Ella's Gift: Yoga Therapy Scholarship Fund

Greetings from Diana Tokaji! Welcome to the scholarship fund!

Ella's Gift: Yoga Therapy Scholarship Fund for Women has supported survivors of assault and trauma since 2014, providing one-on-one yoga therapy sessions for women in need all around the country and beyond the U.S. borders.

Your donation goes directly to our Yoga Therapy Scholarship Fund for Women account, monitored by our treasurer, Colleen Bergeron.

Here’s a little about the Fund and my work:

The Yoga Therapy Scholarship Fund for Women originated in 2014 with the passing of Ella Paley, a beautiful student of mine, and a visionary and artistic soul. Since then it has taken on a life of its own, providing scholarships for deserving professionals to attend my acute trauma care trainings, (often professionals in this domain are themselves assault survivors), and granting scholarships for women survivors to receive private Yoga Therapy sessions. Came Covid, and the need to attend to our youth became more apparent than ever. Free sessions were offered to social workers who work with at-risk youth – support the healers was the aim, for they were carrying the load for all of us. One-on-one sessions with young women also became an urgent priority: again, an uptick in mental and medical crises, and a frightening level of suicidality. The work continues, deep work – scholarship sessions to those who've survived childhood assault, military assault, domestic violence, personal loss, medical trauma, gender or sexuality changes, and natural disasters such as hurricane and fire. The need continues. It is my highest honor to hold presence for these women. Often, the women who’ve received scholarships for sessions return the kindness several years later when their finances improve – it is very touching to see that over $1,000 in donations last year came from former scholarship recipients.

I am a twice-certified yoga therapist with a Master of Science in Yoga Therapy; I’m registered and certified with the International Association of Yoga Therapists (C-IAYT). In 2016, my unique protocol for working with acute trauma was honored with the Excellence in Innovation and Service Award for “outstanding leadership, commitment to service, and dedication to the community…and the larger world.” I am devoted to this work, and have been since age 18, when the gift of being unable to walk led me to begin to study the body’s wisdom and explore how to work therapeutically – with myself. Of course since then I’ve studied with great masters, but the deepest work is always in one’s personal practice.

Some of you also know me as a writer, dancer, choreographer...I've been performing for 55 years! My books, essays, and poetry have won meaningful awards and many of you have supported these myriad forms of work since the get-go - I'm so grateful, you have no idea! To me, the creative work and the yoga therapy work go hand in hand: it takes devotional creativity to live a good life, especially after assault and traumatic event.

At age 70, I'm more passionate than ever to offer my presence, skills, and accrued wisdom to deserving women in need. Equally, I’ll continue to present, publish, and perform my creative work. I can't think of a better way to express my gratitude for life and to uphold the bravery of the women I've been working with, beings who've survived the indescribable and continue to believe. Creativity is often savior. I’ll happily share more with you about my creative endeavors and my yoga therapy work by either email or Facebook messenger. For now, just Thank You so much for being here and caring deeply.

More soon!

dance, love, sing, and be generous with one another,

Diana

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no raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or promotions are offered in exchange for donations to this GoFundMe.