RESTORE & CELEBRATE

A Benefit Class in Celebration Of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Led by Sandy, May Mei, Ruchi, Swetha and Sachiko

Saturday May 15, 2021
2 – 4:30 PM PST

At some point or another, we all find ourselves in a state of sorrow, grief, rage, despair and uncertainty in life. We are fortunate to have yoga practices in our lives which bring respite, solace and rejuvenation – and also profound appreciation of our own bodies, breath and minds.

This takes an effort and discipline on our part.

Led by Sandy, May Mei, Ruchi, Swetha and Sachiko – Adeline team members of Asian heritage – this special afternoon will provide you with much needed time and place to practice yoga restoratively to get in deeper touch with our own bodies, breath and minds.

In particular, we will be guided by Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra self-discipline and inner seeking (II.32). In order to move forward collectively with clarity and tenacity for a better and equitable future for all, we must begin with our own self. Using yoga as a tool, we will cultivate patience, kindness, care and courage to become who we truly are and to recognize the interconnected nature of our existence. Join us and the community of fellow practitioner in celebration and solidarity.

This special benefit workshop will be held via zoom. It will include discussion of the yoga Sutra and a restorative asana practice followed by virtual tea time for discussion and listening. It is open to all levels, geared toward those who have some experience with Iyengar Yoga. We invite everyone of all backgrounds to join us on this day of celebration and rejuvenation.

Our objective is that this workshop will:

• Celebrate the diversity and resilience of the Asian American & Pacific Islanders 
• Host a safe place to practice/be
• Raise awareness of the recent and historical discrimination and hate against the Asian American Pacific Islanders in the US
• Raise funds to support the work of Asian Americans Advancing Justice in San Francisco.

Tuition:

$25 – Reduced Rate
$50 – Regular Rate
$108 – Pay for yourself and support another

OR Donate what you can – Donate here and we’ll add you to the roster

Proceeds go toward Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus in San Francisco

One hour prior to class you will receive a unique zoom log-in and specific instructions.

First time on Zoom with us? Check out our tip sheet! Our tips will help you get ready for your first class with us.

You can find out more about our Live Online Programming here

About Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus:

Founded in 1972, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus is the nation’s first legal and civil rights organization serving the low-income Asian Pacific American communities. Advancing Justice – ALC focuses on housing rights, immigration and immigrants’ rights, labor and employment issues, student advocacy (ASPIRE), civil rights and hate violence, national security, and criminal justice reform. As a founding affiliate of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the organization also helps to set national policies in affirmative action, voting rights, Census and language rights.

Since the vast majority of Asians and Pacific Islanders in America are immigrants and refugees, Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus strives to create informed and educated communities empowered to assert their rights and to participate actively in American society. This perspective is reflected in our broad strategy which integrates the provision of legal services, educational programs, community organizing initiatives and advocacy.  Click here to learn more about Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus

In response to the rise in Anti-Asian/American and xenophobic harassment, AAJC has partnered with Hollaback! to offer free bystander intervention training as well as de-escalation training to meet this moment.

About the Instructors:

Sachiko Nishizawa Willis is a practitioner and a certified yoga therapy teacher, with particular interest in therapeutic effects of the practice. She is drawn to Iyengar Yoga for its inclusivity, and its methodical cultivation of focus, intention and discipline using the body first as the tool. She is captivated by how this approach transforms and empowers one toward wellness on and beyond physical level, and aims to share her understanding and enthusiasm with students. Sachiko came from Japan to study theatre in the U.S., and worked in that field for 20 years.

Sandy Carmellini is a certified Iyengar yoga teacher. She is also a certified Yoga Therapist (c-IAYT), a Craniosacral Therapist, E-RYT500 (Yoga Alliance), Reiki II and aromatherapy practitioner. She has been teaching yoga since 1998 and is the owner/director of Brentwood Yoga Center since 2008. Sandy is a committed volunteer, and currently serves as an executive board member of the National Iyengar Yoga Association (IYNAUS). She was a devoted student and assistant to Donald Moyer until he retired. Sandy has studied with Sri HS Arun since 2009 and has traveled to India several times to deepen her devotion to yoga under his guidance. She has spent time in Pune studying with the Iyengar family. Her current teachers in the U.S. are Heather Haxo Phillips and Michael Lucey. When she’s not on the mat, Sandy loves spending time with her family, hiking with her husband, cooking and eating vegan food, playing with her cats and studying essential oils. She firmly believes that a healthy lifestyle, including yoga and connection to community brings balance to the body, mind, and spirit.

May Mei Chong has been a certified Iyengar Yoga since 2015. She has been fascinated by the mind and body connection since she started yoga in 2000. Yoga has brought balance to her life as she navigated through her career in IT and other adventures in her life. In her teaching, she aims to share the benefits of a yoga practice to her students. She strongly believes that the restorative aspects of a yoga practice is as beneficial as an active yoga practice and strives to promote this. In 2015, she studied with the Iyengar family in Pune, India. Her additional certifications include: Advanced Relax & Renew® Restorative Yoga teacher and Pelvic Floor yoga teacher. Currently, she studies primarily with Kathy Alef, with whom she had assisted with, between 2013-2019, in her weekly Back Care classes at IYISF.

Swetha Rao-Devigere is a graduate of Adeline Yoga’s teacher education program.  She is from Bangalore, India, where she grew up in an atmosphere of daily Vedic chanting and hymns, owing to her family’s practice of Bhakti Yoga.  Having been exposed to Sanskrit and multiple Indian languages from an early age, she is naturally able to read and assimilate ancient Vedic texts written in Sanskrit. This ability combined with a gradual interest in Eastern philosophy led her to become an avid student of Yoga, Vedanta and Buddhist literature since 2005. After her Masters in Information Systems and working in business and tech for nearly a decade, Swetha shifted gears and dedicated herself to service through Yoga. In 2014 she began to earnestly practice and study Iyengar Yoga, and graduated from Adeline Yoga’s 2-year teacher education program in 2018. Swetha continues to study with her mentors at Adeline Yoga while also serving as our Student Support Coordinator, to welcome and support our students in their yoga journey. She is passionate about enabling holistic well-being and increased self-awareness through yogasana, yoga philosophy and mindfulness practices. In her spare time, Swetha enjoys exploring nature with her son, husband and two dogs, as well as singing at kirtans with her fellow Adeline Yoga musicians.

Ruchi Murlidhar is a Level 1 certified Iyengar Yoga teacher (CIYT) and a graduate of the Advanced Studies/Teacher Training program of the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco. She began learning yoga in elementary school in India and tried various forms of yoga before focusing on Iyengar Yoga. She studies regularly with her mentor Elise Miller along with other senior teachers Lois Steinberg, Jito Yumibe and Victoria Austin who is also her pranayama teacher. She has also been fortunate to study in India at RIMYI with Geeta Iyengar.

Ruchi completed the Yoga Vidya program with Heather Haxo Phillips and has a regular chanting practice. She is often found experimenting in the kitchen and enjoys California sunshine while hiking/biking with her two boys. She loves to volunteer at her kids school and in her community. Her vibrant personality and sense of humor make her classes playful and accessible for students of all ages.