Jamaica: Naturally a Home for Yoga

By Nadine McNeil
Jamaica, undisputedly the gem of the Caribbean, offers a unique blend of pristine white sand beaches, coffee laden mountains, hot dusty planes, undulating rivers, pulsating music, delicious [organic] food and a blend of spirited people.

The intense pulse created by these combined factors is what makes this tiny island the spiritual haven that it is and has attracted visitors to its shores for decades.

Our vibrant ethnic composition adds further to our rich tapestry – as our motto states, we are ‘Out of Many One People,’ weaving together our African, Chinese, Indian, Syrian and Jewish ancestries. We have succeeded in establishing One Culture in spite of our diversities. Jamaica has its own first hand experience of harmonious living within a global village.

Jamaica is fertile ground for one to engage in spiritual inquiry. Take a drive across this island and count the number of churches that sacredly dot this island’s terrain, for example.

Statistics reveal that there are more Westerners practicing yoga today than ever before. As one Indian guru says, ‘the West is exporting blue jeans and Coca-Cola to the East, and in exchange, the East is exporting yoga and spirituality.’ Jamaica is no exception.

Even though yoga has had a presence in Jamaica for decades, nowadays, it is becoming commonplace to find various types of yoga being offered across the island – from retreats to being incorporated as part of companies’ ‘responsibility’ to their employees. Successful businesses understand that ‘health translates to wealth.’

Taking above into serious consideration, it is abundantly clear that Jamaica can only gain economically, spiritually and otherwise by re-positioning itself as a place of healing and transformation. Increasingly we are seeing that travelers are demanding more than merely sun, sand and rum from their holidays.

In spite of its growth however, the yoga community remains relatively small in Jamaica. Apprehension to embrace yoga is due largely to conflict and mis-understanding about yoga. In fact, many are already leading a yogic lifestyle without formally labeling it as such.

Yoga contains the five essential elements for leading a wholesome and enriching life -- proper breathing, proper relaxation, proper exercise, proper diet, positive thinking and meditation.

It [yoga] promises to deliver the paradigm shift that we continue to search for through outmoded approaches that no longer serve our human realities.