act now yoga e.V. - act like a yogi
We are a group of yoga enthusiasts and practitioners united by a common goal: to inspire people to embrace a lifestyle based on the ancient values of yoga.
Yoga is not about strength and flexibility, but ultimately about freeing yourself from false beliefs. We follow an ancient wisdom teaching about the causes of suffering and techniques to overcome it. A key insight is that consciousness is indivisible and doesn’t arise in the brain as commonly believed today. This oneness can be experienced through various yoga practices. Everything changes when we consistently base all thinking and action on this unbreakable connection.
Yoga is a simple practice. It’s enough to consistently align your behavior toward others with the principle of Ahimsa (non-violence) and the other values (the Yamas). Contentment (Aparigraha) instead of excess. No more excuses. Look honestly instead of looking away or distracting yourself. Consider the impact on the world around you and act accordingly. That’s yoga practice, and it works immediately.
Popular practices like Asana, Pranayama, and Meditation can be helpful. However, it’s important to understand that taken out of context, they can’t lead to the liberation of the mind as described in the scriptures.
14-18 May 2025 Gathering
Yoga in the climate crisis
In our first gathering we gathered for 4 days in a beautiful seminar house in Mecklenburg near Neustrelitz.
In dieser Veranstaltung haben wir gemeinsam Wege gesucht, uns selbst mit aller gebotenen Konsequenz der Realität globaler Krisen zu stellen. Wir haben erkannt, dass Leid nicht nur aus dem Handeln weniger entsteht, sondern aus dem Nicht-Handeln vieler. Indem wir selbst angemessen auf die sozial-ökologische Krise reagiert haben, konnten wir andere inspirieren. Soziale Veränderung beginnt immer mit Einzelnen, die es anders machen.
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Why specifically "climate change"?
The gap between what we know and how we act as a society is hardly more striking than when it comes to climate change. We might sort a bit of trash here or choose soy-based meat there, but otherwise, we continue living as if that’s enough—because everyone around us does the same. Especially we yogis often have a high individual footprint, since flying is part of our normal routine, for example in yoga retreats by exotic beaches.
We ignore that by doing this, we are causing existential harm mainly to the poorest people in the world and to our children. We overlook that we are contributing to devastating droughts and crop failures, heatwaves, floods, and storms on an unprecedented scale. We turn a blind eye to the fact that we are knowingly making wars more likely. At least, we think we’re ignoring it. Deep down, we know all of this. With no other issue can we better recognize the power of self-deception (“Maya”).
You can’t escape your own conscience. We have to face the truth and consistently change our behavior: stop what’s harmful and be the rock in the surf amid a sea of ignorance and denial—breaking the waves and steering them in a different direction.
Simply stop, here and now. And that is the essence of yogic action.
Most people can significantly reduce their footprint with just a few decisions. Our one or two most climate-damaging habits are almost always pure luxury and usually make up at least 50%, sometimes even more, of our individual footprint. Change yourself and inspire a few people in your personal circle.
The origins of this project
This project began in early 2018, when we sat together at our Ashtanga Shala in Berlin feeling discouraged by the climate crisis.
We asked ourselves how we could spend hours daily practicing physical exercises yet fail to dedicate even a few hours a week to the well-being of the planet. How can we call ourselves "yogis" if we only think about ourselves?
We knew from the start that we had to drastically reduce our own footprint immediately—especially by giving up flying, no excuses.
Research showed, however, that yoga hasn’t helped with climate protection but has grotesquely contributed to the problem. Even our own yoga teachers with frequent-flyer lifestyles knew how destructive it is—but the joy of traveling and probably the higher profits from retreats in Global South countries clearly outweighed those concerns.
This is where we want to step in and spark a shift in awareness within the yoga community, so that this system takes both its own values and foundations as well as the ecological crisis seriously and realigns itself accordingly.
