Yoga and Pastel QAnon

Getty Pictures/Wired

Say it isn’t so! QAnon conspirators targeting yogis? Sorry, it is true.
According to Cecile Guerin, part-time yoga teacher and researcher at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, we are now experiencing, not just a pandemic, but also ‘conspirituality’ – the intersection of yoga, spirituality and holistic health with conspiracy theories. She says, “In the early days of lockdown, I saw posts about how juices, miracle cures and turmeric could boost my immunity and ward off the virus. As the pandemic intensified, disinformation became darker, from anti-vaxx content and Covid denialism to calls to ‘question established truths’ and wilder conspiracy theories.” 1

What is QAnon?
“Q” is the name of a supposed high-clearance intelligence officer who drops cryptic messages about a “cabal” on various websites. According to The New York Times, Q has “dropped” almost 5,000 messages so far, many repeating warnings about satanic rituals that have previously made their way into mainstream culture. (If you lived through the 80s, you might remember evening news stories claiming Satanists were infiltrating daycares and schools to abuse children.)

The main tenets of QAnon, a far-right conspiracy theory that promotes, among other things, the belief that there is an elite cabal of leftists (top democrats and liberal entertainers - “dark forces who threaten humanity.”) engaging in a child trafficking ring.  QAnon claims, that cabal members kill and eat children to gain special powers from their blood. This is a recycled Blood Libel conspiracy theory rooted in anti-semitism from the turn of the Twentieth Century, which helped to fuel Nazism across the world. 2

Though QAnon has existed on the fringes of the internet for a few years, it has become increasingly mainstream, with congressional representatives and prominent influencers, including many in the wellness community, promoting its central beliefs.3

 

What is Pastel QAnon?
The term “Pastel QAnon” was coined by Marc-André Argentino, a Canadian Concordia University PhD student who has documented the growing use of QAnon messaging in the wellness community. Argentino noted how social media influencers have taken QAnon content and applied a “softer, less dark aesthetic to the same core messages.” 4

Many yoga teachers and wellness influencers are posting and sharing Pastel QAnon messaging. Most are on pastel backgrounds and in pretty fonts - “they call COVID-19 a hoax, encourage gun ownership, warn about human trafficking, and celebrate Donald Trump as a “light worker” in his quest to “save the children.”” 5

Mr. Argentino identified 114 groups that bill themselves as anti-child-trafficking concerns, but are actually dominated by QAnon content. Its followers have hijacked the online #SaveTheChildren movement, and inserted QAnon messaging into claims about child exploitation and human trafficking. Since July, 2020, he found these groups have increased their membership by more than 3,000 percent — yes, 3,000 percent — with a corresponding surge in activity within these groups. 6

Why target yoga and wellness online communities?
According to British writer and philosopher Jules Evans, who’s written extensively about the intersection of mysticism and conspiracy theories,“People prone to spiritual experiences may also be prone to unusual beliefs like conspiracy theories, which could be described as a paranoid version of a mystical experience.”

Also, while the physical yoga studios were closed during shut-down, the online communities were wide open! Hala Khouri, co-founder of the yoga and social justice organization Off the Mat, Into the World, also saw the Pastel Qanon messages showing up in “wellness” posts. She believes the debunked viral documentary Plandemic, which spread misinformation about COVID-19, was an entry point to QAnon for many in the wellness community. (The documentary was removed by both Facebook and YouTube in May, 2020.) 7

Finally, the yoga and wellness online communities are largely female, educated and middle-class – seemingly unusual candidates for the spread of conspiracy theories. Yet, research has shown that women are more likely to believe anti-vaxx disinformation, with female-dominated yoga and wellness groups a gateway to these beliefs. 8  

 

Why would seemingly intelligent, “good” women believe Pastel QAnon conspiracy theories?
It may have started with antivaccine messaging and later a “save the children” campaign. Many saw the movement as worthy of supporting, possibly without initially realizing that this was QAnon content. Throughout history “good” people have believed conspiracy theories and followed extremist movements basically because of three factors: need, narrative, and network. 9

1. An individual Need - for significance and mattering, perhaps to counter some perceived discrimination or threat. For the wellness community, this is usually described as an “awakening” or “enlightenment”, which may not be tied to any particular religion. Or she may need to realize of her truth of the matter, and ultimately, the rejection of any perceived “tyranny.” “Pastel QAnon” is aware of these needs. So they are targeting wellness influencers, yoga practitioners, vaccine skeptics, “natural parenting” groups, alternative healers, and concerned suburban moms.

