Since 1975, Feathered Pipe Foundation — a registered US non-profit 501(c)(3) organization — through its educational programs and seva yoga focuses on inspiring positive change within ourselves and our communities. By facilitating access to humanity’s great wisdom carriers and travel experiences that promote self-discovery, it is our hope and mission to play an active role in this transformation in human consciousness.
In addition to offering yoga retreats and travel experiences that encourage individuals to live more sustainable, inclusive and conscious lives, we also recognize the honor and responsibility to give back to the cultural traditions that have preserved and shared the guideposts in the journey toward the deeper self. With this at the heart of our mission, we have midwifed and continue to incubate scores of humanitarian efforts, or ‘good works’ as we like to call them. Some, that we are honored to say, began their non-profit work under our fiscal sponsorship and went on to create their own non-profit organizations.
One such seva yoga project that we took on early in our history, and which underpins some much of the work we continue to do, was supporting the late Cree Elder Pat Kennedy in his efforts to reclaim and reinvigorate ceremonies of the Cree people that were in danger of being lost. Along with the state of Montana and The Four Winds Foundation of New York, the foundation raised money to sponsor the encampments, providing food, camping accommodations and education for 500-800 tribal members each year. To date, the Feathered Pipe Foundation has provided over $70,000 for these peace encampments and a Cree language project. Bringing together tribal leaders with tribal members and the general public, peace encampments were held to raise awareness of the rich ceremonial traditions that hold their community together in the midst of incredible hardship.
Our Legacy Projects
We are particularly honored in recent years to have played a pivotal role in the creation of two worthy organizations that are now independent nonprofits engaging in vital work in the world today – the Veterans Yoga Project and the Tibetan Children’s Education Foundation.
— The Veterans Yoga Project (VYP) is an educational and advocacy organization dedicated to improving the health and well being of military veterans. Working in partnership with veterans, active-duty military personnel, student veterans organizations, and other non-profit organizations, Veterans Yoga Project facilitate and undertake teacher training and healing programs that promote resilience and well-being among veterans, their families, and their communities.
— For many years, our beloved founder, India Supera, served as board president of Tibetan Children’s Education Foundation(TCEF), an organization dedicated to the preservation of the Tibetan culture through education and assistance, raising awareness of the culture, and empowering Tibetans to carry out these goals. Crystal Water, India’s daughter and current executive director of the Feathered Pipe Foundation, continues the tradition serving on TCEF’s board of directors. Read about TCEF inspirational beginnings here.
Ongoing Projects
Today, the Feathered Pipe Foundation fiscally sponsors:
— The Feathered Pipe Scholarship Fund: This fund assists those who have the intention and heart but may not have the financial ability to afford participating in a Feathered Pipe retreat. We believe the best way to create the sustainable and cooperative communities we dream of starts with the individual. The scholarship fund goes right to the heart of our philosophy and mission.
— Veterans Yoga Project Healing Retreat: In 2012, we held our first healing retreat free of charge for Montana Veterans. Veterans Yoga Project partnered with the Feathered Pipe Foundation again in the summer of 2023. The Mindful Resilience 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training (MRYTT™) for Veterans included two 8-week online sessions and one in-person intensive sessions.
— The Dandelion Effect Podcast: In 2020 the Feathered Pipe Foundation took the bold step of producing its own bi-weekly podcast as a means for supporting and inspiring our community during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Through our Dandelion Effect Podcast, we make priceless wisdom accessible to all through high quality interviews with brilliant people from the health, wellness and conscious living community. Here, we explore the ideas that our guests carry through the world, remember who and what inspired them along the way, and uncover the seeds that helped them blossom into their unique version of this human experience.
Your Ongoing Support is Essential
Explore our current Feathered Pipe Health, Wellness and Yoga Retreat schedule here.
While attendance at yoga retreats and travel experiences are integral to our efforts to sustain and grow our seva yoga projects, we rely on donations for our service work to thrive and grow.
We invite you to support our efforts to usher in a new season of humanity through a financial donation.
Feel free to call us at (406) 442-8196 if you’d like to learn more about the specifics of our projects and how you can be a part of our seva yoga. As well if you desire that your tax-deductible donation go to support specific projects, please contact Executive Director, Crystal Water, at crystal@featheredpipe.com.
You can also help the Feathered Pipe by designating Feathered Pipe Foundation when you purchase items at over 3,000 online stores through Giving Assistant. We also maintain a WishList on Amazon for those who like to help the Feathered Pipe by purchasing supplies we need for the Ranch.