yoga magazine usa september 2011
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YOGA GIVES BACK THANK YOU MOTHER INDIAGlobal Grass-roots Campaigners, Yoga Gives Back, Offers Yogis Karma Yoga from the Comfort of the Local StudioPhotographed by Jason Chang102For many in the west, the path into yoga practice starts with a desire to try a new fitness routine, then as the practice goes deeper, often a spiritual awakening is triggered bringing an emotional balance and reflection which is new and never experienced before. For some the path goes further, as they strive forTRANSCRIPT
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YOGA GIVES BACK THANK YOU MOTHER INDIA
Global Grass-roots Campaigners, Yoga Gives Back, Offers Yogis Karma Yoga
from the Comfort of the Local Studio
Photographed by Jason Chang
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103103
For many in the west, the path into yoga practice starts with a desire to try a new
fitness routine, then as the practice goes deeper, often a spiritual awakening is triggered
bringing an emotional balance and reflection which is new and never experienced be-
fore. For some the path goes further, as they strive for a greater depth and meaning
to their practice, a way to express gratitude, the ultimate practice of Karma yoga. Los
Angeles-based documentary filmmaker Kayoko Mitsumatsu recalls a similar personal
experience with her yoga practice; Mitsumatsu said her own yoga journey began as a
mission to become healthy, which then took her to learn more about Indian philosophy.
“Asana gives you that reflection… and Indian philosophy taught me that the second half
of your life is about helping others, giving back.” She adds: “What can we do with our
healthy selves?”
From that point, she was able to realize her dream when in 2007, she co-founded
Yoga Gives Back, a non-profit organization with a mission to give back to the founding
country and culture of yoga itself, India, with an intention to help alleviate poverty and
raise awareness. Mitsumatsu reiterates the mantra of Yoga Gives Back, the simple mis-
sion statement: “for the cost of one yoga class, you can change a life.”
Over the last four years, Yoga Gives Back has grown into a global team of grass-root
supporters, with many ambassadors who are teachers giving their studio time to coordi-
nate fundraising classes. Donations collected are then channeled by Yoga Gives Back into
microcredit and direct funding programs across India, targeting communities in areas including
West Bengal and Karnataka.
Embraced by the west, yoga is a gift from ancient India, where 76% of India’s population lives
below the poverty line, while six billion USD is spent on yoga in the U.S. alone each year.
Mitsumatsu regularly practices at Omkar108 yoga studio in Los Angeles, under one
of the country’s few certified Ashtanga teachers, Jorgen Christiansson, a long-time
student of Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois, India’s leading practitioner credited with introducing
Ashtanga to the west, who has for many years taught a number of high profile students
including Sting, Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Julia Roberts, Toby Maguire, and Robert
Downey Jr. Christiansson says that his guru Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois gave him a gift of life-
long practice and patience, faith, and respect. Along with MahaMondo.com, Christians-
son spearheaded the first ever Thank You Mother India fundraising day in 2010, with
an event in Los Angeles. Yoga Gives Back was encouraged by the success of this event,
raising over $2000 USD. This year, Mitsumatsu has seen the yoga community across the
globe focus on making the second Thank You Mother India day even bigger and more
joyous.
Christiansson strongly believes in the words of Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois: “Practice and all
is coming,” and he has successfully applied this principle to his own life and has strived
to encourage and instill the same within his students and community. For Christians-
son, the notion of uniting the global yoga community for Thank You Mother India is truly
inspiring, uniting all styles supporting in true yoga spirit. Donating time and uniting the yoga
community offers Christiansson personal gratification and a way to express gratitude to
India for everything it has given him. “I got so much from India, my support to this cause is
a way to give back. I’m very grateful for this opportunity,” said Christiansson.
On September 17, 2011, Yoga Gives Back has energized the global yoga community for a
one-off day of donation classes and events, focusing on raising global awareness on the cam-
paign. Already there are more than 30 studios signed on, with more joining on a weekly basis.
Studios from Brazil, the UK, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, and Tokyo will be holding hands
with partners across the U.S. “This is unprecedented. This campaign has become glob-
al, and Yoga Gives Back is very excited about the power of the message, it’s become like
a chain reaction as more and more people have joined to take action,” says Mitsumatsu.
Over the last four years, Yoga Gives Back has grown into a global team of grass-root supporters, with many ambassadors who are teachers giving their studio time to coordinate fundraising classes.
Jorgen Christiansson
of Omkar108 studio, Los Angeles
Photographed by Hale Davis
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Yoga Gives Back in Action: Jayashree’s Story
Following Thank You Mother India in 2010, the YGB team visited one of its ongoing beneficiaries Jayashree,
who lives in Bangalore, Karnataka. As always, Jayashree and her husband Ramo welcomed the group with big
smiles. Their four-year-old son, Hoysin, who is now speaking and spelling in English, was there as well.
At this time, Jayashree had qualified for her fourth microloan from Grameen Koota. She received 30,000 Rs.