2. Exposure to a Narrative that tells how the need can be satisfied. A historical lack of investment in women’s health set the stage for a yearning for ‘natural’ and ‘alternative’ responses to health problems. This yearning for “natural” solutions led many women to the narrative of distrust of Big Pharma, the FDA, conventional medicine, or anyone who dismisses or criticizes “alternative” medicine - her need for her truth. 10

The central principles of nearly every conspiracy theory dovetail nicely with alternative medicine views of health. Both the conspiracy and wellness communities share the narrative of distrust. They do not trust science, expertise, nor conventional medicine, except when it supports their own narrative:

• “Nothing happens by accident (“your disease, your fault“).
• Nothing is as it seems (“your science can’t measure the effectiveness of my remedy”).
• Everything is connected (Think phrenology, reiki, acupunture, etc).” 11

3. Support and validation through a Network (a group of comrades, friends or family members) who validate the Narrative and dispense rewards for those who act on the Narrative, i.e. online “likes,” sales of products, public demonstrations, etc. Today's social media is the Network, Facebook; Twitter; Instagram, etc. Conspirituality, a podcast about the intersection of New Age spirituality and far-right extremism, has compiled a list of roughly two dozen wellness influencers who have posted QAnon-related content.

As mentioned earlier, these Networks are growing! It is like online echo chambers, where you are only exposed to your perceived Needs and the Narrative that appears to satisfy your needs. 12

 

Unfortunately, the historical links between yoga and extremist politics are well-documented. This includes Nazi Germany’s interest in astrology, alternative medicine and, yes, even yoga. And, as the Nazis corrupted most things they touched, so it was with yoga. 13

Yoga was seized on by race experts in the party as being the pursuit of 'Ayran' people. Jakob Wilhelm Hauer, an S.S. captain and yoga expert, influenced S. S. Commander Himmler and convinced him that “yoga can internally arm us and prepare us for the forthcoming battles.” In fact, Himmler carried around a German copy of the Bhagavad Gita with him wherever he went. He regarded the ancient Sanskrit epic as being a blueprint for cruelty and terror, using it to justify the Holocaust. "He identified himself and the SS with the old Indian Kshatriya caste and its publicized attitude of unscrupulous killing for one's 'higher purpose.” 14

As has happened in the past, yoga, spirituality, and wellness practitioners infuse many forms of politics. But these need to be balanced with the pragmatic, the rational, and with respect for law and democratic process. I am not claiming that yoga and “wellness” inevitably lead to QAnon conspiracies and extremist politics. What I am saying is we shouldn’t be bewildered by the present overlap between them. It’s happened before.  

We can only hope that we all will learn from history and not repeat it – that yoga and wellness practitioners will not fall prey to Pastel QAnon messages.

“We need to learn how to balance our intuition with critical thinking, otherwise we can fall prey to ideas which are bad for us and our networks.”- Jules Evans
 

To Learn More …
Communities of Hate: Why People Join Extremist Movements- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kqy4wGT6tVs

Anti Anti Vaxx Kit https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5cc216f2c2ff6132d9d57816/t/5d88f048c1b2d2788b4726c6/1569255512703/Kids+Plus+AAV+Toolkit.pdf

More about the Hijacking of the #SaveTheChildren Movement
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/12/technology/qanon-save-the-children-trafficking.html
 

