Mission

Mission Statement

Living Yoga is a non-profit outreach program teaching yoga as a tool for personal change in prisons, drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, transitional facilities, and to populations who would otherwise not have access to it.

Vision Statement

We believe that yoga creates and supports positive change from the inside out for all individuals. We recognize there are vast numbers of people who do not have access to this practice and its benefits including stress management, self-awareness, impulse control, mindfulness, and distress tolerance. We believe the health of any community is dependent on the health of all of its members. Living Yoga implements its compassionate mission by providing yoga support services with volunteer teachers. It is our vision to broaden our services to expand our reach to include marginalized populations in the United States.

Guiding Values

Living Yoga commits to these principles in fulfilling our mission. Our values are the framework within which we seek to address the needs of the community, the administrative responsibilities of our organization, and the manner in which we communicate with all whom we serve.

Transformation

“helping people create positive change from the inside out…”

• We honor all people and the underlying potential for greatness in their lives. Through the practices of yoga and meditation, we teach skills which support each student’s ability to pursue their full potential.
• We encourage our students to utilize these skills outside the classroom, contributing positively to the communities in which they live.

 Truthfulness 

• We strive for transparent honesty in our communication with donors, institutions, staff, and students.
• We conduct ourselves with consistency in word and deed, maintaining integrity and professionalism in all our community interactions.

Respect and Compassion

• We honor the diversity of our students and teachers, endeavoring to provide outreach in a manner that is proactive and informative, but respectful of individual beliefs and culture.
• We encourage non-violent communication, openness, and safety in our classes, compassionately aware of the personal challenges experienced by many of our students.
• We are respectful of the internal cultures of the institutions in which we serve.

Sustainability

• We honor the mission of Living Yoga by maintaining administrative systems, policies, and procedures that ensure long-term sustainability of our programs.
• We prepare for growth through clear documentation, codification, and systematic record keeping.
• We encourage the effective and sustained development of human resources by providing meaningful opportunities, extensive training, mentoring, and support.

Service

• We honor the practice of selfless service, or Karma Yoga, recognizing that the one served and the one serving are both being transformed.
• We engage the community to identify opportunities, and mindfully match our resources to these needs in a manner consistent with the Mission and Guiding Values of Living Yoga.