Advocating to Share the Power of Yoga
At Yoga Alliance, we believe that if more people practice yoga, the better the world will be.
Our Vision: Yoga Alliance envisions a world in which our collective wellbeing and human consciousness is elevated through equitable access to high quality teaching and practice of yoga.
Our Mission: Yoga Alliance advances the evolving profession of yoga teaching and broader connected community of students, individuals and businesses through supporting the professional growth and development of yoga schools and teachers.
Yoga Alliance is the largest non-profit association serving the global yoga community. We advocate for yoga for social impact, promote mental and physical well-being, and support local businesses, communities and our economy. We are proud to represent over 100,000 yoga professionals spanning 165 countries as we work to advance the evolving profession of yoga teaching.
Yoga Is For Everyone, And It Is Good for Mental & Physical Health
There are over 38 million yoga practitioners in the United States, and 41% of all Americans have participated in yoga at some point in their lives. Whereas yoga practice in the U.S. was previously motivated primarily by a desire for physical flexibility, the 2022 “Yoga in the World” survey1 found that increasingly people are practicing yoga for stress release and to improve their overall health.
This shift in what drives people to practice yoga is supported by scientific research studies2, which have proven yoga’s multi-faceted ability to support individuals’ and communities’ health and well-being, above and beyond physical fitness. Yoga can positively impact whole person health, and it has the potential to address the many current health crises across geographies, cultures, and generations.
Through numerous studies from organizations such as the US’s National Institutes of Health, research 3 shows that yoga can help to: reduce anxiety and depression, regulate stress and improve immune function, positively impact parts of the brain responsible for memory, emotions, problem-solving, and awareness; support recovery from trauma, addiction, and illness; promote healthy behaviours and improve sleep, fitness and heart health.
Yoga for Social Impact
Yoga Alliance works to amplify the transformative power of yoga. We help bring yoga to more spaces and communities—reaching beyond studio settings to make the practice accessible to everyone. We do this through strategic partnerships, financial investment, and advocacy initiatives. Some highlights of our social impact work include:
Yoga for Community Care
Yoga Alliance offers financial support, professional development opportunities, and community connections for yoga teachers who work in low-resource environments. In times of crisis, we help sustain access to yoga as a critical resource.
Yoga for Resiliency
Through strategic partnerships with humanitarian aid groups and yoga teachers in the refugee community, we facilitate expanded access to yoga and its healing powers for those who have experienced traumatic crises.
A Lifelong Yoga Practice
Yoga Alliance is collaborating with educators and legislators on advocacy, grassroots initiatives, and system changes to offer yoga in all schools—so that students everywhere have yoga as a resource for physical and emotional well-being.
Amplifying the Power of Yoga
We’ve developed innovative, science-based tools to measure yoga’s impact on whole person health. By combining the proven efficacy of yoga with targeted advocacy efforts, yoga is positioned as an essential service and a high-value investment—in social services, health care, and beyond.
Help Build A Better World Through Yoga
Yoga is a force for good. It fosters individual and community wellness. Sharing the practice of yoga can power a world of positive impact.
We know that yoga is good for all of us, and Yoga Alliance is here to spread the good.
Join a movement to make the world a better place. Learn more, and donate to support this powerful work at yogaalliance.org/foundation.
References
- 1 Yoga Alliance “Yoga in the World” research study, 2022. https://www.yogaalliance.org/Yoga_in_the_World.
- 2 National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health “Yoga for Health” e-book, 2023. United States Department of Health & Human Services: National Institutes of Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health-info/yoga-for-health-ebook
- 3 National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health “Yoga for Health” e-book, 2023. United States Department of Health & Human Services: National Institutes of Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health-info/yoga-for-health-ebook
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