YogaHub |
A Place for Healing
“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”
~ The Dalai Lama
For Deborah Bernstein, a yoga teacher, and Scott Wahlen, a firefighter, their act of kindness to soldiers recovering at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center led them to a new career path. The beginning of their truly compassionate act was the purchase of a house on St. John, US Virgin Islands, which they named Florian Villa. Their intent to create a healing environment for both soldiers and families of fallen firefighters became their passion and dedication.
In order to fund this work, they divested their savings and sold off property, including Deborah’s yoga studio, to finance the purchase. By renting the four-bedroom house for yoga and adventure retreats throughout the year, Deborah and Scott are able to donate a week, with all expenses paid, for firefighters’ families and injured soldiers.
This year, they will be hosting a group of disabled soldiers who will receive scuba diving instructions from the group called “Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba” (SUDS). Deborah and Scott are currently raising funds to pay for the flights of each of the participants.
[tags] yoga retreat, yoga vacations, disabled soldiers,firefighters, yoga practice, Florian Villa [/tags]