Written by Aviva Tulasi

This quarter we have updated and expanded our Karma Class initiative to a full week of service. Our intention is to make participation easily accessible. The proceeds from all of the group classes during the week of February 14th, which we are calling Service Week, will be donated to Compass Center for Women and Families, a 501(c)3 charitable organization aligned to our values. When the community comes together to support each other and those in need, everyone benefits. Service Week is an initiative to keep our DE&I statement a living document. You can read more about our motivation to host these initiatives in our Karma Class blog.

For Service Week, we have included three extra online classes to share our favorite heartfelt self-compassionate yoga practices to our regular class schedule.

On Monday 2/14/2022 at 11:30 am, Aviva will host a Positive Affirmation workshop to embody what you want to nurture in your life. Those who sign up will get a free recording with an Inner Resource guided meditation.
On Tuesday 2/15/2022 at 11:30 am, Ainslee will host a Metta meditation to cultivate a friendly attitude towards oneself and towards others.
On Thursday 2/17/2022 at 7:30 pm, Leesann will host Yin and Yoga Nidra to nourish the soul and start the release of old habits.

You can find the full Service Week schedule on our website.

Self-compassion yoga practices support community building and restore agency to those who have experienced domestic violence. These practices are critical for my self-care. When I find myself experiencing fear, I use focusing breathing, loving kindness, positive affirmation and Yoga Nidra to nourish and restore my nervous system.

6 months ago, I filed a protective order or more formally a 50B order against my ex-husband. I still replay the events in vivid detail as though they happened yesterday. I had an advocate who helped me get free legal support, which took the stress out of the paperwork. However, external support did not help me get through the internal trauma I was experiencing. I knew logically that I was safe (we live in different states and he did not have the means to come here), but his voice on the numerous voicemails elicited an unstoppable fear response. My mind still wanders to what happened and my intellect gets overpowered. Luckily, I have a tool bag filled with self-compassionate yoga practices to guide me away from my fear response and back into the present moment to a state of mind where I can see things clearly.

My experience with domestic violence is unique because I have the privilege of being safe. I do not have to worry about food, housing, education or income. Unfortunately, that is not true for most. Domestic violence disturbs the entire fabric of one’s existence. The Compass Center serves over 6,500 people in our community annually with programs and support for self-sufficiency, domestic violence, domestic crisis and adolescent empowerment. The Compass Center for Women and Families envisions a safe and equitable society in which all individuals and families thrive. Learn more at https://www.compassctr.org/.

Selfless service is an important component of yoga. It brings a stronger sense of community and helps to share the oneness of our unique human experience. Join us for a week of service and share loving compassion with our community.

Sign up for a Service Week class using our class sign up page. Please consider signing up without using your subscription and choose an amount from the sliding scale. If you are not able to attend, send us an email at info@dogwoodstudioyoga.com so we don’t expect you.

Aviva Chaye Tulasi is a team member at Dogwood Studios. She is a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT). She applies the teachings of classical yoga to reduce the effects of negative stress and to balance the nervous system. Aviva teaches Mindful Movement and Yoga Mondays at 10 am and is available for private sessions. Email Aviva at yogawithtulasi@gmail.com. She is here to help.

SAM Sather, founder of Dogwood Studios, is a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT), individualizes the yoga practice with appropriate modifications for participants’ unique bodies and medical histories with a focus on finding calm and improving health. She offers several live, online and in person yoga classes as well as private sessions so you can focus on your needs one-on-one.