This week's blog post will be highlighting Sean Corn, an internationally celebrated yoga teacher, and founder of Off the Mat, a yoga activism organization (mission: "OTM uses the power of yoga to inspireconscious, sustainable activism and ignitegrassroots social change.") for her creation of The Oasis at the past Republican National Convention and current Democratic National Convention. One can imagine how heated and impassioned a political convention can be. As we sit from home and watch attendees proudly wearing their parties' colors, wave signs and banners, and cheer for his or her political pundits, it all can seem very, intense. On a personal note, all of the political fervor and stalwartness seems a bit overwhelming. Where a convention could be used as a forum for dialogue and understanding, these two events appear to be a puppet show for determined and close-minded political rhetoric. Corn, a lady of compassion and action, decided these conventions could use a little bit more "yoga" mentally. 

Corn partnered with Ariana Huffington, of the Huffington post for the last DNC and created The Oasis. This year, both conventions have had and will have The Oasis. The Oasis is to be a place of reflection, peace, and pause. Simple yoga practices, massages, conversation, meditation, and food all worked to create a place of respite; an environment where the leaders could re-charge to make clear-minded decisions. 

Talk about an un-sung hero. While we typically think about individuals who speak out, here we have someone imploring individuals to really "shut-up" and listen to themselves. Sometimes it takes a compassionate and open leader to facilitate or inspire this process. Zinn touted people with all different talents and methods of mobilizing new of ways of thinking. Corn is doing just that. In a time of intense attacks from both political parties, the political world at large could use a bit more time spent on contemplative thought. I know, it sounds a bit utopian, but great things have always originated from people who do just that, think differently. 



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