LA Yoga Interview with YAP founder Subhadra

1. I understand that Yoga Angels were around for a long time before YAP. Could you tell me when Yoga Angels started?

Yoga Angels Program began in 1997 at Gardner Street Elementary. We began with Yoga in schools- teaching yoga classes as an after school program in the auditorium. Within a year the program expanded and became apart of the curriculum for all the third graders at 12:30-1:30pm and the after school classes continued to serve k-8 graders. The program remained at Gardener for seven years before we had to discontinue it because of lack of funds to pay the teachers. YAP - Yoga Angels Press is one of our newest addition Yoga Angels ever growing youth programs and services www.yapwitus.com. YAP is a platform for youth to have an expressive voice with the consistent message of youth empowering youth. YAP staff consists of the Yoga Angels and the articles and interviews are composed by them. Yap features Kids -Yoga- Health and more.

2. Where did the idea for Yoga Angels come from?

From the kids at the Gardner Street Elementary one day we were doing our dreaming together about how we wanted help other kids discover yoga. Some of the things we were planning at that time was to have a dvd and forming the performance group, and we swore we were going to Oprah and have her help to spread the word on how Yoga Helps Kids.Well obviously we had no idea what it would take to accomplish any of these goals however I am happy to report that Yoga Angels dvd for kids taught by Kids has been produced in year 2002 and the performance group have been performing ever since. We have yet to meet Oprah but we firmly believe that we will perform and greet her soon.

3. What did Yoga Angels do in the early days, and how did youth, and the organization, find each other?

In the early days we dreamt a lot about what we wanted to do with our lives. We would demonstrate anywhere we were allow such as schools assemblies, Community Fairs, Yoga Special Events such as Yoga Journal Conferences, The Iyengar Odyssey or just anywhere we were able to spread the word on Kids Yoga.

4. You mentioned that there is a for-profit, and a not-for-profit component to YAP; could you tell me which is which?

Our non-profit arm is call Your Kids Organization www.yourkids.org We do wonderful out reach programs and Yoga Angels host fund raisers with community partners to facilitate fund and these programs.

5. Could you tell me about your personal yoga practice? How long have you been practicing, how did you get started?

My personal your practice began after body building for 4 years and I felt so constricted and uptight I couldn’t breathe I was a full blown case of panic attacks. I was praying for help to find spirituality when I literally bumped heads with a yoga teacher name Pagan in Hollywood Gym where I felt I spend most of my time in those years.After apologies and some flirting later on he informed me about yoga and I asked him to be my personal trainer and to guide me in nutrition which began a few hours later at what point I became a vegetarian and yogi within that day. I eventually married the Pagan yogi and we had a beautiful 8 year old boy name Krishna. My first style of yoga practice was Iyengar at The BKS Iyengar Institute of Los Angeles for nine years and then began to explore other styles of yoga such as Ashtanga, Vinyasana Flow, Kundilini, Yoga Works Style. I have now been practicing for 12 years and have given birth to three beloved children throughout the journey. I have learnt to adjust my practice accordingly but I consider my self an overall intense practitioner who craves the light!

6. What would you like YAP young adults to take from their experience in the organization?

The TRUTH -that there are no LIMITS!!! That what they perceived themselves to be regardless of their socioeconomic status is what they become.Perseverance-That being self assured is attractive and worth pursuing even when it’s challenging.Courage-To keep a open heart center because the alternative is unattractive and miserable.

7. What is your vision for your organization in the future?

To have Adults and little Yoga Angels globally embracing and expanding upon the mission while continuing the work. To build transition housing for families while providing programming to assist them to create or to achieve their goals.

8. Could you tell me about how coming from Jamaica has shaped your spirituality, yoga, business, family, etc.?

My foundation was built from the experiences that I had growing up in JA in poverty.Learning to shoot a bird from the sky with a sling –shot, stoning the mango from the tree, getting my own fire wood daily to cook a meal for a house hold of thirteen can only benefit you in soooo many ways. Being grounded, humble, grateful, and loving to dream helped my spiritually and determination.Then there is the abuse which I feel is one of the ways the soul chooses its experiences to learn inner strength and clear past life time karma. Oh Wow it has taught me about my voice that I have one and it’s ok to use it. The lessons learnt there and every where so I am always reconstructing my constitution.

9. Is there anything else you'd like me to write about/include in the article that we haven't talked about?

That people can get involve on many levels and we welcome them! That this is joint mission when choose make it so. This is why I decided to name the non-profit arm Your Kids organization since it keeps the responsibility true by having the word Our and Your in one gives a clear understanding of who the children of this world belong to. Also to Come and join our Family Retreat and Youth Exchange Program this Summer in Jamaica. Call us and we would love to share information.

10. Could you correct my spellings of names, ages, titles...?- Subhadra Bowman, mother of four, entrepreneur, yoga teacher, youth activist...

Radha Ruiz age 16, (chief editor of YAP)- Kali Lakshmi Matlock age 2- Philip Otto, age 19, (Director of YAP)

Questions by Rebecca -LA Yoga writer