The Shala Daily

In Philadelphia, a profound experiment is unfolding that speaks directly to the heart of yoga philosophy: the transformation of neglected spaces into places of beauty, connection, and safety. Environmental design interventions—warmer streetlights, community gardens, remediated vacant lots, and neighborhood beautification—have contributed to significant reductions in gun violence across some of the city’s most troubled areas.

The statistics are striking: nighttime gun violence fell 21 percent after streetlights were upgraded; gun crimes decreased 39 percent near remediated abandoned buildings. But the numbers only tell part of the story. What emerges most powerfully is how these physical transformations have become catalysts for something deeper—the weaving together of human connection and community belonging.

As one resident observes: “It’s a close-knit block, so you cannot do anything without it being seen. We look out for one another.”

✨ Saucha: The Practice of Purification

The first niyama, saucha (cleanliness and clarity), extends far beyond personal hygiene. This article demonstrates saucha at the community level—the clearing away of blight, the cultivation of beauty, the creation of spaces that invite presence rather than fear. When abandoned lots become community gardens, when darkness becomes light, we witness external saucha as a mirror for internal transformation.

🕊️ Ahimsa: Non-Violence Through Connection

The principle of ahimsa (non-harming) finds practical expression in Philadelphia’s approach. Rather than punitive measures alone, residents discovered that when people know their neighbors, when eyes are on the street, when community bonds strengthen, violence diminishes. Beautification efforts became opportunities for residents to share information—turning passive observers into active participants in community safety.

“You get to know your neighbor, you get to see another human being, not being afraid, but actually seeing them, looking them in their eye…”
— Philadelphia Resident

🙏 Namaste: Friends and Neighbors

Perhaps most poignantly, one resident captured the essence of this work: “Maybe you’ll think twice before pulling the trigger, because you are from the same block, you are from the same community.”

This is namaste in action. Namaste means “I bow to you, who I know in a friendly way.” Namaskara means “I bow to you, person of respect.” Namaste is for friends and neighbors—made manifest in the most challenging circumstances.

🏛️ Creating Sacred Space

Yoga teaches us that sacred space emerges through intention and care. The Philadelphia experiment demonstrates this truth beyond the yoga studio: when we treat our environment as worthy of reverence, transformation follows. Community gardens, tree-planting initiatives, and thoughtfully designed public spaces become temples of connection.

🌱 Addressing Root Causes

The article wisely notes that environmental design is not a panacea. As one community leader observed, beautification without addressing “systemic issues of poverty, trauma and more” offers only cosmetic relief. This echoes the teachings of Kriya Yoga, which addresses the kleshas (root causes of suffering) rather than merely their symptoms.

🧘 The Practice Off the Mat

The next time you step onto your mat, consider this: every time we clear space for practice—physically, mentally, spiritually—we participate in the same alchemy these Philadelphia neighbors discovered. Beauty isn’t decoration. It’s invitation. And when we make something beautiful together, we make each other safer.

Light your corner.

Key Concepts

Saucha: Cleanliness & clarity; purification that invites presence.
Ahimsa: Non-harming through connection and community bonds.
Namaste: Recognition of the divine in friends and neighbors.
Sangha: Community as the vessel for transformation.

Original Article: “Beauty Brings Safer Streets” by Shayla Colon, The New York Times Headway Initiative