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 do yoga is to develop a discipline of study and practice towards realizing wholeness — not just within yourself but 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 year-long course of study and a community-building support group. It is a space for practitioners of all persuasions to set aside time each month to reflect on how our practice can be engaged to support healing in the world.
Through monthly reading selections, contemplative reflection, and open 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.
🌈 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 cliffs notes.
🌈 A shared online space is available for ongoing written reflection and sharing favorite quotes from the reading.
🌈 Monthly Tea & Chat takes place on 2nd Sundays @ 4pm on Zoom. Participants come and go as they wish —arrive late/leave early as needed.
🌈 Contemplative Speakeasy is held on the final Monday of each month from 6pm – 7:45pm. A short period of meditation and mind-body practice drawn from the month’s reading selection and/or themes is followed by a period of journaling and an opportunity for mindful group sharing and reflection on the month’s themes. “Speakeasy” in this context means to speak whatever is on your heart.
🌈 Group listening parties will be held each month on Zoom to listen 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 (particularly as a working disabled person) in shaping and facilitating a year-long program. Please make a donation that feels like a healthy exchange for your participation according to your own budget.
Those with extra to give are encouraged to consider a greater contribution to offset those who need to respect their limited resources.
Make a donation that covers the entire year — or — make a quarterly contribution (quarterly reminders will go out with group communications).
Your donation for the series does not include the cost of books. I was able to purchase the complete series of books we will be reading for $99. A few of these books are available to read or print for free online and others are available in used condition if you would like to cut reading costs. A slush fund is available to anyone who needs financial assistance for books ❤️
Choose one of the suggested donation amounts or enter a custom amount on the donation page by clicking the box that reads $0.00 to enter a donation amount of your choice.
Themes & Reading Selections
The reading list will be provided in advance as we move through the series and I have paced the course out so that no one will feel obligated to read more than 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.
Brothers in the Beloved Community: The Friendship of Thich Nhat Hanh and Martin Luther King, Jr. Marc Andrus
Skill in Action: Radicalizing Your Yoga Practice to Create a Just World. Michelle Cassandra Johnson
Notes on How to Save the World. Jenne Sluder
The Body is Not an Apology. Sonya Renee Taylor
Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism. Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche
Love & Rage: The Path of Liberation Through Anger. Lama Rod Owens
Jesus & The Disinherited. Howard Thurman
America’s Racial Karma. Dr. Larry Ward
Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in Without Going Crazy. Joanna Macy & Chris Johnstone
Recent Comments