Power

"The most common thing people do to give up their power is by thinking they don't have any."-Alice Walker

Much of the day was spent at the Shine Center, Africa Yoga Project's studio. I began the morning by teaching a flow class to the male teachers and then followed up with a workshop on Trauma Sensitive Yoga.  The teachers are going to be integrating some of the Trauma Sensitive components into their outreaches. It was awesome to teach fifty males yoga. In my classes back at home I usually have 1-2 men in class so fifty men felt totally different. Their energy was different then my experience teaching the women's class. Not surprisingly, they express their power in different ways than the women. It was beautiful to see men practicing yoga and connecting with the breath and the capacity to transform. 

 

 Jeff headed to the old home of the Africa Yoga Project's classes, Sarakasi Dome, to take some photos for social media outreach.

 We ended the day at an outreach in a Social Hall in one of the slums. The class was taught by four teachers and again, mostly male participants in the class.   The teachers adapt their teaching based on the population they are teaching to and in this class it was all power and more.  The teachers really pushed people and I understand now why they make the class so hard and why students respond.  It makes the students feel powerful, it makes the students connect with their ability to push through and to do more than they think they can do. And the reason it works in this setting is because folks need to feel hopeful and need to  connect with their power to make the changes they want to make in their lives. It was a beautiful practice to witness and be part of. At the end of the class a circle was created to share feedback. I would love to incorporate time into my classes to have feedback and sharing. It really builds community.

And on a side note, we are totally in love with Billy and Paige's creation, Penzi. She is beautiful, connects through her smile and is an awesome dancer.

"Live in rooms full of light"-Cornelius Celsus