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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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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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