Because I photograph lots of yogis, I love to contemplate what makes a beautiful yoga practice.

A beautiful yoga practice is one that goes beyond the mat. It is not about a beautifully toned body or perfect asana (pose). A true yogi takes his or her practice off the mat into the world. Meet Mara Berger. When I asked Mara to say something about why she gives herself so freely, she said, “Because I recognize the other person is me.”

“Mara is one of those amazing people who can look beyond the superficialities and see the beauty of a person within. Her warm, sunny smile immediately put people at ease when they meet her. As an art instructor who teaches teens with special needs at Friendship Circle, Mara helps them connect to their artistic side and create beautiful projects that the teens can be proud of. She gives them the tools they need to see how ordinary objects can become things of beauty. Mara’s focus on each teen as an individual allows her to create art that reflects who they are.” ~Toba Grossbaum  COO of Friendship Circle LifeTown

This is what Mara Berger has been doing every week for 5 years. Volunteering for Friendship Circle, a nonprofit whose mission envisions a world in which people with special needs and their families experience acceptance, inclusion, and friendship as contributing members of society. They foresee a future where they never again have to suffer the social isolation that has often been so prevalent in society.

These images are hanging at The Squirrel and the Bee  515 Millburn Ave Millburn NJ. To learn more about Friendship Circle and the new Building of LifeTown go to their website www.lifetown.com

To see more of my work go to www.joanieschwarzphoto.com

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