What Yogis Can Do For the World
At lunchtime today, I attended the talk about spiritual activism with Seane Corn, Julia Butterfly Hill, and Katchie Ananda (moderated by YJ's Editor in Chief, Kaitlin Quistgaard). Wow, what an awesome and inspiring dialogue. To break it down, the three women on the panel are all activists in the yoga community. Julia is best known for sitting in a tree for two years to save it from being cut down (she also founded The Engage Network and What's Your Tree); Katchie is a San Francisco-based teacher who teaches yoga classes at San Quentin; and Seane Corn has done oodles of projects in places like India and Cambodia, teaching yoga to and raising money for communities in need.
Kaitlin led the panel in a lively discussion about how to get juiced about a cause and go out and make it your own. These ladies are really embodying the true meaning of yoga, which is service—to oneself and to one's community. Seane called herself a reluctant activist, saying that reason she came into activism wasn't initially to help people—it was because she had come into a place of financial abundance and wanted to spread the wealth around. Her point was that you don't need to be a selfless angel in order to go out there and make stuff happen; it doesn't matter why you come to activism, as long as you come to it.
Julia, whom I'd only seen before in pictures during her tree-sit (she's quite beautiful in person), spoke eloquently about the yogic aspects of service, and how to integrate the two together. She gave two pieces of great advice for those who are first dabbling with the idea of making a difference out in their communities, but don't know where to begin. She said:
1 - Don't let what you don't know stop you
2 - Put one foot in front of the other
I was so inspired by the talk that when I later bumped into an old friend who mentioned a volunteer yoga teaching gig that she might need help with, I jumped at the opportunity. Serendipity at it's finest!
Katchie Ananda is the cofounder of Yoga Sangha, a studio renowned for its ability to blend yoga and social change. Certified in Anusara, Jivamukti, Ashtanga, and Integral Yoga, she has more than 20 years of experience as a fulltime yoga teacher, trainer, and workshop/program developer. 
yogajournal.com
vegetariantimes.com
backpacker.com
optimumwellness.com
wholefoodsmarket.com
betternutrition.com