JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Inspired to give back, but still unsure where or how to begin? A new, free online course from
the Give Back Yoga Foundation and Lululemon’s Here to Be program may help you find the
answers. We talked to Rob Schware, executive director of the Give Back Yoga Foundation, about
the course, aptly titled “How Can I Serve?”
Yoga Journal: What motivated you to create “How Can I Serve?”
Rob Schware: Every morning I wake up and ask myself, “How can I serve?” This course is a
practical way to answer that question and give back to yoga teachers around the country. It was
created to supplement 200- and 300-hour yoga teacher training curriculums, which don’t tend
to go into depth about yoga service. You’ll gain access to true experts—yoga service leaders
who know what it means to serve and how to get started—and six hours worth of resources in
the form of video, podcasts, and printed materials.
YJ :Who are the teachers involved?
RS: We’ve filmed some of the leading luminaries in yoga service, including Beryl Bender Birch, a
yoga activist and spiritual revolutionary; James Fox, founder and director of the Prison Yoga Proj-
ect; Nikki Myers, founder of Yoga of 12-Step Recovery, and so many more. These light workers
are inspiring examples of why it’s important to get involved, and they give pragmatic sugges-
tions for how to do just that.
YJ : What is your hope for yogis who complete the course?
RS: Ultimately, we want to inspire yogis everywhere to take action. Of course, the Give Back
Yoga Foundation is a great place to start. And for those who want to take the next step, we offer
five different program trainings, each of which go into great detail about how to serve a specific
population. To take the course, visit givebackyoga.org/serve.The Big Backer
BHAKTI CHAI
WHEN BROOK EDDY STARTED, she was
a 32-year-old single mother working full
time as a development director for a non-
profit. She didn’t intend to launch a multi-
million dollar business: It started innocently enough
after a trip to Mumbai, India, when Eddy started
brewing her version of a spicy chai tea she was served
there. Years later, when making her own recipe at home, she
recognised a hole in the market for a craft-brewed spicy masala
chai. She started by selling to cafés near her home, and slowly the
company grew into a booming business.
From day one, Eddy—a long-time yogi—made social action part of
Bhakti’s mission. “We started from very humble beginnings,” she says. “I
didn’t have any money, or parents with money, which inspired me to support
a lot of smaller organisations who were doing good in the world.”
In 2015, Eddy decided to combine all of Bhakti’s philanthropic efforts—
more than $350,000 in charitable donations worldwide—into one platform
called GITA Giving (GITA stands for Give Inspire Take Action).
Today, GITA Giving donates money to a total of 25 organisations, many of
which support women and girls—a long-time passion of Eddy’s. The goal is to do
more than simply write cheques—it’s to also give smaller organisations access to
Bhakti Chai’s enviable platform. “I also wanted to make it easier for organisations
to apply for grants,” says Eddy. “When I worked full-time in the non-profi t sector,
I used to spend 90 hours completing one application for $1,500.”
Beyond helping organisations gather support, Eddy is hopeful her platform
inspires yogis everywhere to take action in ways that most resonate with them.
“We can pray, repeat our mantras, and send peace and love into the world, but the
action piece is really where change happens,” says Eddy. “Check in with your own
passions and see where your skills can best be used in the world. Do something.”“Check in with your own
passions and see where your
skills can best be used in the
world. Do something.”48
january 2018yogajournal.com.au