Yoga Votes!

As many of you know Yoga Off Broadway is a sponsor studio for a program called Yoga Votes. This  is a non-partisan program started by Off The Mat Into the World. The idea is simple, we began to bring the values and core elements of yoga (awareness, connection, participation) to our civic life through voting and our pledge to vote.  Yoga Votes hopes to encourage the 20 million Americans who practice yoga to pledge to vote and by doing so hopes to bring awareness to the issues that are most important to yogis in America.

So as I watched the presidential debate last night, I couldn’t help but think. What if this idea really takes off? What if instead of waiting to interrupt, blame, and criticize, our politicians took the time to quiet the mind, breathe, and let go of the ego? I have a feeling both parties would have a lot fewer “slips” of things they didn’t mean, or shouldn’t have said.  What if politicians REALLY took the time to listen to the people? What if they took the time to take care of themselves and set a healthy lifestyle example for our citizens? What would happen then? Would more be accomplished in Washington? If our leaders began to “be the change” how would this trickle down into society?

So what do you think? What would happen if our politicians took the time to meditate? To practice an hour of yoga? Could we begin to meet each other with kindness instead of blame and anger? I hope that Yoga Votes Program is a step in the right direction.

For more information on Yoga Votes, or to pledge to Vote in this years election visit: www.yogavotes.org