yogaHOPE’s Teacher’s Blog

Seeing clearly

Last week’s class at Women’s Hope was full to capacity. Many emotions come up for the women in class including fear, excitement, anger, hesitation and joy. The class was focused on seeing what comes up while moving in asana. What’s interesting to observe is the openness and willingness the women have to try. The hour is much more more than a yoga class. It is a sacred space honoring practice & being. The director of the house stated the women love the yoga so much that they write about their class experience in their journal. A few women have even shared artwork, family photos and outside life with us. For many of the women it is a day to day struggle to stay sober. Thus, the class focuses on breath, lightness in movement and first and foremost having fun. Until next time.

Namaste- Kat Larsen

Mom’s group again!

After several weeks of the house being split into “relationship group” of yoga, meaning the gals in the house needed to choose one or the other on Tuesday nights, it’s now back to the MOM’S GROUP. That means that I now have several gals in the class who are not moms but DON’T want to be in yoga!! This makes things so much more challenging for me!!! One of the girls is really young and just so unable to come into her breath and get out of her head that I have to work really hard not to be drawn to her thereby feeling disconnected from the class!! In addition to that, there are several ladies who LOVE yoga and can’t participate in yoga because they are moms. It doesn’t seem fair to them but we’ll make the best of it. Good luck this Saturday!!

sue

One year at Hello House!!

Well, I realized this past week that it’s been about one year since I started at Hello House. Wow..I can hardly believe that so much has happened in just one year!! I’ve gotten so familiar with the rhythms of the women that I am now much better prepared for all the unexpected things that come along with this work..Women who seem to be making such progress suddenly get dismissed from the house, women who begin the yoga program so enthusiastically only to fall into depression and become disinterested. Women who I never would have expected to stick with the yoga finding transformation through the practice, girls who become cheerleaders and advocates for the yoga class…and everything else under the sun. It’s been an indescribable experience and I am thrilled to be able to share it with more and more people every day! We’ll soon be adding 6 to 8 classes to our week at various other facilities and hopefully will be holding a retreat for 15 of the women sometime in the near future. I could not ask for a more wonderful way to live my life!

Blessings to all,
sue

Male presence at Hello House!

This past Saturday at Hello House I was joined by Linda and Brian…a GUY!! The girls didn’t even bat an eyelash and I didn’t detect any difference in their energy. I happen to know Brian and know that he is an awesome assistant and am looking forward to Brian assisting and later teaching the women, as I think having a male presence helps to round out the experience and vaporate some “barriers” These women are living with 20+ other women for 6 or so months and I’m sure seeing a man is a little bit of fresh air for them!

Internal Gaze at Women’s Hope

Thursday’s yoga class was focused around internal gaze, drishti, and practicing from within. The class consisted of a small group of regulars. I find the energy to be on a high note whenever I enter WH. Prior to the class, one of the women stated she was full of anxiety and couldn’t wait to take the class. She said, ” You try living with twenty other women, that would make anyone stressed!”  I could plainly see that the women stepping into the yoga class really wanted to be there.  The busyness of the house reminded me of the hectic pace of the city. At one point a bird outside the window began to sing. With that I mentioned that one can find the peace amongst the busyness moment by moment. That from our drishti point we can focus on the inside and not get so caught up with the outside.

 The class included breathing, shoulder and chest openers, downward dog variations, lunge variations, ab work, supine twists and a long savasana. As much as the women gain from the class so do I. Teaching at Women’s Hope is a true gift. Thanks to Daniela for assisting and being a wonderful presence.

Kat Larsen

These girls inspire me

I assisted with Sue at Hello House this evening.  It was a great class - everyone was in the yoga zone!  I did some deep adjustments and could feel the girls were tight in their hips and shoulders but they kept the breath going so strong and were able to totally release by the end.  Sue kept the class filled with many inspirational and thought provoking ideas for the girls - and me too!  I felt our energy was totally united tonight - a great feeling for a class.  What amazed me the most, and continues to make my heart feel big, is seeing how much these girls have grown while doing yoga.  How much healthier they look, happier, relaxed, peaceful - I can’t tell you happy it makes me feel to see them experiencing the benefits of yoga!  This came too at a difficult day for me as I asked Sue about a girl I hadn’t seen in a couple weeks who was a regular, and it turns out she got kicked out.  I understand it’s the way things work - ups and downs just like life - but this girl it seemed had made a connection to yoga, was enjoying it.  I do remember her being quite stressed the last class I taught which she was in, and I know she had a lot going on… I can only hope that she will find yoga again someday, or rather as it truly works, yoga will find her!

 Namaste,

 Amanda