YogaAbove is Here By Donation: The Act of Giving
If you are unfamiliar with how
donation-based yoga works..........
The ancient Gurus of India shares their gift of knowledge with the student without seeking fortune or fame. The student out of respect and love, according to his or her own means, paid whatever they could afford. This donation was referred to as Guru Dakshina, which means "giving out of respect."
Dakshina is an important part of the teacher-student relationship, and a tradition that is an important part of the study and practice of yoga as well. Teaching yoga by donation provides an opportunity for students to cultivate some fundamental yogic qualities, which are essential for personal growth and transformation. To practice yoga is not merely getting into the asanas (physical poses) but also taking the opportunities to practice asteya, simply translated means "refrain from taking without giving," a humble and genuine willingness to give back whenever, and whatever we can in return. In most part of the Western world the idea of giving a donation out of love and respect is in many ways foreign to our sensibilities.
As yoga teachers it is our responsibly to not only guide you in stretching the body but also in stretching the mind. The practice of giving dakshina is a valuable opportunity for us to help guide our students further into self-awareness. It presents a good opening to begin to move beyond yoga as just a physical practice, and to tread into the deeper, more profound territory of inner self-examination (svadhyaya).
How much you give, how much you are able to give from the suggested $15 per class, is your business and personal. We certainly do not want to prevent you from practicing yoga simply because you don't have the cash. We trust that through giving freely to all of you, the universe will take care of us through all of you.
It is integrating this message into our lives every moment of everyday that constitutes the practice of yoga. I would like to invite all of you to work on and flourish in that message through the classes at YogaAbove.
Because:
THAT IS WHY YogaAbove IS HERE
If you are not able to afford the monetary donation you can donate in other ways through our Work Exchange Program. If you are interested in participating in our Work Exchange Program, please contact us at our Contact Page or simply approach any of the teachers or staff after class. |
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