“…the crow pose (“Bakasana”) connected her body with the vision of success she had in her mind…”
It is always a challenge in life to “start from the beginning”, but it is essential in re-connecting to our mind, body and spirit. The women greeting me in the Recovery Home included many new faces, but this week’s group seemed to connect naturally to asanas.
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Yoga has allowed many of these recovering addicts to experience important, “positive” breakthroughs that have not been a part of their recent lives. One woman that I had observed “sitting” on her mat for the past few months, refusing to participate, was now the first one in the room setting everything up. She came up to me just after I arrived and asked how far I had to drive here, and wanted to know how she could continue learning yoga from me once she left the recovery home.
My heart filled with joy as this young mother had “connected” her mind, body and spirit through the gift of yoga…truly a sense of peace and stability had come into her heart.
In another breakthrough, a woman who had remained very aloof and “hardened” in her demeanor, which signaled her “alpha” status in the room, was continuing to struggle through new asanas. I knew she was capable and had encouraged her last week to attempt the ”crow”, an important ”arm balance” posture in yoga.
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After many failed attempts, with much encouragement, and moving through the feelings of ”vulnerability” we all confront during a challenge in life, she completed the “crow” pose and connected her body with the vision of success she had in her mind…
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It is only through “failure” that we experience our greatest successes in life. Yoga presents us with many challenging asanas, or positions, that challenge our mind as much as our bodies. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and as the saying goes, “nothing breeds success like success”. A wave of excitement moved through the group as they attempted various “challenging” poses. The women all asked me to demonstrate difficult postures, which allowed me to share that it was only with many years of practice, and many failures, that I was able to progress with my yoga practice.
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Addictions bring women and girls so much darkness, and I was able to connect with them through the beautiful “light” that is yoga. In keeping with tradition, we ended our time together with mediation.
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One of the women approached me and said: “This is my first yoga class and for some odd reason I don’t feel like smoking. I have wanted to quit for my young child. I’ve been smoking since I was 15 and now I’m 42″.
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I smiled, grateful for the feeling of joy that I felt in the woman’s words, truly a “wow” moment. That one yoga class had connected this woman’s mind with what her body and soul knew at a spiritual level: that smoking was dangerous to her and her child. I look forward to more stories of hope and strength of the human spirit.
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Namaste, Jennifer Miller
Posted in Asanas, Freedom, Gratitude, Life, Mind, Recovery, Soul, Wisdom, Women, Yoga
Tagged Addicts, Asanas, Failure, Jennifer Miller, Recovery, Recovery House, Success, Women, Yoga, Young Women
