The Thirty Day Challenge For The Air We Breathe

Modo Yoga New York has issued a yoga challenge: help save the lungs of the earth during the month of November. This idea is to raise money for Junglekeepers, an organization working to preserve the Peruvian rainforest.

While Modo has been challenging their students since they opened to raise money for a variety of charities, including Little Kids Rock, this one is their most ambitious projects to date.

“We are embarking on our most epic fundraiser yet, to raise $100,000 through November for Junglekeepers, a charity committed to protecting the Madre De Dios region of the Peruvian Amazon - one of the most, if not the most biodiverse places on earth,” explains Rebecca Foon, the woman behind the challenge and one of the founders of Modo Yoga.

For Foon, this challenge is about community. “This is about unity through breath, the power of community and creating transformational change.” In this case the community is both here in NYC and in Canada, because their sister schools in Montreal will also be participating.

To take part in the daily challenge Modo Yoga students who have monthly cards can just go to class, for everyone else it costs $160 which includes the classes, a towel and mats. They aren’t sticklers about where you practice so if you have another studio you like just go for it. Helping raise money for Junglekeepers, whether or not you can commit to taking the 30 day yoga challenge, is easy. They've set up a Crowdrise page where people can make donations, and ask their friends and family to join in too.

As part of the campaign they are having a lottery, featuring prizes, including an Unlimited Freedom Year Membership (free classes, mats and towels for a year), a Sam Messer print, a copy of Sarah Neufeld and Rebecca Foon’s music CD, a Manduka PROlite yoga mat, and a pair of Teekie pants. The top fundraiser will win a trip (!) to Peru with Modo Yoga NYC and Junglekeepers.

The Modo Yoga Challenge starts on November 1st and goes until November 30th. You can get more information on their website, and decide if you want to use your yoga mat to help save this resource which helps all living beings stay alive.

--Dar Dowling

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