FAQ
The Mission of the Peace Project:
The Peace Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to instilling and developing yoga communities in troubled areas around the world, to spread peace through the transformation of individual consciousness and to enable cross-cultural unnderstading through one-to-one diplomacy. The project utilizes yoga as a common, non-religious, unifying principle and practice to bring together those affected by struggle and conflict in a neutral location, where their full attention can be applied to basic yogic tenents such as non-violence and tolerance. The Peace Project will provide education and resouces to current and aspiring yoga teachers so that they can bring the seeds of change back to their community and there native lands.
Who is behind the Heart of Yoga Peace Project?
The Peace Project was born from the Heart of Yoga foundation. It is a 501(c)3 organization founded by internationally known yogi, Mark Whitwell. Mark’s expertise is teaching authentic yoga and training yoga teachers around the world.
As a student of U.G. Krishnamurti, Krishnamacharya and Srivatsa Ramaswami, the native New Zealander has been teaching yoga internationally since 1978. He was the editor and contributor to T.K.V. Desikachar’s book, Heart of Yoga.
How was the Heart of Yoga Peace Project created?
It was born of a deep desire to see peaceful change in our lifetime and personal experience with how yoga works in individuals’ hearts to make this happen. The immediate catalyst for how the program took shape occurred at a teacher training in New York, where two teachers (one from Tel Aviv and one from Lebanon) met and began a dialogue for peace. From this experience, the Foundation was born. See our video “Shalom Salaam” for details on the origin of the the project and the Mid-East Yoga Peace Project.
How much of the budget goes to Funding vs. Overhead?
86% of the budget is designated for programming.
Who is funding this?
We are seeking founders and stewards to provide initial start up funds. The Heart of Yoga Foundation Peace Project is funded through individual donations, grants and operating programs. Our primary goal is to create an interconnected community, so we prefer to have a lot of people a little bit invested in its success!!
Does this really work?
Yes. The once-esoteric practice of yoga has grown to having more then 10 million practitioners worldwide. There is also much scientific, empirical evidence proving yoga’s positive effects on mental and physical health and well being.
While most Westerners can enjoy these effects by simply finding their local studio, renting a video or downloading classes, much of the world does not have that luxury. Basic health care in many countries around the world is not available, and access to yoga is often very far down on the list of immediate needs. It is a simple and accessible practice that can not only help those to feel better, regardless of health, age or cultural background, but can accelerate positive change in the world.
It is a practice most needed where the physical and mental conditions of the world are most harsh. This can mean all people suffering from those with addictions, disabilities and disease, to those living in conflict, war-terrorized zones. Yoga practice can help and heal those in times of battle, personal struggle or grief.
In addition to Mark, the Peace Project hopes to gather a group of advisors and directors that will be comprised of the most influential yoga teachers around the globe, advocates for non-violent change in the world as well as hundreds of individual teachers, studios and yogis around the world.
Additionally, many key centers for non-denominational spiritual study are involved, such as Eselan and the Omega Institute. These centers bring professional, results-driven and proven methodologies to enhance the efforts at developing a more peaceful world.
How we will accomplish and manage success?
We will work to develop local teachers, and measure direct and indirect impact of those teachers in touching people around them. For example, we will work with 200 teachers in 2010 who in turn touch 50 students each directly, who in turn touch their families – that is 10,000 people through this method alone.
We will host regional events and dialogues and peace sessions. We will measure attendance, post-event participation and press coverage on the activities. Mostly we will attempt to increase awareness, funds for our foundation in order for us to educate and teach yoga principles and practice to all.
In addition, we are dedicated to providing and encouraging an online community for peace.