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Modo Yoga fighting for access to clean water for everyone

Modo Yoga’s ninth annual “Grow Your Yoga” campaign is happening April 1-30, 2017.

This year, we’re raising funds and awareness for those who lack access to clean water, something we believe should be a basic human right for all.

One of the organizations we’re working with is 350.org who work around the world to prevent disastrous climate change.

This is what they had to say:

Our name signifies the safe level of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, 350 parts per million, but we are now over 400 ppm.

350.org has helped build a global movement behind the goal of transitioning the world beyond fossil fuels and embracing a renewable energy future.

At heart of so much of our work is the need to protect our valuable water resources.

2016 was the hottest year on record, and in 2017 we’ve already seen disastrous impacts around the world because of climate change — mudslides in Peru, sea level rise in the Pacific islands, droughts throughout eastern and southern Africa and in Saudi Arabia, three months worth of rain fell in 24 hours.

Everywhere we look people’s communities are at risk because their water is threatened by increasing climate change.

Extreme energy projects, like the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines in North America, also threaten to poison our climate, air, water, land, and violate Indigenous rights.

That’s why 350.org has partnered with Indigenous allies and water protectors to stop these pipelines, because we know water is life.

We’ve supported the fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline on the ground and across the country.

Our team members went to North Dakota to support actions against the Dakota Access Pipeline throughout the fight.

On Sept. 13, we held a national day of action to stand with Standing Rock.

Thousands around the world stood in solidarity with Standing Rock in over 200 actions, with 3,000 people mobilized in Washington, D.C. alone.

On Nov. 15, we helped organize tens of thousands to join over 300 rallies across all 50 states to urge U.S. President Barack Obama and the Army Corps of Engineers to permanently reject the Dakota Access Pipeline.

While we succeeded in halting the pipeline under President Obama, our work continues under Donald Trump’s administration.

We can’t thank Modo Yoga and their “Grow Your Yoga” campaign enough for supporting 350.org’s work, pushing back against the fossil fuel industry and helping keep our water clean.

Together, we can build a renewable energy future for all.

— Matt Hillsberg and Thelma Young, 350.org

(Photo credit: Eman Mohammed: “Water protectors march in Washington D.C. on Nov. 11, 2016 during the #NODAPL day of action.”)

What is ‘Grow Your Yoga’ and how can I get involved?

This is our ninth annual “Grow Your Yoga” 30-day on-and-off the mat challenge.

Every year, we share a “Grow Your Yoga” intention for our 30-day challenge.

This year, our focus is water; last year it was climate change.

We seek to connect our practice with positive change.

The essence of “Grow Your Yoga” is to make the broader tones of our six pillars heard right down deep, so that we can not only support our shared intention, but support our own.

We are after all, only as strong in community as we are as the individuals that make it up.

Our six pillars are:

  • Be Healthy
  • Be Accessible
  • Live Green
  • Be Community
  • Live to Learn
  • Be Peace

The six pillars were created with the guidance of yoga philosophy.

Although the words are not in Sanskrit, each pillar is a salute to the teachings of the Buddha, the fundamental ethical guidelines outlined by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra, and the vastness of yoga teachings in general.

The six pillars keep us true to the fact that yoga as a tradition is a vast sea, and the postures are merely a drop in that sea.

The six pillars are our way to be sure we are always honouring the breadth of yoga, rather than simply taking the posture, or asana, part out and saying, “OK, I’m done here.”

One thing every Modo Yoga teacher shares is a vigorous 500-hour, 11-month training.

One of the core teachings of this training is providing anatomy and physiology learning that allows for each teacher to bring repetition and variation (and healthy accessibility) to each and every class.

One of the key lessons in Live to learn is to explore, first in our own anatomy, how every posture looks a little different for everyone.

Teachers lead students to listen to their own bodies and make decisions for themselves on the mat.

You’ve probably heard a teacher say “listen to your body.” Have you ever broken the norm and just lay down on your mat because you had a killer long day?

It feels strange at first, but then it feels kind of awesome, right?

During “Grow Your Yoga,” we take this listening a step deeper as a collective.

We encourage each other to ask ourselves – am I shaping the life I want to live? Is my life reflecting who I want to be as a person, or as a yogi?

During “Grow Your Yoga,” we use our 30-days of dedicated practice to ask ourselves: “Am I listening to myself?” “How Can I be healthier?” “How can I reach out and create a change that I know I am capable of creating?”

We open a dialogue to challenge ourselves in community to be, all cliché aside, all that we can be.

So, that’s what we mean by “Grow Your Yoga.”

We’re talking on Instagram and Facebook; we’re gathering at studios; we’re fundraising on CrowdRise and we’re having a lot of fun along the way.

If you’re not near a studio, you are welcome to join the Modo International team.

