Yoga is a Sanskrit term derived from two words — one means unite and the other means discipline. Yoga is — at its heart and its origin — a praxis and a philosophy for engaging the work of self-integration and relational integration. To practice yoga is to develop a discipline of study and embodiment towards realizing wholeness — not just within yourself but within community and within the entire web of life.
We live in a time when realizing the truth of interconnectedness is critical to survival. How we choose to engage this moment determines not only our own well-being but the well-being of many. Spiritual practitioners from all traditions have a moral imperative to recognize the intersection between self-care and community care, self-development and eco/social-development, self-liberation and collective liberation.
Yoga for Social Change is a community-building study and support group for practitioners of all persuasions who want to reflect on how our spiritual practices and mind-body practices can be optimally engaged to support healing in our communities and in the world.
Through monthly reading selections, contemplative reflection, and discussion, we commit to growing our capacity to listen well, see clearly, understand well, love well, and live more skillfully as mindful stewards, allies, and protectors of our inner spirit, our local communities, and our global family.
What to Expect
🌈 Year-round series begins February 2025 and runs through March 2026. You can participate in part of the series or commit to the entire series.
🌈 An introductory session will be held on Monday February 3rd 6pm – 7:30 on Zoom.
🌈 Participants receive a monthly newsletter introducing the reading and themes for the coming month as well as key quotes and cliff notes.
🌈 A shared online space is available for sharing favorite quotes from the reading or posting written reflections.
🌈 Monthly Tea & Chat. 2nd Sundays @ 4pm on Zoom. Participants come and go as they wish —arrive late/leave early as needed.
🌈 Contemplative Speakeasy. Final Monday of each month from 6pm – 7:45pm. A group contemplative practice drawn from the month’s reading selection and themes will be followed by a brief period for reflection and journaling. The session concludes with an opportunity to share and listen to others reflections on the month’s themes and reading selections. “Speakeasy” in this context means to speak whatever is on your heart!
🌈 Group listening parties will be held each month on Zoom for those interested in listenening to an expert talk, dharma talk, or podcast that supports the month’s reading and themes (times/days will vary).
🌈 Participants are encouraged to choose their own level of participation and may register with the intention of participating in all of the group events, some of the group events, written reflections only, or simply receiving the monthly newsletter and following along with the readings and commentary quietly on their own time.
Cost & Registration
In the interest of accessible community care spaces, this is a donation-based series. Participants are asked to consider the value of the facilitator’s time and energy and make a donation that feels like a healthy exchange for your participation according to your own budget. Those with extra to give are welcome to consider a greater contribution amount to support the participation of those with more limited resources.
You can choose any of the following options when considering your donation amount:
➡️ Make a donation that covers your participation for the entire year
➡️ Make a quarterly contribution (quarterly reminders will go out with group communications)
➡️ Make a donation to participate in a single section of the series (two months) if you are joining the group to read and discuss only one particular book/theme on the series list (you are welcome to continue on with the series after the completion of the book if you decide you want to keep going)
Registration donations for the series do not include the cost of books. A few of the books on the series list are available to read or print for free online; others are available in used condition if you would like to cut costs. A slush fund is available to anyone who needs financial assistance for purchasing a book ❤️
When you click the registration link, you will be asked to choose one of the suggested donation amounts or you can enter a custom amount of your choice on the donation page by clicking the box that reads $0.00
Themes & Reading Selections
I have paced the course so that reading selections do not exceed 100 pages per month. I will include excerpts and cliffs notes from the readings in our monthly mailings for those who want to engage with the themes and readings but may not have time to read the entire selection. Supplemental podcasts and articles (available for free online) will also be offered each month for those who wish to do further reading or listening on the current month’s themes.
February & March Theme 🔹 Building Beloved Community
Book Selection: Brothers in the Beloved Community: The Friendship of Thich Nhat Hanh and Martin Luther King, Jr. Marc Andrus
April & May Theme 🔹 Yoga in the Real World
Book Selection: Skill in Action — Radicalizing Your Yoga Practice to Create a Just World. Michelle Cassandra Johnson
June & July Theme 🔹 Our Bodies are Agents of Social Change
Book Selection: The Body is Not an Apology. Sonya Renee Taylor
Additional Essay: Notes on How to Save the World. Jenne Sluder
August & September Theme 🔹 The Wisdom of No Escape
Book Selection: Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism. Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche
October & November Theme 🔹 Anger, Spirituality & Action
Book Selection: Love & Rage: The Path of Liberation Through Anger. Lama Rod Owens
December & January Theme 🔹 Disrupting Systems of Oppression with Jesus, Gandhi & The Buddha
Jesus & The Disinherited. Howard Thurman
America’s Racial Karma. Dr. Larry Ward
February & March Theme: Enlightened Hope & The Dream of the Earth
Book Selection: Active Hope — How to Face the Mess We’re in Without Going Crazy. Joanna Macy & Chris Johnstone
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