About

yogaServe is a coalition of volunteer yoga instructors who wish to bring the benefits of yoga to those who are under-served in our community (which, depending on how you look at it, is Columbus, Ohio/central Ohio or the broader world around us, as service has no bounds). Yoga’s benefits are wide-ranging (see more under the “research” tab) and affect a person’s physical, emotional, mental, and holistic wellbeing. Yet in our culture access to yoga still remains limited to those who can afford it and who feel comfortable seeking out classes in traditional settings. Yoga’s healing benefits transcend racial, socioeconomic, gender, religious, ethnic, and cultural bounds.

Instructors associated with yogaServe’s blog are united in the fundamental belief that self-care (in the form of yoga) is critical toward healing the wounds of those who live on the margins of society. At the core of this healing is a commitment to helping each person reconnect with her/his own self-worth.

As the great poet of Persia, Hafiz, said:  ”I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being.”

Those who are victimized, traumatized, ill, mentally ill, living in shame, incarcerated, homeless, living in poverty, or otherwise “at-risk” deserve to be reminded of their dignity and worth. It is a passion for this – and for yoga, of course – that drove us to create this space to share what we’re learning.

The purpose of this blog is to share our collective efforts teaching yoga programs aimed toward these populations, and building an outlet through which yoga instructors can give back and unite in a spirit of service. It serves as a space to share our experiences , motivate others in the spirit of service, and connect with those in our immediate community and our global yogic community.