Yoga Based Wellness Programs

"Go out and serve the suffering. Learn to place others in front of yourself." - Amma

Here are some of my thoughts about how do we create Yoga-based wellness programs that meet the needs of those who need them most?

1) We follow our hearts and do what we think needs to be done and go to where we are called
2)  We make coalitions, partnerships and alliances we other people and organizations within the community
3) We listen to people and see what they want and need and make them a part of the program
4) We get educated so we actually have something to offer
5) We don't forget that we are doing yoga

1) We follow our hearts and do what we think needs to be done and go to where we are called.

“Each of us has a unique part to play in the healing of the world.” 

― Marianne Williamson

A friend of mine Freidel Kushman has started a program on Skid Row called I AM WELLBEING
She was called to Skid Row. I am not sure why, but, she is there doing amazing things.

This is her newsletter
http://us7.campaign-archive1.com/?u=6a36199af46ee852b9d0a328b&id=3df6e86fb3

I started People of Color Yoga for All Bodies because I believed yoga has priced minorities out of the classes and people who are not white and super thin feel uncomfortable in traditional yoga classes.

I started other programs at the Yogi Tree like: 30 days to Self Discovery, 40 days to Optimal Health, 40 Days to Transformation, and Life Purpose Bootcamp because I saw suffering and I wanted to help.

We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. 

We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty. 

- Mother Teresa

2)  We make coalitions, partnerships and alliance with organizations/groups within the community

They came down on us because we had a grass-roots, real people's revolution, complete with the programs, complete with the unity, complete with the working coalitions, 

where we crossed racial lines. 

-  Bobby Seale

There is a difference between being paternalistic and being of service. When we go into a community as an outsider (or even an insider) we need to be wanted and in partnership.  Since we aren't there to heal anyone (yoga therapists don't heal) we need to be respectful of  people and not think we have all the answers and know what is best for them. We can offer to share techniques, strategies, insights but there should be on forcing, no healing, no I know what is best for you.

3) We listen to people and see what they want and need and make them a part of the program

“Extensive research has shown that no matter how knowledgeable a clinician might be, if he or she is not able to open good communication with the patient, he or she may be of no help.”

I think it's really important to get a feel of what people are looking for. We need to talk to people one on one and seeing what their health concerns are.

4) We need to get educated so we actually have something to offer

Those people who develop the ability to continuously acquire new and better forms of knowledge that they can apply to their work and to their lives will be the movers and shakers in our society for the indefinite future.” 

― Brian Tracy

In order to have an effective yoga based wellness program we need to have something to offer.  I have been working on this by getting trained in Yoga Therapy at IYT and also taking other courses to fill holes in my knowledge.  Being a 200 hour Yoga Teacher wasn't enough training for me to feel comfortable that I could be of service.  That's why I am doing more.

5) We don't forget we are doing yoga

Yoga is not the same as allopathic medicine. We don't give a yoga pose like doctors give out pills. We are concerned with the whole person (body, energy, psycho-emotional self, awareness and joy). A yoga therapist is not a glorified PT or a psychologist we are something different altogether that doesn't fit neatly into the scope of Western Medicine.