Peace Through Yoga

Bringing Yoga into the Park

By Karla Becker (Sat Bachan Kaur), published in “Indiana Yoga Association Newsletter” Spring 2004

A mansion on the grounds of Eagle Creek Park, formerly a Lilly estate, is the home of a yoga program, unique because of its location nestled in the woods, called Peace Through Yoga. Peace Through Yoga, now in its second year of operation, was the answer to prayer for Sally Brown. Sally is an avid hiker of Eagle Creek and had been using this quiet time to pray about the right setting for a yoga program to be held on the west side of Indianapolis near her home. One day while hiking, Sally saw the mansion she had always admired, which had once housed the park’s Native American History Museum. In recent years, it had been renovated and had become the location for the Peace Learning Center, a non-for-profit which promotes world peace. Realizing this mansion might be an answer to her prayers, Sally contacted Charlie Wiles of the Peace Learning Center, and explained her idea. Sally had a vision of a yoga program that would be housed in the Peace Learning Center and offer a variety of yoga classes. The name, “Peace through Yoga” fit well with the mission of the Peace Learning Center and also with the aim of yoga, which is to bring peace to a person’s life. As Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra I.1 says, yogaś citta vŗtti nirodhah – “yoga is the stillness of the mind.” The peacefulness of Eagle Creek and the peaceful teachings of the center made the name, “Peace Through Yoga” even more germane. Anyone who has come to Eagle Creek knows how peaceful and beautiful the park is. Deer and wildlife abound. Trees and plant life thrive, and a feeling of serenity pervades throughout the park. The mansion is in the middle of the woods and could easily be missed if not following the signage carefully due to the trees overshadowing the entrance. A peace symbol carved from a tree graces the front entrance. The yoga classes are held inside the mansion on the main floor. On the walls of the main floor are large drawings of four peacekeepers, which are mentors for the Peace Learning Center’s Peace Education program for school children. On the north wall are Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. On the south wall are Mother Teresa and Cesar Chavez. The scent of perfumed candles and incense fills the air in this tranquil setting with windows overlooking the water on every side. While practicing, students can see a deer go by, or watch birds feeding in the birdfeeder in the large picture window, situated behind the instructor’s platform. By having yoga in the park, people who would normally not come to the park who practiced yoga would be encouraged to come to Eagle Creek. Those who would normally not participate in yoga, but who hiked Eagle Creek would have something different to add to their hikes at Eagle Creek. They could all enjoy a yoga class and a hike through the numerous trails that the park has to offer.

Outside the Peace Learning Center Peace Through Yoga has ten on-going yoga classes throughout the year. The styles taught include Ashtanga, Gentle, Iyengar, Kundalini, Vinyasa, Viniyoga, and Yoga for Teens. The walk-in fee per class is $12.00, and students under 18 years old may attend for only $5.00. For those purchasing a set of yoga classes (10 classes for $100), they can receive a 501C3 form giving approval to write off $50 as a donation to the Peace Learning Center. Eagle Creek passes are required for entrance into the park, but as some students have remarked, it makes them want to spend more time out in nature now that they have the sticker on their cars reminding them. True yoga is pursued at Peace Through Yoga – mind, body and spirit. For more information about Peace Through Yoga and for details on times, instructor bios, and class descriptions, visit http://www.peacethroughyoga.com or contact Sally Brown at 317-679-1168. ------------------------------------------------- Karla Becker (Sat Bachan Kaur) teaches Kundalini Yoga for the Peace Through Yoga program at the Peace Learning Center. She is a 200-hr. certified yoga instructor as recognized by the Yoga Alliance. In March ’04, she is completing a second 200-hr. certification in Kundalini Yoga. Karla can be emailed from http://www.karlayoga.com or at karla@karlayoga.com.