Marching with integrity, advocating with compassion, and standing for the voiceless—this is yoga.
We are the breath. We are the body. We are the movement.
And we move together toward liberation.
Yours in Yoga,
Amanda
