Australian Yoga Journal — January 2018

PREVIOUS SPREAD: PHOTOS COURTESY OF: ASHRAMS FOR AUTISM; JADE YOGA; LULULEMON; ONE SANDWICH AT A TIME; WELLOPHOTO CREDIT: THIS SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF ASHRAMS FOR AUTISM; COURTESY OF JADE YOGA; TONY FELGUEIRAS PHOTOS FOLLOWING THIS PAGE: CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF LULULEMON (2); COURTESY OF SHEPHERD CENTER

The

Non-Profit

ASHRAMS

FOR AUTISM

WHEN SHARON MANNER’S youngest child,

Kerri, was diagnosed with autism more than 20

years ago, the young mum went through a gamut of

ups and downs, trying to figure out how to best help her

daughter—and deal with the difficult diagnosis herself.

As a yogi, Manner instinctively knew her teachers and

practices would help to support her. What she didn’t realise, at

least at first, was how much yoga would help her daughter, too.

“At one point, Kerri was in the hospital and taking several

medications,” Manner says. “I didn’t want that for her.”

As a result, she created calming yoga sequences for her daughter,

cooked a sattvic diet that eliminated stimulating foods, and

brought Kerri to regular acupressure and Reiki appointments—

all aimed at helping Kerri get grounded and self-regulate when

overstimulation ultimately did occur. Manner’s efforts paid off,

and Kerri started navigating the highs and lows of her autism

symptoms more easily. When Manner told her yoga mentor

about this success, he helped her develop a program to bring

her yoga-inspired regimen to schools and other facilities for

kids with autism. In 2010, she founded Ashrams for Autism,

implementing her programs in New York–area schools and

autism facilities and offering 100-hour Yoga Alliance trainings to

teach people how to work with autistic kids and their caregivers.

At first, most people in the trainings were yoga teachers,

Manner says. But these days, they’re filled with doctors, lawyers,

and so many others who’ve been touched by the autism

community. “Our ultimate goal is to build ashram-inspired spaces

where students and young adults can live after they age out of

their autism programs,” says Manner. “And we’re getting close!”

Manner says she finds as much joy in Ashrams for Autism as

the students do. “The happiness this program brings to everyone

who works here is undeniable. We bring these children yoga, and

what’s reflected back to us is pure consciousness and love. It’s

beautiful.”

elderly or homebound—it all

counts as seva. The best part?

Service can be both customised and

immediate. “If you’re a writer, help

an organisation with its marketing or

social media efforts; if you have a background

in law, accounting, or web development, offer

your skills to organisations that are already doing

amazing work. Anyone with talent and knowledge

can help expand yoga service,” says Schware.

Give Back Tip

Remember that big goals are achieved by taking small steps.

Seven years after Ashrams for Autism’s inception, building a

physical space is still a dream—but in the interim, Manner

has grown her nonprofit. “There’s always one small step

you can take to help people now as you move toward your

ultimate goal,” she says.

“If you’re a writer, help

an organisation with its marketing

or social media efforts; if you have a

background in law, accounting, or

web development, offer

your skills...”

For Brenner, giving back means teaching yoga
to young adults with autism and working pro
bono to help Ashrams for Autism, a non-profit
she truly believes in, with their press outreach,
messaging, and marketing. Her story, on the
opposite page , exemplifies the philosophy of giving
back now, in whichever ways you can. In fact, she
and the other Good Karma Award winners
embody the same spirit. While the big-company
winners you’ll read about here could have
simply written big cheques, each went further,
devoting both resources and time to help
service-focused organisations expand their
influence and broaden their impacts. In the pages
that follow you’ll also learn about the individuals
who launched these organisations, forging
positive change and creating opportunities for the
rest of us to do more good. And then there are the
behind-the-scenes heroes—people like Brenner
who are sharing their talents to help enhance
lives through yoga. Get ready to feel inspired—
and spurred into action.
42

january 2018

yogajournal.com.au