Feeling that Yogathon Glow

Guest post by: Jaedra DiGiammarino, RISE Site Director & Teacher

RISE Yogathon 2017 with veteran yogathoners Akin and Jeff at Mission HS.

This past Saturday RISE Yoga for Youth hosted their 4th annual Yogathon. Nearly 100 members of the RISE community gathered at the Mission High School gym to offer the benefits of yoga and wellness education to teens throughout the Bay Area.

High School girls from Immaculate Conception Academy greeted guests as they entered the gym and invited them to register, take a look at raffle, and bid on silent auction items.

Mission High School students shared their yoga experiences from the past semester with us and then guided us through warm-ups. Hearing from these students was a testament to teacher Craig who has been leading the Mission HS students for the past two school years.

Sun Salutations leads by Astrud Castillo of Laughing Lotus Yoga Center SF. 

Soon local yoga teachers were leading us through the annual 108 sun salutations. I am so grateful that Martin Scott agreed to lead a section this year. The familiarity of the traditional Surya Namaskar, as taught by Sri Dharma Mittra, flowed through me without effort. These 16 salutations were truly meditative, an easy offering. Even with few breaks and a bottle of coconut water, about an hour and a half later my muscles were getting shaky from the effort and I was noticing where I would be feeling sore the next day. Finally after two hours of movement, Darren Main completed the series with a calming savasana.

The RISE teachers (AKA our Yogi Warriors) bringing love to our students every day!

A year ago I was a member of the RISE community via a single class of my own at June Jordan School for Equity. I have spent the last 11 month growing into the position of Site Director and I have learned a great deal about the administrative and behind the scenes duties that go along with youth yoga. I am even more appreciative of what this organization offers to students as well as teachers. I am humbled to work with such an amazing group of women and men seeking to bring peace, kindness, and love into the lives of everyone they meet.

Thank you to the many kind and generous donors who have helped me to raise over 200% of my original goal. While I have surpassed my personal goal for the year, RISE has a little ways left to go. If you are feeling that yogathon glow and looking for away to keep it going please visit our campaign page here to make a donation. The campaign will remain active through the end of April.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanthi