Isha Foundation is an international public service organization founded by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, and is dedicated to the enhancement of physical, mental and inner well-being of all people. Isha seeks to bring peace, inner balance and joy through the science of yoga and to relieve human suffering through a variety of initiatives on the individual, community and international level.

Founded in 1992, it is a non-religious, non-political, non-sectarian organization, with a large active volunteer base.

People who have been in some way touched and inspired by Isha Foundation, comprise the volunteer base of Isha. Coming from all walks of life, and all parts of the world their quality of being dedicated, disciplined, and wanting to reach out, is what is common across the organization.

Isha’s work includes teaching yoga programs, participating in international peace efforts, environmental conservation initiatives, and work to preserve and enrich the indigenous culture of tribal villagers in India. One of the hallmarks of Isha is flexibility, responsiveness and adaptability to local situations in a variety of endeavors. This is one of the reasons why Isha is very successful with its various social outreach programs that include prisons on India and the United States, villages in Tamil Nadu and now the tsunami hit villages on the east coast, in India.

Yes. In legal terms, Isha Foundation is registered as a Public Charitable Trust in India and as a non-profit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization in USA. It has over 150 centers in India and other parts of the world including the USA, Canada, Lebanon, Cyprus, France, and Germany.

Isha is a 100 % volunteer organization meaning all of Isha activity is implemented by volunteers who typically sponsor themselves as well as whatever additional minor costs are involve in the work. Basic needs of food, clothing, lodging and medical care of a small group of full-time volunteers is borne by the Foundation.

Therefore, the overhead in any activity is very low, and we are able to channel every dollar donated to the beneficiaries.

The vision, in Sadhguru’s words is ‘to not just do some philanthropy, but to upgrade their lives not just materially, but in every way.’ It involves providing housing, restoring means of livelihood, quality health care, creating a communal kinship and empowering them to take responsibility for their own well-being.

Rehabilitation also has to have a human touch to it. Currently, their psyche is shattered, and they have become very diffident. This has to be healed first. Isha Foundation, through its other initiatives in rural Tamil Nadu like the Action for Rural Rejuvenation has rich experience in doing this. We have a large trained volunteer force, and a well-defined set of processes to accomplish this.

As of now, Isha Foundation has completely adopted three villages. This is based upon the Foundation’s own finances and commitments from a few donors. Our capability to serve is many fold more, and there is a dire need for this. Therefore we are seeking funding from all possible sources so that a significant difference is made in the situation.

As already mentioned, Isha’s volunteer base is a huge asset, and ensures maximum result per dollar. Being of local origin and having grown up in this culture, they speak the local language and are familiar with the local customs. Cultural sensitivity is essential to ensure maximum acceptability by the beneficiaries. Our volunteers have been performing extremely well in this regard. These advantages are quite critical.

Isha Foundation is governed by a hierarchy of formal and informal committees at all levels. At the highest level a board of trustees, comprising of prominent citizens from different geographical areas, seek Sadhguru’s counsel and advice in formulating the policies and the priorities for the organization, which is then implemented at various levels.

Isha Foundation can provide accounts for the spending of the donor’s contribution, upon request. All account statements are audited by a Chartered Accountant and submitted to the Income Tax Department, as per law.

In 2003 Isha Foundation initiated a comprehensive program called Action for Rural Rejuvenation (ARR) aimed at rejuvenation of the rural communities. About 750,000 people in rural Tamil Nadu are served by this project.

The program provides primary medical care, revives indigenous systems of self care, introduces games and inter village tournaments, and imparts yoga for mental, physical and spiritual sustainment. ARR features mobile medical clinic which service hard to reach regions and care for some of India’s poorest people. The program has succeeded enormously since its inception; new volunteers and new donors joining the effort every day as they see the profound change in the lives of these villagers.

This has given Isha the capability of understanding and blending into these communities and carrying forward a holistic program aimed at total well-being of a person, which is also what is needed in the coastal villages.

Isha Foundation looks forward to working with like-minded individuals and organizations, irrespective of their origins. Such a partnership with complementary strengths would greatly benefit the victims.

However, Isha Foundation does not support efforts that amount to discrimination or creating divisions among people.

We have many centers throughout USA and India, as well as centers in Lebanon, France, Cyprus and Germany. Please check the "Contact Us" page for contact information.

Donor preferences and suggestions can be submitted by email tsunami@ruralrejuvenation.org at the time of donation. You can donate directly on-line to the relief effort by clicking on “To Contribute” and following the instructions posted there. When you make your donation, you can designate the funds specifically for a project, or materials outlined in the funding appeal on the website, or you may simply donate to the general fund.

Updates are available on the website. At this time we are not providing daily updates as webpage volunteers receive information from field representatives when they have time available. Look for us to post information with new details every few days. We are currently not providing email or regular mail updates.

Isha does accept certain medications and other in-kind donations of new materials for fishing equipment, construction and agriculture. However, since these are very specific items, we ask you to please correspond with us tsunami@ruralrejuvenation.org to ensure that your donation matches our needs.