Things that Unite Us

Big things happen when you put us together

Big things happen when you put us together

yoga means union

I love learning about other cultures, but this week there is a collective study that has stuck in my mind. Researchers just discovered that smell preference may be a human trait, not a cultural trait.  Humans throughout the world love and hate the same smells, including people that have little contact with the outside world. 

Imagine it!  The smell that makes me smile and think of my grandma’s cooking is the very same smell that makes someone across the world smile and think of cool, calm breezes and someone else around the world smile and think of…  I can almost picture a stream of smells floating through the air from one country to the next, putting smiles on all our faces. That smile could be quickly replaced with tears or anger or hunger or desire depending on where that person is in this world.  But for a brief moment, that smell connected us.   All of us.  

I sometimes do the same type of imagery as I practice yoga.  I imagine humans throughout the earth all doing downdog together, connected by our shared humanity.  I realize that the pose is followed by different thoughts depending on where you are in this world.  Yoga originated in the east, but cannot be claimed by any one religious group. It was used by all. No wonder it eventually spread throughout the world. In fact, the word yoga is often translated as “join”, “unite” or "union".

Laughing when a baby laughs, comforting when we see tears, desiring a person to love.  We all do it.   There are so many tiny things that unite us.  

And we all know what can happen when you put lots of small things together.  

Until next time,

Laura