The NBC Nightly News recently featured a meditation by renowned yoga instructor, Atman Smith. Smith founded the Holistic Life Foundation in 2001, and has been teaching yoga and meditation since the late 1990s. His book, Let Your Light Shine, is co-authored with Andres Gonzalez.
Let Your Light Shine by Andres Gonzalez is an innovative, award winning and utterly inspiring book that brings the ancient Eastern science of yoga and meditation into the mainstream. It is a must read for parents, educators and kids alike. The book is accompanied by a plethora of informative videos and an accompanying app for mobile viewing. From the best practices to the nitty gritty details, the book is a must read. As an added bonus, the authors of the book have teamed up with a host of luminaries who will be sharing their wisdom with readers and visitors for the duration of the book tour. Some of the notable names include a few of the most influential names in the health and wellness community. Several of the top players are featured in the book as well as in the accompanying app. Among the list of names you can expect to meet is the founder and co-founder of the Holistic Life Foundation, Andres Gonzalez. He is also a certified Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. This is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the field.
Holistic Life Foundation is a Baltimore-based nonprofit organization. It is dedicated to creating and implementing evidence-based mindfulness and yoga programs to underserved communities and high-risk youth. The organization aims to empower thousands of historically underserved kids in Baltimore.
The foundation consists of three men who work to create a better community through mindfulness and yoga. They are Andres Gonzalez, Ali Hassan, and Atman Smith.
HLF works to develop and educate the next generation of mindful leaders in schools and communities. Their programs include urban gardening, yoga, and mindfulness practice. Through these activities, the organization teaches children and adults to live healthier, happier lives.
The foundation's programs focus on mindfulness and yoga, as well as teamwork and environmental conservation. Through these programs, they have created programs for thousands of kids across the country.
The foundation also hosts workshops on mindfulness, stress reduction, and healthy living. In addition, they offer an afterschool program and mentorship program. Aside from working with kids, the organization works with drug treatment centers.
The Holistic Life Foundation was featured on NBC's Nightly News in an indoor mentoring segment. It's a nonprofit organization that brings the health benefits of yoga to at-risk youth in Baltimore, and has expanded to teach its students across the country and abroad. With a mission to "empower youth to become more mindful, resilient, and productive," the foundation has taken the best of both worlds by combining guided meditation with experiential learning.
Founded by two brothers, Atman and Andres Smith, the HLF has a number of noteworthy achievements to its credit. Aside from the usuals, like teaching mindfulness to at-risk youth, the foundation has received national recognition. This includes a mention in O the Oprah Magazine, a feature in the Washington Post, and a mention in the aforementioned NBC Nightly News.
As far as the foundation's accomplishments go, its most notable achievement is in helping to rebuild a community that was decimated by drugs. The foundation has implemented the latest in educational technology, including yoga and breathing techniques for at-risk youth, to reduce suspension rates and give the kids in Baltimore a much-needed shot in the arm.
Atman Smith is a yoga and meditation teacher who has worked to reduce stress and help build resilience in the lives of children. He has taught meditation and yoga to a variety of populations, including high-risk youth, in wellness centers and drug treatment centers, and at schools.
He has been featured in NBC Nightly News, Oprah, Yoga Journal, The Washington Post, Upworthy, and Shambala Sun. In addition to his work with children, Atman has been instrumental in the development of mindfulness programs for adults.
Atman, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, has a degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. His work focuses on reclaiming black masculinity. And he is also Co-CEO of For the People Entertainment.
Ali and Atman have taught yoga to a wide range of audiences, from at-risk youth to undeserved youth and from homeless shelters to mental health facilities. They have also authored several yoga-based curricula and workshops.
Ali and Atman are mindfulness-and-youth pioneers. Their parents were yoga practitioners. They lived in West Baltimore, Maryland.