Community Corner
Branford's Love Tribe Makes An Impact
A spontaneous catch phrase is rapidly becoming a movement.
If you have spent any time walking around town recently you may have noticed red rubber bracelets adorning people's wrists. These bracelets have become a passion project of yoga teacher of .
Sal began teaching at Raven’s Wing more than five years ago. He teaches a hatha yoga class that draws 30 or more people every week. He says he teaches intuitively without any agenda and about two years ago he ended class with the phrase, “Let’s put our hands together and always remember to keep our hearts open no matter what.”
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That quickly became his catch phrase and he ended every class with it. Soon, he was hearing from his students that the phrase was coming to them when they were going through tough parts of their lives. “People would think back to class and just remember to open their hearts,” Sal said.
About a month ago, Sal decided to make wristbands with his words, “Love Tribe: Hearts Open No Matter What” for his yoga students so they could always remember the important words.
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Since then, Sal has passed out more than 1,000 bracelets. He began posting photos of people wearing the bands on Facebook and the requests poured in from near and far.
“I am mailing out ten envelopes a day! Last week I sent one to Italy and today I sent 20 to a Bed and Breakfast in Puerto Rico where they just named a room 'Love Tribe',” Sal says, laughing. He notes that it's the stories that keep him going. From the mother of a four-year-old undergoing heart surgery and wearing her band or the businessman just having a tough week - these words are clearly having an effect.
Anyone can be a Love Tribe member. The cost? 100 percent free. “Just the commitment to love and keeping your heart open,” explains Sal. All you have to do is find Sal on Facebook and inbox him your address. Your bracelet will be in the mail in just a few days.
If this wasn’t enough of a project, Sal is also part of the team from Raven’s Wing teaching free yoga classes on the Branford Green on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. all summer long. They started right after the Fourth of July with the mission of introducing people to yoga. The response has been fantastic and they welcome everybody of all ages and experience levels.
