|
Life Balance with a Yoga Twist, Issue 13, April, 2009
In This Issue…
• Article: “Youth Warrior Yoga”
• Debbie to Open for Vanda’s Spiritually Incorrect Comedy show Saturday, April 11th!
• Dating Practice Blog
• Donation-Based Yoga & Astrology Center
• About Debbie
• Subscription Info
º@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸¸¤°´¯`"@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`º@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸¸¤°´¯`"@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`
Article: Youth Warrior Yoga
Today’s article is about something that’s captured my heart recently. In February of this year I began a new seva or karma yoga practice. Karma yoga is the yoga of service. My intention was to bring yoga to people who wouldn’t normally have access to it.
A group of six boys, ranging in age from 15 to 20, in one of Orange County’s youth detention centers, are the benefactors of my community service. Most are Hispanic, and most come from a gang background.
During my facility orientation, the director warned that the kids might test me. He said they may question why someone would give of their time and not understand the concept of volunteering and giving back to the community. He hoped they would see by my example that it was a good thing to do. His question really made me ask myself, “Why AM I doing this?” I couldn’t come up with a specific answer other than, “It’s what I’m supposed to do.” Alrighty, then!
At the end of the initial orientation session, I told the two dozen or so boys that I believe everyone you meet is a teacher. You can learn something, good or bad, from everyone that crosses your path. I then thanked them, my teachers, for coming and honoring me with their presence and that I looked forward to learning from them.
It’s important to note that the type of yoga I teach, Vinyasa Flow, is also known as Power Yoga. It’s a vigorous practice, requiring strength, endurance, focus, flexibility, breath control, and a strong core. It works well in this setting because it’s challenging. These boys shake and sweat, struggling to maintain their machismo during these unfamiliar, sometimes crazy poses and breathing exercises. And to top it off, here’s this gringa who’s been doing yoga 30 years. She’s not only doing the poses with little effort, but she’s also talking and smiling while she’s doing it. What???!!!
As we practice the asanas or poses, I weave in yoga philosophy into the practice. Yogic principles like ahimsa or non-violence, satya, or truthfulness, asteya or non-stealing. I tell them yoga is to be practiced off the matt as well as on. These practices and principles apply to their lives both inside and outside the walls of jail as well.
I’m calling this program “Youth Warrior Yoga.” Instead of using their warrior energy for negative ends, these teachings provide the opposite. Yoga is a channel that directs their energy toward positive goals, in all three areas of their life: body, mind and spirit.
In the few weeks since the program began, I already see improvement in their balance, focus, and strength. They report that they sleep better, and are more alert in school the next day. The more calm they are, the less trouble they get into, and the result is they get out of jail quicker.
A motto for the class is a quote from Maya Angelou, “What you learn, teach; what you get, give.” In exchange for these lessons, the boys have to practice on their own, and teach others what they are learning about yoga. They’re teaching their roommates, friends, and, when they get out, their families. I call it “viral yoga marketing within the juvenile detention system.”
These kids are continuously surprising me. I thought they would come to class just for something to do. I was wrong. They’re engaged and involved in the process. They vacuum and set up the room before I arrive. They get their friends to come when there’s an opening that night. They are sharing it with their roommates and teachers. They take care of rolling up the mats at the end of class. They thank me for coming.
Last week one of the boys asked how much classes cost “on the outside.” I told him classes are about $18 to $22 per person, per class. He counted the number of people in the room, times my weekly trips, and said, “So this is expensive, huh?! And we’re getting it for free by being in here! Hey, that’s pretty cool!” He understood the monetary value. Let’s hope that someday soon he’ll see the spiritual value as well.
After the first class ended back in February, as everyone was putting their socks and shoes back on, I asked the group why they thought I was doing this. Why would I spend my time driving all the way out there, buy them new yoga mats, spend this time with them? Without a moment’s hesitation one kid replied, “It’s to spread your yoga teaching and stuff.” Boy, did he hit the nail on the head. That is exactly why I was there; I couldn’t have said it better myself!
From my teachers, these juvenile delinquents, I’ve been inspired to create a curriculum of yoga teachings for incarcerated youth. I dream that one day yoga programs will be installed throughout Orange County’s juvenile detention system and beyond. What if, through these ancient yoga teachings, we can help these kids turn their life around? What if? Can you imagine the effect on society this can have? I can.
If you feel so moved, here’s how you can support me in this work. Obviously not everyone wants to go into jails and teach yoga, but if you know any yoga teachers who do, send them my way!
The following are a few ways you can help. If you have other ideas let me know.
• If you know of any grants available for this type of work, have contacts in that area, or know people who write grants, please sent them my way;
• Attend community events like the upcoming spiritually incorrect comedy show with Vanda, on Saturday, April 11th (see below). Get your friends to come, too!
• Schedule yoga sessions, astrology readings, healing work, etc., and invite your friends to do the same;
• On-line donations: Click here, Roots Book Website, and go to the bottom of the “Order Online” page to make a donation now;
• Speaking opportunities: Do you know of any groups in So Cal that need speakers for their events? My topics include stress reduction, balance, focus, and presentation skills. Referrals appreciated!
• Sign up for my e-mail list to keep up-to-date on community events, workshops, dharma talks, satsangs, kirtans, drum circles, trance dances, and more! E-mail Debbie@DebbieBarnett.com, with “Subscribe” in the subject line; and, last but not least…
• Prayers and good vibes are greatly appreciated!
Thank you for helping me “spread my yoga teaching and stuff” through your support of this work. Not only do I thank you, but my teachers, the kids, thank you, too.
Peace,
Debbie
º@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸¸¤°´¯`"@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`º@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸¸¤°´¯`"@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`
Dating Practice Blog
Okay, okay, the dating blog is back. “The reason you stopped posting?” you ask, eyebrows raised in inquiry. Simple: I wasn’t dating. Now I’m back in the swing of it and blogging about my, ahem, adventures. Yes, that’s what we’ll call them, adventures! Rest assured they are PG-rated. I also write about my life, so be prepared; it’s pretty eclectic.
Check it out!
Dating Blog
º@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸¸¤°´¯`"@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`º@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸¤°´¯`"º@º"´¯`°¤.¸¸¤°´¯`"@º"´¯`°¤.¸.¤°´¯`
Donation-Based Yoga and Astrology Center
For the longest time I’ve held the belief that yoga was becoming too expensive for people, especially when they need it most. With that in mind, I’ve opened my personal yoga pad into a (semi) public one.
For those of you in the Huntington Beach/OC area, schedule a time to come for a one-on-one or small group yoga or healing session. For you out-of-towne
|
