A series of articles by instructors of the Ukrainian Federation of Yoga, created at the request of The European Union Of Yoga: about personal experience of using yoga methods and knowledge during the war.
A Personal Story of Volunteerism
When the war erupted in February 2022, I could never have imagined how profoundly it would change us, our space, and our entire country. Lviv, once steeped in cultural serenity, became a refuge for thousands fleeing from death and destruction. Our yoga and dance centre, Shakti Yoga Shala & Sensation Dance Studio, transformed into a shelter, the first warm embrace of safety for so many.
Those early days of the war feel like a haunting memory, especially at the train station on that cold winter night. People were everywhere — holding blankets, bags, children… Exhausted and terrified. It felt like a different world, one that had nothing in common with life as it had been just a day before. The city was filled with the desperation of people who had nowhere to go.
In that moment, I understood that our studio had to become a shelter. Yoga is not only a practice on the mat; it’s a way of interacting with the world, a philosophy we implement through our actions. So in this sense this became our true yoga, a practice of dharma — service to society — and karuna, compassion for others, as we became a source of support at that tough time.
We initially opened our doors to the students and families of our Yoga Federation. They stayed in the studio and became part of our volunteer team. Together, we began welcoming new arrivals, preparing meals, bringing clothes, bedding, and other essentials. Every person who arrived brought their own story: some had witnessed their homes destroyed, others had lost loved ones, and some couldn’t yet believe that they had to flee.
The nights were the hardest. All the shelters in the city were full, yet trains kept bringing people who had nowhere to rest or find warmth. We took turns keeping watch, opening our doors to as many as we could fit in. These were the darkest nights, filled with the haunting faces of those stricken by fear and grief, and our only mission was to make them feel that they were not alone.
After several weeks, we evolved from a shelter to a full-scale humanitarian hub. The rooms that once held chanting, dance rehearsals, and serene meditation transformed into storage spaces and temporary homes. We gathered food, medicine, and baby supplies — whatever we could — and distributed it to both military and civilian zones in need.
I remember how we would send food to our friends in Chernihiv, which was cut off from supplies. We would get the supplies as close as we could, pack food in plastic bottles, and send them downstream, giving people a small glimmer of hope for survival.
Each day brought terrifying news: loved ones killed or taken captive, children abducted to Russia and separated from their families, and others wounded. We would talk with these people, listen, help them find a sense of balance—whatever was possible in such moments. The students of our yoga school, both mine and those of other instructors, became a true human force. I am grateful to them every day, as together we were able to support so many, giving them a place to rest and collect their thoughts on where to go next.
Today, in October 2024, our studio has returned to its regular activities, but we continue to offer help, sending aid to the front lines, gathering medical supplies for soldiers, organising self-defence and combat training courses, yoga sessions, and first aid courses. We are still recovering from everything we have endured and continue to face, as the war brings unimaginable suffering and grief.
I am deeply grateful to each of you who has supported us during these times and who continues to support us. Your compassion gives us the strength to carry on.
With respect to the yoga community and our readers.
Yoga Instructor, Dancer. Founder of Lviv’s largest yoga and dance centre, Shakti Yoga Shala, and the first Yoga Park in Ukraine. Creator of Natya Yoga for dancers. President of the Ukrainian Dance Federation and the Lviv section of the International Dance Council under UNESCO