Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home by Toko-pa Turner beautifully reframes belonging—not as a social condition, but as an inner skill: an ongoing practice of reconnection with the self, ancestral roots, the sacredness of life, and our spiritual nature. Through a skillful blend of myth, Jungian psychology, personal narrative, and dreamwork, she explores how modern life often severs us from our ancestral, spiritual, and intuitive roots. The result is a quiet estrangement many feel but struggle to name.
Within the book, Turner offers profound insight into how we might reclaim the parts of ourselves lost to inherited trauma, cultural conditioning, and the pressures of conformity.
For those on the yogic path, this reframing resonates deeply—yoga too invites us to cultivate mindful presence, self-study (svadhyaya), and the integration of our physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions. Turner’s message—that belonging begins as an inner homecoming—echoes the heart of yoga: the remembering and reclaiming of our inherent wholeness.
Here is an excerpt:
“When the individual’s needs are at odds with the group or relationship, they must break into new ground, either by choice or by divine intervention. More often than not, we either resist, ignore, or reject these calls to attrition. We leave our roots planted in the shallow soil of false belonging for whatever benefits they might be affording us. But if we haven’t been listening to the early warning signs of restlessness, doubt, and longing, one day a strong gust of fate will blow through our lives and knock us right out of that soil.
The door slams shut on your old way of life. The way home is completely lost. By home, I don’t just mean a geography or culture, though that is an excruciating form of exile that many millions of people are facing. I also mean “the way things were” in a broader sense: a golden era, a cherished relationship, a role in your community or family, a career track, or even in the ability of your own body.
These are what I call initiations by exile because, as we discover in myths and fairy tales, every hero or heroine must endure a period of their own exile if they are to be initiated into the true medicine of their calling.”
Here are some practices and thematic insights explored in the book for the embodiment of its teachings:
1. Dreamwork as Inner Compass
Turner emphasizes the profound importance of dreams as a bridge between the conscious and unconscious self. She presents dreamwork as a meaningful, intentional practice: attending to dreams, reflecting on their imagery, and allowing their symbolic messages to guide your journey toward belonging.
2. Rituals That Anchor and Heal
Ritual, in Turner’s view, forms a vital pathway to belonging. Whether through simple daily routines or more elaborate ceremonies, rituals help ground our experiences and mark transitions. They offer a tangible way to reconnect with ourselves, with others, and with ancestral traditions.
3. Reciprocity and Community Engagement
True belonging emerges through reciprocity—active, mutual engagement within community. Turner calls upon us to move beyond superficial connections and instead participate in shared care, listening, and honoring individual gifts. This fosters genuine inclusion and deeper relational bonds.
4. Cultivating Invitational Presence
Turner invites us to embody inner hospitality, becoming intentionally approachable and present. This repositioning—from isolated to inviting—enables deeper connections and intimacy through presence and trust.
5. Story, Myth, and Restorying
Through the power of myth, symbol, and storytelling, Turner encourages us to engage with our personal and cultural narratives—embracing discomfort as a gateway to transformation—so we can restory our lives and reorient ourselves toward belonging.
If you found this article valuable, please consider supporting INDA Yoga with a donation. Your generosity allows me to dedicate myself to researching, synthesizing, and sharing these profound teachings in an accessible, practical way—nurturing the emergence of the Golden Age, or what other modern mystics refer to as the new Earth, the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible. In the spirit of dharma, may your contribution return to you manyfold—in clarity, peace, and blessings along your path.
With love and gratitude,
Teacher Inda
Helping you remember and embody your inner light.
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