Individual Entrepreneur Rauf Akifovich Asadov

Organic People is a Russian yoga, meditation and self-development brand operated by individual entrepreneur Rauf Akifovich Asadov. It grew out of open-air yoga classes in Moscow parks and now combines an online practice studio, a teacher-training school, large public festivals, yoga tours and corporate wellness programs. The brand's public face is the Organic People School, which offers certified courses in hatha yoga, meditation, stress management, yin yoga and perinatal yoga, alongside a subscription-style online studio for everyday practice. The project traces its roots to 2009, when Asadov was working as a construction site manager and began attending outdoor yoga classes in Gorky Park. Inspired, he launched the I love Yoga project with partners, bringing classes to Hermitage Garden, Muzeon and Bauman Garden, and soon to eleven Moscow parks. In 2011 he left his job and completed his first teacher-training course in Universal Yoga. Organic People was created in 2012 as a broader platform for yoga, qigong, children's yoga and nutrition, and the online school later became its main growth engine. Today Organic People describes itself as covering 'everything about yoga, meditation, qigong and self-development.' Its key recurring projects include the International Day of Yoga in Russia, which it has held annually since 2015 and which drew more than 60,000 participants to Tsaritsyno in 2019; Yoga in the Parks, free outdoor classes running since 2012; Meditation in the Parks, a social project since 2016; the monthly 108x12 Surya Namaskar practice; corporate yoga and meditation programs since 2013; and yoga tours and retreats since 2015. The brand also runs the Vanberry village community project. The company is a private Russian sole proprietorship rather than a listed corporation. Its revenue model mixes paid online courses and teacher certifications, festival and event organization, retreats and B2B corporate programs. Its positioning is educational and community-oriented: it presents yoga and mindfulness as accessible practices for beginners and professionals alike, and it leans on international standards such as Yoga Alliance International for its teacher-training courses.

Organic People's history is closely tied to the personal story of its founder, Rauf Akifovich Asadov. In 2009, while working as a construction site manager (прораб) at SU-155, he attended outdoor yoga classes in Gorky Park taught by Angelina Melikova. The experience inspired him to create something similar on a city-wide scale. Together with partners he launched the I love Yoga project, which organized yoga classes in Hermitage Garden, Muzeon and Bauman Garden; within a year the project had expanded to eleven Moscow parks. In 2011 Asadov left his job and completed his first teacher-training course in Universal Yoga with Andrey Lappa. In 2012 he founded Organic People, broadening the idea beyond yoga to include children's yoga, qigong and nutrition. The project's full expansion came with the creation of an online school, which allowed it to reach practitioners beyond Moscow. Since then Organic People has built a portfolio of recurring public and educational projects. Yoga in the Parks has run annually since 2012, offering free outdoor classes and at its peak operating in eleven Moscow parks. Corporate programs bringing yoga and meditation into offices of large companies began in 2013. The International Day of Yoga in Russia has been held annually since 2015 and became the country's main yoga festival; in 2019 it gathered more than 60,000 participants at Tsaritsyno. Yoga tours and retreats have been offered since 2015, and the monthly 108x12 Surya Namaskar practice has been held since 2015 as a community ritual. Meditation in the Parks, a social project inviting anyone to try different meditation styles, started in 2016. In 2020 the online Organic People School was established, offering courses in yoga, meditation and personal development. The brand also developed the Vanberry village, a community settlement designed for life in harmony with nature. The school's curriculum includes a hatha yoga teacher training course (YTTC) aligned with the Yoga Alliance International standard, a six-month mindfulness meditation teacher training course (MTTC), an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, a yin yoga certification course and a perinatal yoga certification course. Alongside these, the brand runs an online practice studio (TaP) covering yoga, meditation, qigong and nail-standing (гвоздестояние). Organic People operates as a Russian sole proprietorship owned by Asadov. It is not a listed company and does not disclose detailed financials publicly. Its activities span education, events, travel and corporate wellness, with a strong emphasis on community and accessibility.

• 2020

  Organic People School online school established, offering courses in yoga, meditation and personal development.

• 2019

  International Day of Yoga in Russia gathers more than 60,000 participants at Tsaritsyno.

• 2016

  Meditation in the Parks social project launched.

• 2015

  First International Day of Yoga in Russia; yoga tours and retreats launched; monthly 108x12 Surya Namaskar practice begins.

• 2013

  Corporate yoga and meditation programs for large companies begin.

• 2012

  Founding of Organic People, broadening the project to children's yoga, qigong and nutrition; Yoga in the Parks begins its annual run.

• 2011

  Asadov leaves his job and completes his first teacher-training course in Universal Yoga with Andrey Lappa.

• 2010

  Launch of the I love Yoga project with partners, organizing classes in Hermitage Garden, Muzeon and Bauman Garden; within a year it expands to 11 Moscow parks.

• 2009

  Rauf Asadov begins practicing outdoor yoga in Gorky Park while working as a construction site manager.

Accessible, community-driven yoga and mindfulness education, from free park classes to internationally certified teacher training.

• Online practice studio (TaP)

  Subscription-based online studio for yoga, meditation, qigong and nail-standing practices.

• Hatha yoga teacher training course (YTTC)

  8.5-month teacher training aligned with the Yoga Alliance International standard.

• Mindfulness meditation teacher training course (MTTC)

  6-month program on meditation techniques and teaching methodology.

• Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program

  8-week evidence-based program for stress, anxiety, depression and chronic pain.

• Yin yoga certification course

  Course covering the philosophy, methodology and practice of yin yoga.

• Perinatal yoga certification course

  Special techniques to support women during pregnancy.

1. 1Organic People — Йога, Обучение и Йога‑мероприятия | Онлайн школа и фестивалиorganic-people.com
2. 2Об организаторахorganic-people.com
3. 3Individual Entrepreneur Rauf Akifovich Asadovwikidata.org