Yoga is more than a pose

This entry was written by Erica Bleznak of JAI! Yoga in Haverford, Pa. She lead LBBC’s first Barefoot Ball in December. Erica notes that Yoga is intertwined with many elements that encourage you to give more to your community. Start giving back to your community by participating in Yoga on the Steps!

A guiding principle of the yoga practice lays in the practice of Seva; the word Seva in Sanskrit means, “to be of service”. When people think of Yoga, they think of people stretching their bodies, or even of people standing on their heads; the posture practice of yoga, called Asana, is a very small part of the practice of Yoga. Much of the practice lays in other elements and one of those is in providing selfless service to to others. It was an honor to provide Seva in the form of leading a Barefoot Ball practice for LBBC at the Ardmore Toyota dealership last December. At our yoga studio JAI! in Haverford, we have taken the journey with many of our students who been diagnosed with breast cancer; we have traveled with them on their yoga mats from diagnosis, treatment, surgeries and recovery.

Our yoga community has been truly inspired by their tremendous courage, fortitude and strength. As Yogis we are expected that our practice moves beyond our yoga mats; we cultivate qualities of compassion so that we can move beyond our “selves” to share these gifts with others. Along with Seva, there is a behavioral code in Yoga known as the Niyamas. One of the Niyamas is Dana; Dana means to give without expecting anything in return. It is when we give without the need to be recognized or praised. You give without intentions to receive anything. In reality though, you receive the most! Know that with selfless service (Seva) and Dana (giving without the need for recognition) that you and your Yoga have broken the boundaries of just the physical practice and that now you are living your Yoga!

By participating in Yoga on the Steps, you too can perform these Yoga principles. Learn about Yoga on the Steps and register at yogaonthesteps.org.

Yoga on the Steps Website - A new way to stay connected

LBBC has officially launched our new website for our signature fundraising event, Yoga on the Steps (YOTS)! This site is the newest addition to the tools we have created to make your experience with our annual fundraiser easy, exciting and efficient.


Take some time to explore the site and take advantage of all that it has to offer.

Here are some of its key features!

Find A City

This year, YOTS will take place in two cities – in Philadelphia on May 15 and in our nation’s capital, Washington, DC on October 16. Under the Find A City tab, you’ll get up-to-the-minute information on each city’s event, including times, locations, directions and other tips to make your YOTS experience as enjoyable as possible.

Fundraising

This section has everything you need to maximize your fundraising efforts for YOTS and includes a Participant Guide, fundraising Tips and Tools, sample donation ‘ask’ and ‘thank you’ letters that you can edit and personalize and the incentive items LBBC has to reward our Yoga on the Steps Fundraising All-Stars. Every participant who raises a minimum of $75 will receive a commemorative YOTS t-shirt, but I’m confident that every participant will strive for a higher fundraising goal! Shoot for $250! We’ve got what you need to make that goal a reality!

Marketplace

A great way to support LBBC’s corporate partners is to visit the YOTS Marketplace. There, you’ll find some amazing items - from yoga mats to jewelry - and with every purchase a portion of the proceeds will be contributed back to LBBC, allowing us to empower all women affected by breast cancer.

Sponsors

Events with the size and scope of YOTS could not happen without the support of national, regional and local sponsors who help us underwrite the costs associated with YOTS and who provide refreshment and entertainment for our event participants and their family and friends. Please take a moment to review all of our incredible event partners and support them in your local communities.

Of course, if you haven’t already, register for Yoga on the Steps: Philadelphia. Create a team or join us as an event participant. Every dollar you raise will continue the mission of LBBC. Please note that registration for our Washington, DC event will be open on May 1, 2011.

Finally, please make sure to “like” “Yoga on the Steps” on Facebook to swap fundraising ideas, find out about other yoga events and to chat with YOTS / LBBC supporters. If you have any questions, please contact Kevin Gianotto or Jeanne Egan at (610) 645-4567 or at kevin@lbbc.org or jeanne@lbbc.org, respectively.

We look forward to seeing you at Yoga on the Steps: Philadelphia or Yoga on the Steps: Washington, DC!