So often, we find ourselves wanting to introduce yoga to other communities whose first language is not English. Most of us can probably remember how intimidating it was to attend our first yoga class and not understand many of the teacher’s instructions or yoga terms. So imagine how hard it must be for people of diverse cultures who can’t converse fluently in English.

“It’s all about health, a healthy lifestyle and yoga”
~ Johannes Fisslinger, President of Yoga Health Foundation

The night before the Democratic National Convention begins in Denver on August 24, a group of health conscious delegates and yogis will come together at the Yoga Month Denver Health Festival.

For some of us, spending time at the beach may involve just lying on a beach towel with a good book and some suntan lotion, or going for a stroll or a swim. But for the community at Silvershell Beach in Marion, MA, it means reaching for their yoga mats.

Pennsylvania yoga teacher Raymond Daniel Fogleman is committed to inventing new ways to encourage people to try yoga. As he tells it, while sifting through a pile of toys one day, he came across a toy soldier, which gave him the idea of creating a new kind of action toy – the yogi or yogini action figure.

Here I am, worried about finding the courage to overcome the Neti Pot while the world continues to move forward around me.

My beautiful son is a constant reminder of the newest, joyful adventures in daily life. Every morning and evening, we go for walks, as this is my way of spending some quality time with my partner and son. It’s a balance that we have learned to start and finish the day with.

“That’s the message of yoga – not only looking out for yourself, but globally as well.” ~Michelle Pietrzak-Wegner

Yoga teacher Michelle Pietrzak-Wegner was deeply moved by the plight of survivors of the natural disasters that occurred in Myanmar and China earlier this year. In an effort to provide some solace to them, she joined forces with Souls4Soles, an international charity organization that provides shoes to people in need.

Residents of Grand Traverse, Michigan, may be surprised to learn that yoga is happening just outside their door. This summer, the Grand Traverse community will have the opportunity to enjoy free yoga classes from the Sacred Space Yoga studio. However, they will not be doing their downward facing dog poses indoors. Sacred Space Yoga is introducing yoga newcomers to the benefits of practicing yoga in the great outdoors through a series of free “Yoga in the Park” sessions.

This week, in the beautiful valley of Telluride, Colorado, the first annual Telluride Yoga Festival will welcome local and international yoga practitioners for a three- day retreat. From July 11 to 13, the festival will be offering an array of classes, seminars, and performances led by leading yoga teachers and health professionals.

So I’ve finally done it. I am very happy to say that I finally took the plunge!

As you know from my last post, for weeks after buying my Neti Pot, I just stared and stared at it. Well, finally – I think out of desperation for comfort – I made my first attempt.