SPIRITUAL MEDITATION
YOGA PRACTICE
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Tag Archives: Hope
Wisdom For Life From Oriah Mountain Dreamer’s “The Invitation”: “I Want To Know…”
“I want to know if you can see beauty even when it’s not
“Meditation And Hope At The Substance Abuse Recovery House”
Unconditional love, if only for a few moments, will make a difference.
Arriving Wednesday at the substance abuse recovery home, I was aware of just how much more comfortable and open I felt teaching yoga here. I knew that many of the young women truly looked forward to our time together. They knew that we would share some laughs and possibly discover some new aspect of addiction recovery together. I was hopeful that each of them could experience a moment of self-realization and acceptance. I prayed for a touching moment for each of us to remember.
As we begin the yoga practice, I sense the increased level of trust in the room; my previous sessions clearly represented an initiation process as this is not an easy group to be accepted into. But many remain shut down emotionally.
For the most part they like me; the few that had brought the energy in the room down are not there. Funny how life works. The women have all embraced meditation as they seem to enjoy this time of letting go. I pass out lavender-scented washcloths as part of aroma therapy and they place it over their eyes.
One of the girls, who has a 4-week old newborn, wants to do the meditation but her baby starts to cry. I offer to hold this precious child and a beautiful calm settles over the room. Starting with a “guided meditation”, I gaze upon this bundle of life and so many feelings go through my mind.
Was the mother using while pregnant? Did this baby have to go through withdrawals?
It has been rough journey for this young mother and baby. I gently rock the newborn with a gentle, loving motion. I feel gratitude that there there are clean, safe places for these women with children in recovery.
There is hope, and I feel it in my soul.
During this precious hour I feel connected to these brave souls, knowing that we are all one connected to a higher purpose.
Unconditional love, if only for a few moments, will make a difference.
I feel my myself going into another realm, joining these women on a higher plane where peace, harmony and serenity take exist. The responsibilities of their world are momentarily at bay.
Holding this young life and knowing he is our future.
Holding hope that these woman continue on this stable course to recovery.
As the class ends and I prepare to leave, one of the girls asks me if it would be ok if she brought her daughter, who is four, to the class next week. I answer “YES” with a big smile, knowing that another young life could be touched by yoga. Another young yogini.
” May we all be open and accepting of all. We may look and feel different from one another, but in the end we are all “ONE”.
Namaste, Jennifer Miller
Posted in Hope, Life, Love, Recovery, Wisdom, Women, Yoga
Tagged Children, Hope, Jennifer Miller, Love, Recovery, Recovery House, Substance Abuse, Women
Reflections: “My Day Teaching Yoga At The Recovery Home”
"I am here to rejoice with these girls who are in recovery; to see that their young babies and children have a chance."
Each time I walk into the Recovery Home I think: “Here we go”. I never know what I will encounter. As class starts, a small girl (in my eyes) walks in. She was not feeling well and because she was pregnant, I thought she had morning sickness. I comfort her . After she walked back out of the room, the other girls inform me: “She is dope sick”. My heart sinks and I feel my stomach getting queasy.
But I must move forward and continue teaching yoga to the other girls, all in different states of recovery. But my mind streaks back to ”how could she do that to the growing baby inside?” I feel a “state of judgment” overwhelming me .
.
“I am not here to judge…I am here to spread the light and the beauty of yoga….”
“I am here to rejoice with these girls who are in recovery; to see that their young babies and children have a chance.”
That they have hope: isn’t that what recovery is all about? Spreading hope? I have been there with my son. I have seen the depths that addiction can take a young man or woman..
“We must support and not judge.”
To rely on the rational mind, there is seldom any understanding. So I go to my heart and find everything I need: Hope and Belief in these young women’s lives.
“But am I reaching them?”
When I left yesterday one of the girls said: “You are the highlight of my week. I look forward to you being here all week. Thank you”. Those words meant everything to me.
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At the end, the women brought their young children and babies to meet me. The love that mother’s have for their children is universal; no matter how far apart our worlds may seem, we are all connected by the love felt for these babies.
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The older children walked up to me with huge grins on their faces; they felt connected. These little angels are gifts put here on earth. No words were spoken as we stood there smiling, connected in our hearts.
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Namaster, Jennifer Miller
Posted in Child, Knowledge, Life, Light, Praise, Prayers, Recovery, Reflections, Women, Yoga
Tagged Hope, Jennifer Miller, Pregnant Women, Recovery, Recovery House, Young Women
