Yoga Stops Traffick: 108 Salutes to the Sun

This Saturday, downtown Tampa will be a part of a one day global yoga event.

Thanks to a handful of local organizers, some of the city's most popular yoga studios and instructors are uniting to help raise awareness to help stop human trafficking in India and internationally through Yoga Stops Traffick.

Odanadi is a grassroots organization based in Mysore, South India, to help rescue women and children from the violence of sexual exploitation and human trafficking. This movement started over 20 years ago and since has helped more than 1,850 children and carried out 57 brothel raids, bringing 137 traffickers to justice. The organization offers a sanctuary and rehabilitation towards a new life.

Mysore is the birthplace of Ashtanga Yoga, and so it is appropriate that this yoga chikitsa (yoga therapy) is the yoga used in the victims' rehabilitation to help strengthen and heal the body and mind and ultimately help give confidence and self worth.

One of the people helping to unite the Yoga Tampa Bay community is Lisa Wilson, director of Yogani Studios.

"Our vision or vibe is we are all together in this beautiful community and there is no better way to do a community project that is important to us all than to join forces and to be heard as one unified voice calling out 108 sun salutations," she said.

Why 108? It’s a sacred number in many belief systems and is often used in special yoga events to honor its sacredness.

The event is open to all levels of practitioners. Don’t be daunted by the number, you don’t have to do all 108. You can rest in between and join back in when you feel ready.

The purpose is not to complete the 108 salutations, the purpose to come out meet the yoga community, breath the fresh air and support a great cause on an international scale.

Rounding out the 108 salutaions will be a very special yoga nidra that will be lead by Yogani Studio owner Annie Okerlin and  Crystal Singing Bowls played by Eluv.

You can make a $1 donation and purchase a raffle tickets for the chance to win amazing prizes, such as private yoga sessions to tickets to Rasa-Lila Fest. All of the money raised for the event is marked for the Odanadi Seve Trust. 

The event will be held outside the Tampa Museum of Art. Start time is 8:30 a.m.

Here's the studio and teacher line up:

1. Yogani Studios - Eric Wheeler (opening chant and salutations)
2. Inspire Yoga - Lucky Cat Yoga - Erin Wheeler
3. Jai Dee - Amy Chin
4. Evolation Yoga- Stephen Kalada
5. The Lotus Room - Sara Lesch
6. Bella Prana – Roni Sloman
7. Asana Yoga Brandon- Barbara Motte
8. Happy Buddha - Francine Messanno
9. Yoga Etc. - Cindy Mastry

If you live in Pinellas County, check out White Orchid in downtown Clearwater. They are hosting this event at their new studio.

If you can’t make it Saturday but still want to donate to the cause, visit Yoga Stops Traffick online. Then go outside, breath the fresh Florida air and do a sun salute. Be grateful for the freedoms we as Americans have and feel a connection to your global community.

Namaste!