In Memoriam Chris Kühne

 

Chris Kühne

1991-2021

What can you say about a man who died too young? He was ruggedly handsome, brilliantly analytical, smoothly diplomatic with clients, immensely talented as a screenwriter, relentless on the tennis court, and patiently aggressive as a story merchant carrying stories to buyers and broadcasters. He was ambitious and determined, sensitive and humanly vulnerable. His future was bright and glorious. He leaves behind grieving family and friends and grateful associates. He is a loss to his native and adopted countries. May he find his peace in that undiscovered country. He will be missed!


Born and raised in Mexico City, Chris turned to film and writing following a near-death experience. He moved to Los Angeles in 2013 to study film and screenwriting at the New York Film Academy, as well as Business and Management of the Entertainment and Film and TV Development at the University of California, Los Angeles. In 2015, he co-wrote the Goya-nominated feature film Yerma: Barren (Spain/UK), and served as a script consultant on the Spanish feature film El Violín de Piedra, both directed by renowned Spanish director Emilio Ruiz Barrachina.

​

Kayoko Mitsumatsu: Former NHK Producer and Founder of Yoga Gives Bac‪k‬ on Voices of Japan Podcast with Burke & Ben!

Kayoko Mitsumatsu joins Ben and Burke to share her experiences working as a producer and director at NHK (Japan's national broadcaster) and at the Embassy of Japan in London, and to also share the very encouraging and inspirational story behind the mission of Yoga Gives Back. It is a non-profit organization that Kayoko founded in 2007 that has mobilized the global yoga community to empower over 1400 women and children in India by helping them build sustainable livelihoods through micro loans coordinated by representatives in 30 countries. Apart from those topics, we also discuss some challenges within Japanese society, such as poverty, the country's relatively high suicide rate, and the scarcity of therapy and counseling.

Weekly podcast episodes with half-Japanese/half-American Burke (18 years in Japan) and Ben from England (13 years in Japan) and their guests. 

Filmmaker David Lynch Picked to Receive Yoga-Inspired Namaste Award

More than 200 yogis are expected at the posh Malibu fundraiser.

Glenn Hunt/Getty Images

There's an award ceremony for pretty much every walk of life in Los Angeles — even yogis.

Filmmaker David Lynch will receive the Namaste Award at Yoga Gives Back's 5th annual gala fundraiser, titled "Thank You Mother India," scheduled for Sept. 25 in Malibu. According to the organization, the bronze trophy simply "recognizes those who serve others." Lynch will be only the second recipient of the prize, following in the footsteps of previous honoree Malika Chopra, daughter of Deepak Chopra.

Lynch, best known for Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive, Lost Highway and Blue Velvet, is being lauded for his "noble and humanitarian efforts" through his David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace, which makes transcendental meditation accessible to children and adults all over the world. (Lynch has been practicing TM since 1973 and has been a vocal advocate of the practice in the decades since.)

YGB Founder Kayoko Mitsumatsu said in a statement: “While it’s common for many to perceive yoga as a physical exercise, the ultimate goal of the practice of yoga is to unite with the Divine Self—and meditation plays an important role in achieving this. ‘Namaste,’ which means ‘the divinity in me salutes the divinity in you’ in Sanskrit, symbolizes Yoga Gives Back’s mission, which is to help others, and is the inspiration for the Namaste Award.”

More than 200 guests from the local yoga community are expected to attend the event at the Pacific Coast Highway estate of philanthropist Amarjit Marwah. Oh, and the invites promise "a generous gift bag" to go with the $200 tickets.

 Read more at the Hollywood Reporter

Two incredibly inspiring women meet.

Mallika Chopra, author of "Living with Intent" will be presented with YGB's first-ever Namaste Award at the Yoga Gives Back Malibu Fundraiser for her contribution to various humanitarian causes as well as her dedication to share meditation, yoga tradition, to awake ourselves and to make this planet a better place.

Rina Tham's "Lucky Number 9" is the Title Sponsor of this event. Rina's life journey as a rubber tapper's daughter in the jungle of Malaysia will inspire many youths in the world and she plans to donate her books to YGB's fund recipient youths in India.

Honored To Be A Sponsor of Yoga Gives Back Sister Aid

Filmed in November 2012, this 7 minute video tells inspiring stories of YGB fund recipients, as well shedding light on the harsh reality they live in. YGB's direct funding program "Sister Aid" is making a positive impact on so many mothers and daughters in India.

Beginning Sanskrit - An 8 Week Course

Yoga Gives Back fundraiser class with Clay

The following invitation is from Clay of Yoga Gives Back

Come and play with me at Liberation Yoga Sunday Jan 25th, for a special fund-raising class for the non-profit YOGA GIVES BACK, an organization that I am thrilled to be working with that seeks to give back to India, the land who gave us the limitless gift of Yoga. We'll start with a brief talk from YGB founder and popular local Ashtanga Yoga and Sanskrit teacher Joel Bender to set the intention and shed some light on Yoga Gives Back. Then I'll guide us through a strong, intentional flow yoga class for about 80 minutes. After a long, scrumptious savasana, we'll wrap things up with a raffle of various donated prizes from local merchants.


click on image to bring up larger in a new window


Sunday, January 25th 2-4pm
Liberation Yoga (one of my favorite yoga studios in LA): 124 South La Brea, between 1st and 2nd.
Register at yogagivesback@earthlink.net
$30/25 if you register by January 20th

In service,
Clay

p.s. Of course, if you can't make this event, you can make a donation to Yoga Gives Back anytime!

p.p.s. Stay tuned for future events from YBG with some of your other favorite yoga teachers...