Thank you for broadening our collective practice of this amazing tradition! If you are participating, have a great challenge. Maybe we’ll surpass $150,000 in community!

— Hope to see you around, Jess

10 things all travelling yogis need to know

This morning, I woke up a new part of the Canada, in a new home, and after practicing a little Reiki and meditation in a new bed, I wandered into a new kitchen.

I tried to make myself tea. I looked for mugs first, obviously, right?

Mugs. Basic. Every house should have mugs.

I looked through all the kitchen cupboards. No mugs. Sigh.

But, this being the house of a yoga studio owner, there are tons and tons of mason jars-cum-cups so I settle for tea from a jar.

We can be flexible about theses things, yes?

I have had many, many mornings like this in the past two years. New house. Wake up. Where am I? Oh right, I’m in X town, staying with Y friend/family member/friends of friends.

How do I get going today? What are the days’ priorities? What am I doing?

There is no routine, no set schedule, no boss to report to. I set the routine, I set the schedule, I report to me.

No matter where I am, the morning almost always consists of a set routine of teeth-brushing, meditation, breakfast, tea, yoga practice, then on to who-knows-what.

This day in particular began very well; there was a beautiful warm light filtering into the cluttered bedroom in which I was sleeping, no one was home but the family dog and there were more funny cat videos on Facebook than usual.

These elements set a light tone in my heart for meditation.

I’ve progressively become more and more skilled at being a backpack-bound, traveling person; I’ve learned many many things while on the road.

Here are 10 lessons from a vagabond yogi:

  1. Always pack lighter than I think I need. I have to carry what I take with me on my back.I literally have to bear the weight of it all and that super sucks when I’m tired (metaphor for life?).If I need something a) it will magically appear when I need it, b) someone will lend it to me, or c) we live in a world where you can almost always get everything you need within a day — so I can go buy it.

    I do not carry around the ‘just in case’ stuff just in case. Unless it’s rain gear and I’m traveling in B.C. That’s stuff’s non-negotiable.

  2. Always pack essential health foods that I don’t-really-need-but-make-me-feel-awesome.I didn’t do this while traveling in India and I paid the price.

    I now always travel with vitamins, matcha tea, superfood trail mix and superfood powders for smoothies.

    I will no longer settle for letting my body kind of OK. Nobody wins when my health is strained.

  3. I will always be OK. Really truly.Things go south all the time, and I am still ok. Plans go up in flames usually to make room for other equally awesome plans.

    Just because the universe has my back, it doesn’t mean I will always get my way.

  4. People are incredibly generous and want to help me. This fact still gets me every time I live it.People will feed me, clothe me, offer me more than I need, and ask for nothing in return. People can be saintly.

    The flip side to this is do not judge a person by how they look. Look deeper.

    They will always turn out more interesting, kind, compassionate, loving, generous than I originally assumed.

  5. My default mode is to be social, but it’s not the only way to recharge.I need alone time too and just because I am staying in someone else’s home doesn’t mean that I have to hang out with them all the time.

    If I need to fly solo for a bit to recharge, I can know that that’s fine. No one wins if I’m a grouchy pants.

  6. I am responsible for knowing, being aware of, and maintaining my boundaries.
    Warning: astrology reference. Being a water sign (Cancer!) I can be emotional, and those emotions tell me a lot of awesome info that I am maybe not conscious of otherwise.It’s my job to wake up and feel the feelings. No one else is gonna do that for me.
  7. I have enough money. Always. Period. I have known tight-pocketed-times, but again, prosperity always comes. I can afford healthy food.I can afford to take the bus if my body is beat. I can buy people thank-you gifts (no Dom Perignon here, but something sweet like flowers or maybe, for this house I’m staying in right now, mugs!)

    In fact, it brings more wealth to be generous with my money.

  8. This whole hair-brained plan of traveling and teaching will not work if I am not trusting my gut.If the idea “I want to travel and teach for about three years” makes my eyes light up and tummy flip, then it’s a good idea.
  9. If after a few minutes after having that idea, I hear the mental chatter about why it won’t work out and I feel myself retracting like a turtle backing into its shell away from the vision, I have to turn to those fear-based feelings (because, no, they don’t get to run the show) and hold their hands and keep stepping forward.
  10. None of this is possible without the unbelievable support, enthusiasm, and hardwork big-heartedness of the Modo community.These plans are fabulous to dream up, scary as hell to put into motion, and unbelievably enriching to live out-loud.

    I often refer to this community as my spirit family. This is a group of people who understand, encourage, and help me to realize my life vision.

    I can show up in all my colours, shades and hues of personality and they still love me.

You’ll hear more from me as I delve into this journey of traveling, teaching, and running social media for Modo Yoga.

I feel pretty lucky to be able to share a piece of my life with you.

— big love, Kat