Yoga Service Conference: May 18-20, 2012 at The Omega Institute

The Yoga Service Council will be partnering with the Omega Institute this spring to offer the first annual Yoga Service Conference. This gathering on May 18-20, 2012 will bring together the nation’s leading teachers using yoga and mindfulness practices to help people change their lives in under-served communities. Join us for a unique and intimate opportunity to forge relationships, build skills and get inspired.

Who Should Attend:

This conference is intended for anyone interested in working to create strong, engaged and resilient communities. You do not need to be a yoga teacher, or even a yoga practitioner to benefit from this conference (although yoga teachers are welcome!). Social workers, School Teachers, Heath Care Providers and other professionals interested in exploring the possibility of bringing yoga and mindfulness to the populations they serve are encouraged to attend. You do not need to have any prior yoga experience to benefit from this inspiring weekend.

What You Will Learn:

We will explore the benefits and challenges of introducing yoga and mindfulness practices to traditionally underserved populations. Leading teachers will discuss how trauma manifests in the body, and breakout sessions will give you tools to work with specific populations including veterans, the incarcerated, children, teens, and trauma survivors. We will address the challenges and opportunities of working within social institutions, talk about getting yoga service projects started and funded, and look towards the future of research in our field.

Who Will be Teaching:

The Yoga Service Conference is truly a gathering of some of the nations most inspiring and accomplished teachers. Beryl Bender Birch (Give Back Yoga Foundation), Seane Corn (Off the Mat) and Kelly McGonigal (International Association of Yoga Therapists) will be presenting full conference sessions. Breakout workshops will be led by the founders of organizations who have spent years working to develop effective programs, including Sue Jones (yogaHope), Mark Lilly (Street Yoga), BK Bose (Niroga Institute), Jennifer Cohen Harper (Little Flower Yoga), MaryLynn Fitton (Art of Yoga), James Fox (Prison Yoga Project), Anne Desmond (Bent on Learning), and many others. Visit our Faculty page for more information on this diverse community.