For Women, Life, Freedom*

How do things change?

The legacy teachings that I was offered at Kripalu, that I offer to others, ensure practice in changing our brain, body and behavior.

I have focused for these past thirty-five years on behavior change.

For myself, out of necessity.
I practice.

For others, 
Offering the gifts I have been given,
The gift I pass on.

I love us.
I love this journey.

I love 
Supporting us
By weaving 
Compassion and action 
Into our lives,
To sustainably 
Change our brain 
And our behavior,

It is a practice.
And
It works.

These past months, 
Since the Middle East erupted,  
I have been pondering and puzzling,
Most painfully—

How do we change culture?
How do we change attitudes?
How do we change society?

I understand aspects of personal change.
I believe in community change.
Yet how do cultures, 
Attitudes,
Shift
On the larger scale?

Then I remembered.

I remembered, from February of 2023, this miraculous song from Iran.
The song was written in response to the death of Masha Amini, a twenty-two year old Iranian student who was arrested for wearing her Hijab improperly.  
She died after alleged beatings in police custody and her death awakened the movement for social change in Iran.

I remembered the song, Baraye, by Shervin Hajipour.
I remembered Jill Biden awarding the Grammy for the Best Song for Social Change.
I remembered how touched I was by both these videos.

First, here is First Lady Jill, for two minutes:

~~~
Baraye, which means “because of, for the sake of”, was written by Iranian singer/song writer Shervin Hajipour.  He was arrested after the song was released.  Now out on bail, he faces charges potentially up to six years in prison.  He cannot leave the country.  Please watch:

For Women, Life, Freedom