This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Business & Tech

Global Mala Spreads Peace in Newark

Local Yoga teachers and studios participate in Global Mala

Sunday marked the 4th annual Global Mala event held at Newark's Central High School.

Well-known yogini Shiva Rea created the event as a way to fundraise and draw attention to issues at large and to bring peace into communities. Short Hills resident Debby Kaminsky has organized the Newark event ever since its conception. "Shiva is my teacher and I was honored to help bring this event to New Jersey," said Kaminsky. Proceeds of the event go to various charities as such as Newark Yoga Movement and Woman's Space.

Hundreds of participants at the event performed 72 sun salutations and 36 asanas— or poses. The two numbers add up to the sum of 108—an auspicious number in yoga. One explanation behind the significance of the number is that the diameter of the sun is 108 times larger than diameter of the earth.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

More than forty New Jersey yoga studios showed their support for the event. Shakti Yoga & Living Arts was one of the bigger supporters. Shakti Director Anna Winkler even led some of the seventy-two sun salutations. Winkler and former Shakti teacher Gena Rho-Smith donated their time and energy to participants by offering complimentary Thai Yoga massage.     

Delicious healthy treats were supplied by Maplewood resident Kate Smith-Cooper who runs Scholastic Catering Services.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Other local studios that showed their support included Millburn studio Bhakti Barn which offered a free yoga class coupon in the gift bag; Maplewood's Baker Street Yoga and South Mountain Yoga.

Before Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker led the guests in 108 rounds of chanting Om, he wished all the attendess much peace in their lives. "Today, I am grateful for you being here in the heart of our city. I wish you the best in your journey."

Other special guests included Newark Activist Earl Best, better known as The Street Doctor. Best, a convicted bank robber, spent 10 years in solidarity confinement. He carried a sign that stated, "Whatever you're seeking is seeking you." 

But Booker provided the most inspiration to attendees.

"Everyone of us is connected," he said. Booker also shared something his father told him as a child: "My dad would say that life can be a thermostat or a thermometer."

Booker laughed as he revealed, "Sometimes I fail. I allow the external to affect me."

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?