Another beautiful practice at JDC, the jail was generous enough to have Buck back for another 3 hour extravaganza!! It was really beautiful--we had approximately 42 ? students 32 boys and 10 girls. And each one of their bright beautiful faces had a great time. I taught the girls this morning, and for the first 25 minutes of the practice all they could talk about was how much fun they had, how they felt really strong today and how they felt "clear". One girl said, I know that if I could do that then I can do anything--I thought I would pass out dead after 3 hours, but I felt good." Another girl--who is pregnant, had her probation officer come to visit her during the practice, and she was mad because they came during the headstand portion and she had to miss it. Another girl, who is heavy and every pose is a struggle for her, said "Jen, Buck noticed us girls in the middle of all those boys, he noticed that we take this seriously, and it's not a joke--I think the staff noticed too--this is an important thing to us--yoga is all we have that is just for us, you don't want anything--like some of the other programs who bring in chips and soda to bribe us into going--yoga is all about us. And he said that my pose, the wide legged one (uptavishta konasana) was one of the best he's seen--he said that and you know, I think it was. "
WOW! There is a quiet confidence that builds in the hearts of people who are students of yoga--a confidence that resonates into their life. These girls have had rough lives, I mean they are 10-17 and their hearts have been filled with fear and low self esteem, to see them light up from the inside out when they talk about their yoga practice, their poses, and their ability to feel the changes of positivity shining from them is such a gift to themselves.
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