This Sunday, we held our Sitar Yoga event, and it was such a success! The soft words of yoga instructor Kat Archana encouraged us to stretch and relax our bodies and minds as Thievery Corporation’s Rob Myers (bit of trivia: he and Chris are brothers!) provided a peaceful, open atmosphere with his calming sitar chords.  The beautiful room in Josephine Butler Parks Center, an old mansion overlooking Meridian Hill Park, was filled with participants from all over the DC area.  We gathered to spread awareness and raise funds for the Academy.

Chris opened the event with an introduction explaining the Academy’s goals, and then Kat began the yoga session with chants, stretches and breathing exercises.  As the time passed, a deep calm fell over the room and participants were actively engaged in pushing their bodies and shaking off stress.  After the session, we requested donations and reiterated the mission of the Academy.  Lauren Schreiber played acoustic guitar as several participants stayed afterward to chat and to network, and some spoke with Chris and I to learn more about the Academy.  While we didn’t raise as much money as we had hoped, participants enjoyed themselves and learned a bit about the Academy.  We will follow up with the participants this week, and we hope that they will spread the word and volunteer for us in the future!