Namaste and salutations, dear Kupala Community,

Jess and April here.

It has been a heavy month in our global community. As you read this, we invite you to take a few slow breaths. We do not believe in sugarcoating or spiritually bypassing the suffering unfolding around us. At the same time, we do not want to lose sight of the resilience, beauty, and humanity that continue to shine through even in difficult times.

Many of us are living through a period that can feel overwhelming. In Vedic philosophy, we are said to be in the Kali Yuga, the final of the four yugas, or great cycles of time. Kali Yuga is traditionally described as an age marked by conflict, confusion, materialism, and spiritual decline. Yet these teachings also remind us that darkness is not permanent. Existence itself moves in cycles, and within every cycle there remains the possibility of awakening, transformation, and renewal.

As beings inhabiting this particular moment in history, we are called to bear witness to the world around us. We see war, displacement, oppression, environmental destruction, and profound human suffering. We also see countless people working tirelessly for peace, justice, healing, and care. It can be painful to watch systems of power seem immovable while those striving for a better world face enormous obstacles. Some days, the weight of it all can feel discouraging or even frightening.

As students of yoga, we understand that yoga extends far beyond physical postures. The deeper teachings invite us into a lifelong practice of self-inquiry, courage, and conscious action. In the Bhagavad Gita, courage is among the qualities needed to walk a spiritual path: the courage to face difficult truths, to act according to conscience, to question what no longer serves us, and to remain present even when life feels uncertain. Yoga asks us not to turn away from the world, but to meet it with awareness, integrity, and compassion.

One path the Gita offers is Karma Yoga—the yoga of selfless action. For many of us, this is one of the most accessible spiritual practices available. Acts of service, generosity, empathy, and care, offered without attachment to recognition or reward, become a way of transforming both ourselves and the communities we belong to. Through these actions, we gradually reshape the habits and conditioning that yoga calls samskaras, creating new pathways rooted in compassion rather than fear, connection rather than separation.

This is one reason we return again and again to these teachings. They remind us that periods of turmoil are not new, and that meaningful action remains possible even in difficult times. The path forward may not always be clear, but it is illuminated by our willingness to show up—for ourselves, for one another, and for the world we share.

If these ideas are new to you, we encourage you to explore ways of becoming more engaged in your community. Support mutual aid efforts. Volunteer with organizations doing meaningful work. Check in on a neighbor. Participate in local initiatives that help people and protect the planet. These acts may seem small, but they matter deeply. A single act alone may not feel impactful, but when many small acts are woven together, they become a force capable of nourishing communities, shaping culture, and creating meaningful change in our world.

One of the most powerful antidotes to despair is connection. When we come together in service, we are reminded that compassion is not an abstract ideal—it is a living practice. In caring for one another, we honor the sacredness of life itself and recognize the Divine reflected in every being.

May we continue to meet this moment with open hearts, steady courage, and a commitment to collective care. And may we each find ways, however humble, to contribute to a more just, compassionate, and connected world.

 Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

Om Peace to you, peace to your loved ones, and peace to the world

 Jess & April

Some favorite quotes for contemplation & inspiration:

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” – James Baldwin

“Liberation—not a gift, not a self-achievement, but a mutual process.”
― Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

“Contrary to what we may have been taught to think, unnecessary and unchosen suffering wounds us but need not scar us for life. It does mark us. What we allow the mark of our suffering to become is in our own hands.”
― bell hooks, All About Love: New Visions

Upcoming Karma Yoga Opportunities:

Join us on Saturday, June 27th as we support Friends of LA River, California Native Plant Society and San Fernando Valley Audubon Society for Habitat Restoration Day! Register HERE!

Upcoming Special Classes:

Community Spotlight:

Check out our discussion w/ New York Times Bestselling author, mother, and yoga student, Anna Malaika Tubbs, where she shares her insights and reflections with us on her personal journey with yoga, motherhood, and working towards collective liberation.