ENDNOTES:
1. https://www.wired.co.uk/article/yoga-disinformation-qanon-conspiracy-wellness
2. https://www.justsecurity.org/72339/qanon-is-a-nazi-cult-rebranded/
3. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/qanon-twitter-ban-parler-conspiracy-theories-1032523/
4. https://news.yahoo.com/pastel-q-anon-where-pro-trump-conspiracy-theories-meet-new-age-spirituality-222152937.html
5. https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/yoga-wellness-and-qanon-conspiracy-theories/
6. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/28/technology/save-the-children-qanon.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage
7. https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/yoga-wellness-and-qanon-conspiracy-theories/
8. https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2020/12/03/covid-19-vaccine-intent-appendix/
9. https://eeradicalization.com/interview-with-dr-arie-w-kruglanski/
10. https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/conspirituality-where-new-age-wellness-meets-right-wing-conspiracy-thinking/
11. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13537903.2011.539846
12. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/01/11/opinion/what-drives-pro-trump-mob/
13. https://www.thebigsmoke.com.au/2020/12/27/yoga-astrology-and-conspiracy-theories-when-the-nazis-and-new-age-overlap/
14. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2104365/How-SS-recommended-yoga-death-camp-guards-good-way-stress.html?ito=feeds-newsxml 

Are Your Hips Healthy?

Jill Miller, creator of Yoga Tune Up® and The Roll Model Method® She “retired" this pose in 2008.

Do you think the photograph above is an example of healthy hips? If so, you might want to think again. The photograph above is of yoga teacher Jill Miller BEFORE she had a total hip replacement - at age 45! However impressive this photo seems, it is, in reality a picture of hypermobility - also known as double-jointedness, in which joints stretch farther than normal.

In Jill’s case, years of hypermobility led to “picture-perfect” yoga poses—and 7 years of chronic pain!  Her overuse injuries ultimately prompted her total hip replacement.  After the surgery, she switched from the way she practiced yoga in her younger years and transitioned to a more hip stabilizing practice.  Fortunately, she is still teaching yoga today. 1

Hypermobility can set the stage for the degeneration of the hip and other joints. However, anyone, at any age, for almost any reason can experience issues with their hips.  An active lifestyle, athletic pursuits, and genetics may also contribute to hip issues. 2 

physio4fight.wordpress.com

No one wants to end up with a hip so unhealthy a saw is required to fix it!  What you really want to focus on is hip mobility, NOT hypermobility.  Mobility is what allows you to move comfortably through your daily activities like bending down to tie your shoes, reaching for items on a grocery store shelf, and working in your garden. Although it might make an impressive picture, you don’t need to perform hypermobile hip poses.  In fact, hypermobility may indicate destabilization of your joints – that's not healthy! 3  

 

Balancing Strength and Flexibility for Healthy Hip Mobility

Hip strength is the first component of hip mobility.  If the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that support your hip joints are weak, it can interfere with walking and running. Weak hips allow you to will sink into the ground with each step instead of rebounding forward. This weakness can lead to injury over time as your joints are strained by too much torque. Support from strong muscles, tendons, and ligaments stabilize your hip joints and prevent injuries.

Hip flexibility is the second component of hip mobility. As you age, your ligaments change, your muscles and fascia may tighten, which increases stiffness and decreases flexibility. A sedentary lifestyle and excessive sitting are a couple more reasons for why you develop stiff hips which limit your range-of-motion. This can then limit your ability to squat which, in turn, affects your ability to complete daily tasks like caring for grandchildren or pets. 4

How Healthy Are Your Hips? - testing for strength and flexibility

These self-tests will establish a benchmark which enables you to gauge improvement. First, you will test your hip strength. Next, you will test your hip flexibility.

SKIP THE TESTS!   If you’re not able to stand on one foot safely, have balance issues, or have had hip replacement surgery - start by talking to your doctor about your current health and work with your doctor to find the right plan for you. 

 
1. CHECK YOUR HIP STRENGTH 6

Can you stand on one leg with your other knee parallel to the floor for 10 seconds?
This quick test can give you clues about the strength of your hip flexors—as well as the strength of your glutes and core.

The Test: You’ll need a sturdy chair or workout box. You may also want to perform this near a wall that you can hold on to if needed and place the chair on a non-skid surface. 

 

 

 

 

If You Were Able to Stand with Good Form for 10 Seconds on Each Leg:
That’s a sign your hip flexors, glutes, and core are in good health. Specifically, it means they’re working together to keep you stable—as you walk, climb stairs, step over obstacles, and generally stay active.