(about $700), which is quadruple the amount of her first loan in 2007. Jayashree and Ramo decided to put the
entire loan amount toward their eldest son, Gopovsad’s, medical college education. Fulfilling the family dream
and top priority, Gopovsad is now enrolled in college and is studying to be a dentist/surgeon, away from home.
In order to pay off the loan, Jayashree runs two businesses - a tailoring shop and a snack shop. Jayashree set up
her sewing machine in front of her snack shop to attract more customers and help maximize profit. Witnessing
Jayashree’s hard work to make her dream come true, YGB decided to provide Jayashree with the funds to pay
off her loan which provided for Gopovsad’s annual tuition. She will now be able to pay this back, and retain the
profits from her hard work.
STUDIO PHONE WEB ADDRESS CITYCALIFORNIA Yoga Viva (760) 525-0883 yogaviva.us Encinitas Omkar 108 Yoga (310) 991-9642 omkar108.com Los Angeles Yoga Works Westwood (310) 234-1200 yogaworks.com Los Angeles Liberation Yoga (310) 964-5222 liberationyoga.com Los Angeles The Yoga Place (213) 290-1897 theyogaplace.com Los Angeles Black Dog Yoga (818) 380-0331 blackdogyoga.net Los Angeles Yoga World Studio (562) 804-5525 yogaworldstudio.com Long Beach Mission Street Yoga (626) 441-1144 missionyogastreet.com Pasadena Yoga Soup (805) 965-8811 yogasoup.com Santa Barbara Yogis Anonymous (805) 965-8811 yogisanonymous.com Santa Monica Santa Monica Yoga (310) 396-4040 santamonicayoga.com Santa Monica COLORADO Om Time (7200 565-6115 omtime.com Boulder Synergy (970)748-1911 synergyvail.com Vail FLORIDA Miami Life Centre (305) 534-8988 miamilifecenter.com Miami ILLINOIS Yoga 360 Studio and Spa (815) 806-0360 yoga-360.com Chicago NEW YORK Yoga Sutra NYC (212) 490-1443 yogasutra.com New York New York Yoga (212) 717-9642 newyorkyoga.com New York NORTH CAROLINA Y2 Yoga (704) 456-9642 y2yoga.com Charlotte Yoga Flex (704) 543-8000 yogaflexnc.com Asheville Yoga Centre (828) 254-0380 youryoga.com PENNSYLVANIA Yoga Flow (724) 733-5038 yogaflowpittsburgh.com Pittsburgh TEXAS Yoga One Houston (713) 522-0876 yogaonehouston.com Houston
Jayashree, Ramo and Hoysin
of Bangalore, Karnataka
Photographed by Sophie Herbert
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For further information on
Yoga Gives Back, visit
yogagivesback.org
For details on Thank You Mother India events,
participating studios and ways to donate, visit
yogagivesback.org/tymi.php
For details on Jorgen Christiansson and
Omkar108 Yoga in Los Angeles, visit
omkar108.com
In 2010, alongside the original support for micro financ-
ing programs in India through Grameen Foundation,
YGB launched a direct funding program called Sister
Aid, to specifically support education and vocational
training projects as well as microcredit. Within a year,
Sister Aid has grown to support 56 impoverished
mothers, their children, and orphans, in West Ben-
gal and Karnataka states, in collaboration with highly
reputable non-governmental organizations. Among 22
mothers who received microloans this year, 15 women
are already making profits. YGB funding also ensures their
daughters and orphans to receive full education for a year.
“Funds raised through Thank You Mother India will enable at
least a further 50 or 60 individuals to receive financial support
in such a way. You can do your karma yoga from your local
yoga studio,” says Mitsumatsu.
*INTERNATIONAL COSTA RICA Samasati Nature Retreat 1.800.563.9643 samasati.com Peace Retreat (506) 8807-1948 peaceretreat.ca HONG KONG yoga mala 21160894 yogamala.com.hk Pure Yoga 852 3691 3988 pure-international.com BRAZIL True Love Yoga 55 (21)8108-9801 trueloveyoga.com Rio De Janeiro Yoga Flow 55 (11) 3849 6857 yogaflow.com.br Sao Paulo SWEDEN Yogayama 08-660 8860 yogayama.se Stockholm NETHERLANDS Karl Straub 917-622-5509 karlstraub.com Zutphen AUSTRALIA Kevin James Carroll kevinjameskirtan.com Byron Bay, Birisbane SPONSORS Omkar 108 Yoga omkar108.comAshtanga Yoga New York ayny.org Samasati Retreat Costa Rica samasati.com Steven Woodruff Family stevenwoodruff.com PARTNERS/SUPPORTERS Maha Mondo mahamondo.com Yoga Month yogamonth.org Core Power Yoga corepoweryoga.com Zobha zobha.comAshtanga Yoga Institute Rome ashtanga.it Mind Body Green mindbodygreen.com C Pur cpur.com
Photographed by Sophie Herbert
Photographed by Sophie Herbert
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