International Yoga Exchange

Yoga, it’s something people do to stay in shape, to ground themselves to the world and overall improve their lives.   Yoga is respected worldwide and there are many gurus, teachers etc, of the practice.

This November we were lucky enough to facilitate a “Yoga Exchange” between Hawaii and Japan.  One of our friends and teachers lived a part of her adult life in India, where she married and had children.  While living there for about 10 years she undertook the studies associated with proper yoga technique.   She studied, practiced and mastered it in her own way. 

Later in life she moved from India back to her home country of Japan.  This is where our stories intersect. 

She moved to a small town in Saitama where we met while walking our dogs.  A bond between our families grew and quickly. 

I think understanding the life of a foreigner or a foreign family made her soften up to us a little faster.

We shared many experiences with her and stories.  She always wondered about our home town and why we decided on the little town we did.

As time progressed we quickly became close, visiting the house daily for lunches and dinners and just the random tea or coffee time.

We again would share stories with one another and grew to understand one another’s mindset.   It wasn’t until after we moved from Saitama to Otaru did she share that she was interested in visiting Hawaii, specifically Hilo.

I told her that it was someplace she would find familiar as it was very much like the little town we met in.

We decided that the best way for her to visit would be to do a Yoga Exchange.  So she could share her knowledge with others while also getting to talk to those who are from Hawaii or live there.  It’s an important insight into life that she needed to get.

So we got to work. 

Contacting the County of Hawaii’s recreation department to schedule a guest visit and then a private venue for those who do not go to the county programs.

From the reviews we got from the locals there, it was a hit.  They were happy, impressed and overall esthetic with what they learned and the wisdom she shared.

This trip made it clear that Hawaii had a strong connection with the little town and for some reason it drew us and our families together.

So after much discussion and thought we are heavily considering moving back to the little town we first called home.

It’s a place where the sense of community is strong.  The relationships we grew and those of extreme quality and we think that it will give us the opportunity we need to get back on track with things.

But back to the program. 

With it’s success in Hawaii we are now planning more programs throughout the year.  And are currently in the works and talks with the same groups we met with to possibly do a program in Japan, where they would come here to experience the culture and differences to those they are familiar with at home in Hawaii.

If we are able to work things out in detail then we are looking to start these programs sometime early next year.  It will be a “homestay’ type of situation and the visitors will experience the “inaka” lifestyle while practicing Yoga and possibly other sports throughout their visit.

Our focus through the start of Koji Media, was and always has been the goal to share knowledge about life, about culture and about traditions with everyone.  The more “educated” people are about someone elses’ culture, history and traditions the more open their minds may become.

So as things get closer and a little more solidified I’ll keep you all posted!

Until the next one.