Posts made in May, 2012

In peace building efforts it is important to go slow, not to expect immediate results or for a project to blast off immediately, and listen to the recipient’s feedback. Last year there was an “arab spring uprising”, in places such as Syria, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen. These did not happen overnight, nor did they happen without open ears and hearts. The planning for these uprisings took a lot more time than what we might have witnessed from the outside. There was much discussion and  I know this, because a dear friend of mine was a key planner in the events that unfolded in Egypt. I reminded parents this today. They should not worry if they cannot practice a lot with their child, or their child does not catch on immediately. Instead, it is important...

Tree pose is one of the most famous poses in yoga practices around the world. A balance pose, it helps not only your physical balance, but also teaches the spiritual balance between the earth and sky. I always remind students that you can grow your tree in any direction, even downward…. so today, I saw this picture and just had to share it!   Share this:Facebook

Yoga for Special Needs children is an unique situation in terms of peace studies. While you are trying to affect the children and bring some peace through relaxation, focus, and calming, into their lives, you often have to work with the parents. While this is different than most peace-related work, where you aim to direct your attention to the people whom you are serving, there’s a sense that this is similar to a lot of international development: an organization in a developing country is used as a third-party manager, a sort of liason between the donor and the community. This, as you very well know, is one of the biggest difficulties in development projects: getting the donor to understand the needs of the community and provide funding appropriately. I got...

I’ve been working “in the field” of “yoga therapy” for a few years now, and have experienced a wide spectrum of individuals with their own needs, whether physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral. Some people come for stress and depression; others after being diagnosed with a physical health concern such as arthritis, heart health, or diabetes; and still others for relationship issues including anger management. I was invited to facilitate a workshop on Yoga, ADD and ASD at a brand new speech & hearing clinic in Koramangala, Bangalore. I’ve worked with a few children who have these issues in the past, and I’ve also been working with similarly challenged women in an NGO in Bangalore and private students (children) as...