Dear Friends in Yoga,
We pause on our Yogathon announcements and fundraising to re-affirm that we are committed to stand together as an ally with all who value racial equality, freedom and justice. Recent events lift the veil of ignorance higher and higher, exposing clearly the tragic imbalances, harms and injustices surrounding human beings of color close to home and across the world. We move forward with intention as an organization, guided by the foundational principles of Yoga, including ahimsa (non-violence) and satya (truthfulness). We want to thoughtfully engage with you, members of our community, to courageously overcome the obstacles within ourselves that are counterproductive.
To that end, we will:
- Share Resources on our Website – providing our community members with useful tools to inform and engage, and ultimately help create a more just and inclusive world.
- Train with CVTC – continuing to work with the Crime Victims Treatment Center to educate our Teachers, Staff and Board in sensitivity, bias and trauma-informed training.
- Expand our Outreach – reaching out to all Association Teachers to create a collective for all who wish to explore the ways we can improve Iyengar Yoga, and our accessibility to all who can benefit from it within the five-boroughs, the three-state charter of our Association, and beyond.
These actions are just a beginning. We pledge to be part of the solution to restore justice, reduce harm and heal the deep wounds of racism that affect us all.
We plan to hold the Yogathon this Sunday, June 7th starting at 12:00pm to keep our organization afloat so we can move forward with these actions and our mission to spread Iyengar Yoga. It will be an affirmation of the subject of Yoga and our connectedness to one another. Please go to iyengarnyc.org for information on how to participate.
Yoga teaches us to lift ourselves up in adversity. It is a preventative, protective, healing art, science and philosophy. We learn to buoy ourselves up and first, stand on our own two feet, building up the health of our bodies and the stability of our minds. Then, we learn to lift and spread our arms and open our chest so we can reach out across the divisions that separate us and help one another.
Let’s join together to uphold the essential human qualities of empathy, respect and love as we forge ahead.
Sincerely,
Sharib Khan, IYAGNY Board President
James Murphy, Association Director
Edward McKeaney, Executive Director
On behalf of IYAGNY’s Board of Directors, Association Teachers, Faculty and Staff.