On the Path: Honoring Those Who Serve

“There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others.”
– Mandy Hale

Today I honor Yoga and Meditation Service Organizations who provide services to those in need. They have touched countless lives through their altruistic outreach.

Yoga and Meditation Service Organizations provide yoga, meditation, and mindfulness services to children, Veterans, trauma sufferers, addiction sufferers, those who suffer from a health condition, prison population, at risk communities, and others. I truly think our society will be a better place with these organizations- less physical and mental abuse, less crime, less addiction, fewer suicides, and more people content with their lives. I ask that you provide financial support, volunteer, and follow the progress of these great organizations.

Today I honor Connected Warriors and other Yoga Service Organizations who provides Yoga and Meditation services to Veterans. I served in Iraq for a year during the invasion in 2005. I never had to fire my weapon, but I experienced the fear, loneliness, pain and trauma of war. Around twenty Veterans commit suicide every day. That’s 20% higher than non- Veterans. Yoga has been shown to reduce PTSD, anxiety systems, and respiration rates, which gives Veterans a better quality of life, reduces depression, and reduces Veteran suicides.

Today I honor The Holistic Life Foundation and other Yoga Service Organizations who provide services to children, especially those in high risk communities. I became interested in promoting Yoga Service Organizations because of The Holistic Life Foundation. Three guys, fresh out of college with “hippy” parents, decided that instead of pursuing lucrative jobs, they would give back to their inner Baltimore by teaching yoga and mindfulness to at-risk schools. As a result, the Holistic Life Foundation serves over 7500 students a week in over 42 Baltimore schools.  A 2012 study evaluating the effects of yoga on secondary school students showed that those who participated in yoga showed significant improvements in anger control and fatigue. The study concluded that yoga has the potential of playing a preventative role in maintaining student mental health.

Today I honor Exhale to Inhale and other Yoga Service Organizations who provides Yoga and Meditation to trauma suffers. An estimated 24.4 million Americans have PTSD to include an estimated one out of every nine women. A study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that a continuing yoga practice is a useful component for treating trauma & PTSD in adult women.

Today I honor Yoga 4 Cancer and other Yoga Service Organizations who provides Yoga and Meditation to those who suffer from health conditions. In a study published in the Annals of Medical & Health Sciences in 2015 on the Influence and Duration of Yoga on Anxiety and Depression Scores Associated with Chronic Illness, the study found that for those suffering from chronic illness, a regular yoga practice decreases anxiety and depression

Today I honor Liberation Prison Yoga and other  Yoga Service Organizations who provide Yoga and meditation to prison inmates. Liberation Prison Yoga provides Yoga and Meditation to New York City Prison Inmates and has offered a total of 2,253 yoga, meditation and mindfulness classes in jails, prisons, reentry facilities and youth programs, reaching a total of 17,662 incarcerated people. A study in the International Journal of Yoga Therapy found the reincarceration rate is 25.2% for those inmates who attended less than four yoga classes. The reincarceration rate is 8.5% inmates who attended more than four yoga classes.

To honor these great Yoga Service Organizations, I’ve created a Facebook group and a website with the information needed to learn more and connect! I hope you will support these groups and their incredible work.

Please volunteer. Please donate money.

These organizations are making tomorrow’s society a better place.

Thanks,

Todd Haggard

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Todd is a father, husband, and Veteran who is passionate about yoga and spreading the news about the amazing work of yoga service organizations. You can reach him at [email protected]. Todd’s Yoga, Meditation, and Mindfulness Service Project is committed to sharing amazing yoga and mindfulness service organizations, especially non-profits, who are dedicated to improving the lives of others. These organizations strive to make the world a better place by serving at risk populations to include children, prisons, and the addicted.