I am gearing up for Memorial Day weekend.  I just made a funny pun if you are a race car fan.  Get it?  Okay, race cars have gears.  Now do you get it?  The 100th running of the Indy 500 is this Sunday, so is a Formula One race in Monaco and a NASCAR race too.  I digress.  I always party and do family things on Memorial Day weekend and I hope you do too.  I like to think that the Americans that died in combat would want us to.  However on Monday, my focus shifts (another nice racing pun, eh?) to the day that was set aside by Congress as a national holiday.  On Monday, I usually attend a Memorial Day ceremony at a local cemetery where role call is made by the living to account for and remember those who never returned from combat.  It is very moving. Between the bugler playing Taps and the jets flying over in Missing Man Formation, you are forced to remember the meaning of the saying, "All gave some, some gave all."  This year is the first year I will add to that tradition.  As the director of Yoga For Vets, I encourage all yoga studios to either close or offer a reduced class schedule on Monday the 30th as a symbolic gesture that we remember and honor those war vets who never returned.  I own a yoga studio here in Panama City and will not close but instead offer only two classes out of the normal five.  The teachers who will teach the two classes selflessly agreed to teach the class for free to anyone who is a veteran, an additional way of getting people to think about our vets on Memorial Day.  Studios around the country have already agreed to do the same such as Chakra5 in Los Angeles. It is not too late for you. If you want to start your own tradition this Memorial Day that honors the fallen, I'd like to hear about it.  If you feel detached from the military, then try to remember a person who never returned to life in America, try to appreciate the freedom we have in America, the freedom to watch racing all day Sunday or to work at a Food Bank, or practice yoga.  It is your choice what you do this weekend, but please, on Monday make sure you remember what day it is and why.

Thanks and Namaste'

I hope this doesn't sound like an infomercial but since I have no salary and Yogis Anonymous didn't pay me a dime I don't mind bragging about them without any ethics concerns.  I had a great conversation with the people at YA the other day and it went something like this.  Me:Do you want to help Yoga For Vets?  Them: Of course.

Yogis Anonymous is a website that streams live yoga classes from their studio in California.  They are offering free 3 month web access to all of their classes both live and recorded to all U.S. war vets.  The really cool part is if you are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan and have Internet access, you can view and follow a live yoga class where you are.  That means if you need a meditation class to help relax, you got it.  A tough class to work your muscles?  You can find it at all at YA.   See more about our friends by clicking on the Resources tab on our website.

In other news, I had a Iraq war vet take a class at my studio the other day.  She casually said she was only on bases during her deployments.  "Only on bases" is what stood out to me. As if random mortar attacks and suicide bomber threats don't count as much as a person on foot patrol or secret missions.  To me, she is just as much as a war vet as anyone who deployed. I'm happy to say that she took the free class (her first yoga class) and thought it was great.

Finally learned how to make a blog entry on our new website.  Bryce over at Fresh Ink has been patient and helpful as I make the transition from the old, tired  website to this new and high speed website.  I expected a few glitches but so far, no major problems.  This has been the theme since I started Yoga For Vets.   When there is a problem, it gets small very quickly.  I emphasised when there is a problem because so far, this grassroots project has had very few negative issues.  I hope that vibe is felt by our vets.  If they do have big issues, I want Yoga For Vets to help make them smaller.  As our testimonials from war vets point out, yoga can help some really big problems.  However, I am always very quick to point out to skeptical war vets that yoga isnt a magic pill that brings happiness, health and joy...but it might.  Seriously, as our organization grows and more vets experience yoga for themselves, I hope yoga teachers and our vets will visit Yoga for Vets for information and inspiration.  They are all but certain to experience no problem Mon.

Today begins a new chapter in the history of Yoga For Vets. We are launching our newly redesigned website. I am also beginning my new role as a blogger. Return here often as you will get to read the words of someone who is sometimes flying by the seat of his pants and sometimes focused and calm. I am trying to grow Yoga For Vets into an organization that every war vet and yoga studio knows exist. After more than 3 years in existence I know many war vets who have used our site to find free yoga classes near them. However, many more have told me "I didnt know something like this even existed." It is my goal to make sure that someday all war vets return and receive our welcome home gesture of providing 4 free yoga classes where they live. This is truely a grassroots effort and I rely on the support of strangers and friends alike to spread the work about our website to war vets and yoga teachers they know. Finally, the words I least like to say, "Donate to us if you can." It is needed very much at this pivital point in our journey.

Thank you for reading my blog. Subscribe or return often and leave a comment to cheer me on or say hi. 

Shanti (Peace), 

Paul