What Is a Community Karma Krew?

It is already true that yoga studios across the country serve to create a nurturing climate for both self-awakening and enlightened community. It is our intention to help enrich and expand these efforts by creating a nationwide network of yoga communities that are committed to bringing the practice of yoga off the mat and into their local neighborhoods through the Community Karma Krews initiative. As one of yoga's original paths to enlightenment, karma yoga or the "yoga of action" is rooted in the notion that service is a powerful catalyst for both collective and self-transformation.  Through this initiative, Karma Krew seeks to translate the wisdom revealed on the mat into inspired action in the world.

Here's how it works:

Each month, Krew Chiefs around the country organize either a Simple Seva Campaign or Karma Community Project as an opportunity for yoga students from all area studios to get involved in a community-based outreach initiative to address a specific social issue within their community. Karma Krew determines a different social concern to focus on each month, but it is the Krew Chief that decides how best to actualize the outreach effort in their community.  Simple Seva Campaigns are non-project oriented outreach efforts such as collection drives while Karma Community Projects, which are offered at least once per season, are gatherings for more traditional community service projects.  During Karma Community Projects, participating studios are encouraged to offer other yoga practices alongside the service work like asana class (taught by a different teacher from a different lineage each time) and satsang (group share) to integrate the day's events into one's regular practice and understanding of yoga.

Establishing a Community Karma Krew is a unique and powerful way to build community among your yoga student population as well as dissolve the barriers between studios in your community. In addition, by starting a Karma Krew in your community, you become part of the growing national network of yoga studios, teachers and students who are mobilizing the collective energy of their yoga communities to take yoga off the mat and into their own backyards. Yoga, at its heart, is about union and what better way to experience our interconnectedness than to move past our studio walls and out into the world as one voice anchored in the intention to uplift and serve.

To learn more about the monthly causes, simple seva campaigns, and karma community projects, click here.  Each outreach effort aims to create positive change in the world and in ourselves through the combination of turning inward and reaching outward.

How do I start a Karma Krew?

F.A.Q.'s for Starting a Krew

Krew Chief Application

To become an official Community Karma Krew, you must download and complete the above application to become a Krew Chief in your area. Once your application is processed and approved, you will take part in a tele-conference orientation and training with Karma Krew's founders. Once you've completed your application and training call, you will be provided with a comprehensive Organizer Tool Kit designed specifically for Karma Krew chiefs. Our goal with the application and orientation process is to make running a local krew as effective, simple, supportive and sustainable for you as possible.

We also seek to create a strong network between all the participating krews; so we will continually host Krew Chief enrichment calls via teleconference to discuss lessons learned, exciting insights, helpful resources, inspiring stories and much more. Krew Chiefs represent a select group of yogis who are dedicated to always serving from their highest potential whether on or off the mat. They adhere to a high standard of excellence in their work and service. They are the heartbeat of the Karma Krew organization, and we are committed to providing them with the support they need to have a meaningful and rewarding experience. If you're a practicing yoga teacher or student interested in starting a krew in your area, we invite you to download the Krew Chief Application and activiate your intention today!