If You Weren’t Able to Maintain Good Form, Couldn’t Hold for 10 Seconds, or Noticed a Big Difference Between Sides
That’s a sign you may have some muscle imbalances caused by weakness in the hip flexors, glutes, or core.

 

 2. CHECK YOUR HIP FLEXIBILITY
This 3 ½ minute video from Dr. Joel Eaby Physical Therapy does a good job of demonstrating the self checks for flexibility – internal rotation, external rotation, flexion, and extension of the hip. 

YOUR GOAL: HIP MOBILITY

annwestyoga.com

Most of us could benefit from working on our hip mobility issues. There are a total of 22 muscles that cross the hip on all sides and at varying angles, including your hip flexors in the front, your hamstrings, glutes, and deep lateral rotators in the back, your inner thigh muscles (collectively called your “adductors”), and your outer thigh muscles (collectively called your “abductors”). 

 

Technically any yoga pose that lengthens any of the 22 muscles that cross the hip improves hip mobility. This means, for example, that all hamstring stretches, all inner thigh stretches, all standing poses, many twists are hip-openers, and as counter-intuitive as it may seem, all back bends are also “good” for hip mobility.

 

Yoga poses create a balance between strength and flexibility in the hips – front to back and side-to-side. When flexibility is combined with strength and control you are able to maintain mobility. 

 Your goal is to safely stretch and release the muscles of the hips and legs while cultivating a healthy balance between strength and flexibility. 7

 

Here are some yoga poses to help keep your hips happy and healthy! 8

As with any physical activity, remember - you must move with the body you have at this moment, not 10 years ago, 10 months ago, 10 weeks ago, 10 days ago or even 10 minutes ago.  Remember - move with care.  A supported variation for each pose is offered.

Low Lunge 

• From a standing position, lower yourself to kneel on one knee. Make sure the other knee lines up over your ankle.
• Pull the hip of your kneeling knee back so that it is in line with your opposite hip.
• Lift your arms overhead and overlap your thumbs.
• Pull your tailbone downward to avoid overarching your lower back.
  

Supported Low Lunge with blocks

Lizard Pose

• From a standing position, lower yourself to kneel on one knee. Make sure your forward knee is over your ankle, and roll your foot slightly to the outside to open your bent leg.
• Lean forward and place your hands on the mat to the inside of your foot.
• For a less intense stretch, keep the forward foot flat on the mat rather than rolling onto the outside edge.
• For a more intense stretch, lean forward further and place your elbows on the mat.

Supported Lizard with blocks, arms extended or bent

Reclined Half Pigeon

• From a sitting position, lie on your back, knees bent.
• Place the ankle of one leg on the knee of the other.
• Bring your legs toward your chest and hold the bent leg with your hands.
• Keep toes of both feet flexed.
• For a deeper stretch, reach for the bottom leg and pull toward your chest gently.

Supported Reclined Half Pigeon on the Wall

Reclined Cobbler’s Pose

• Lie on your back with the soles of your feet together, knees splayed to the outside.
• For a less intense stretch, slide your feet away from your body.
• For a more intense stretch, walk your feet closer to your body and place your hands on your inner thighs.
• To move out of the pose, use your hands to guide your knees together.

Supported Reclined Cobbler's Pose with pillows

1. https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/inside-my-injury-how-i-ended-up-with-a-total-hip-replacement-at-age-45/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=onsiteshare

2. http://sacredsourceyoga.com/physicaltherapy/yoga-and-your-hips-deciphering-femoroacetabular-impingement-and-labral-tears/

3. https://singaporeosteopathy.com/2015/05/03/joint-hypermobility-beyond-the-normal-range-of-movement/

4. Rountree, S. H. (2017). The runner's guide to yoga. Carrboro, NC: TIPS Technical Publishing.

5. https://squatuniversity.com/2015/12/01/the-squat-fix-hip-mobility-pt-1/

6. https://youtu.be/dcOEUVSOiSc

7. Rountree, S. H., & Desiato, A. (2017). Lifelong yoga: Maximizing your balance, flexibility, and core strength in your 50s, 60s, and beyond. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.

8. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/yoga-poses-that-can-stretch-your-hip-muscles/