COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund Recipient Spotlight

In response to the onset of COVID-19, Ivy Child International served as a strategic partner for The Yoga Alliance Foundation Emergency Relief Fund in partnership with the Yoga Alliance Foundation, an effort designed to provide swift financial support to yoga professionals worldwide experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic.

Today, we’re truly honored to share a few stories from over 430+ fund recipients hailing from 31 countries as they describe how the pandemic has affected their lives and how sharing yoga is an essential service to communities during this challenging time. We are inspired by the courage, will, grace and commitment of teachers from across the globe.

Check Video Here: COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund Recipient Spotlight | Yoga Alliance Foundation

Ivy ChildCOVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund Recipient Spotlight

Stop Asian Hate Response

 

Our Beloved Community, 

The tragic events impacting Asians across the country and most recently in Atlanta compels us to urge our community to act now to take a stand against these horrific hate crimes. We ask for collaboration and care in addressing racism, violent acts, and inequities our communities face which are persistent realities. The increase in these Asian hate crimes have been catastrophic. In solidarity, the violence, bullying, and all forms of hatred must cease.

Ensuring safety and security for all is consistent with our values. Ivy Child devotes all of its efforts to building equity for all and honoring the inherent dignity of all people. We must rise up and take a stand to hold systems that perpetuate racism and structural oppression accountable. 

As an Asian woman leader, my commitment is personal. We stand in solidarity with our Asian Community and ask our community partners to do the same.

Rose Felix Cratsley, Founder & CEO, Ivy Child International

 

In our efforts towards building a voice and multi-racial solidarity, we share the following:

 

Ivy ChildStop Asian Hate Response

Thank You PEN America

Ivy Child International is honored and excited to partner with PEN America and offer mindfulness and compassion sessions to all staff.

PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. They champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Their mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Founded in 1922, PEN America is the largest of the more than 100 centers worldwide that make up the PEN International network. PEN America works to ensure that people everywhere have the freedom to create literature, to convey information and ideas, to express their views, and to access the views, ideas, and literatures of others. Our strength is our Membership—a nationwide community of more than 7,500 novelists, journalists, nonfiction writers, editors, poets, essayists, playwrights, publishers, translators, agents, and other writing professionals, as well as devoted readers and supporters who join with them to carry out PEN America’s mission.

 

Ivy ChildThank You PEN America

Thank You Institute for Nonprofit Practice!

Abundant thanks to our friends at Institute for Nonprofit Practice!
We are honored and humbled to kick off the year together with our mindfulness and wellbeing session for MA & NY nonprofit leaders.

The Institute for Nonprofit Practice was founded in Boston in 2007 by Barry Dym, Ph.D. During his career as a nonprofit founder, consultant, and coach, he observed and sought to address several critical issues threatening the effectiveness of the nonprofit sector:

  • Under-investment in leadership development

  • A succession crisis triggered by the retirement of the baby boomers

  • The need for more diverse leadership that reflects communities served


Ivy ChildThank You Institute for Nonprofit Practice!

Happy Juneteenth!

 

Happy #Juneteenth! Today commemorates June 19th, 1865, the day Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas to deliver the news to slaves that the Civil War had ended two years earlier, and they were free. It’s the oldest celebration commemorating the end of slavery in America.

However we know slavery has not ended it has only evolved. Activism is an act of love towards the freedom and liberation of our shared humanity. We stand together at this critical time with everyone around the world to combat racism and oppression.
Stand with us and take action today!

Here are some organizations that are on the frontlines right now. :
https://www.blackvisionsmn.org/
https://www.reclaimtheblock.org/
https://www.just-georgia.org/

26 Ways to Be in the Struggle Beyond the Streets :
https://issuu.com/nlc.sf.2014/docs/beyondthestreets_fina

Ivy ChildHappy Juneteenth!

Sun Breaths

Sun Breaths is a dynamic warm-up sequence that focuses on the flow of arms with the breath. The breathing pattern (inhalation-hold-exhalation-hold) guides the movement of the arms that acts as a tool to bring more awareness to the body and breath.

Ivy ChildSun Breaths

Tree of Contemplative Practices

On the Tree of Contemplative Practices, the roots symbolize the two intentions that are the foundation of all contemplative practices. The roots of the tree encompass and transcend differences in the religious traditions from which many of the practices originated, and allow room for the inclusion of new practices that are being created in secular contexts.

The branches represent different groupings of practices. For example, Stillness Practices focus on quieting the mind and body in order to develop calmness and focus. Generative Practices may come in many different forms but share the common intent of generating thoughts and feelings, such as thoughts of devotion and compassion, rather than calming and quieting the mind. (Please note that such classifications are not definitive, and many practices could be included in more than one category.)

 

Access the PDF version here.

Ivy ChildTree of Contemplative Practices

Mindful Practice Group

Starting a Mindful Practice Group by Meena Srinivasan

A GREAT WAY to support your practice is to start a mindful practice group at your school. You could meet once a week either before or after school, or if that’s too much, start with meeting once or twice a month. Perhaps you can use your classroom or talk with an administrator about using a common space to meet. Even though this space should be confidential so all participants feel safe express- ing themselves, I suggest forming various practice groups to suit people’s needs. For example, there could be a group for the entire school community or one just for teachers or just for parents. I had an experience where some of my teaching colleagues felt that if there were administrators or parents in the group, they would not feel comfortable or safe that the group would honor how they truly felt. So it’s important to create safe spaces in which individuals feel they can express themselves without being afraid of being criticized later.

Access the full PDF version here.

Written by Meena Srinivasan.

 

Ivy ChildMindful Practice Group

Welcoming/Inclusion Activities 

Welcoming Inclusion Activities are brief, interactive experiences that bring the
voice of every participant into the room, making a connection to one another
and/or to the work ahead, with each perspective-laden, culturally-rich voice being
heard, respected and learned from. The more we fully share ourselves and are fully
received and understood by others, the stronger and safer our learning
environments become. Growing knowledge of and appreciation for our groups help
ensure that we will provide opportunities to welcome people in the ways they need
and want to be included.

Psychologist Barbara Fiese explains that routines are a way of communicating “this
is what needs to be done,” while rituals symbolically communicate the idea that
“this is who we are” as a group, providing continuity in meaning across time.

Access the full PDF version here.

 

Ivy ChildWelcoming/Inclusion Activities