Yoga in Detention

Through my YogaFit training, it's required that we complete eight hours of community service. Although I'm teaching an intramural at Neumann on Mondays for an hour and a half for FREE, my athletic director took a call a few months back from an alum who is the activities director at the Juvenile Detention Center at Lima. They're always looking for people to volunteer their time to spend with the residents- so I said, "Sure! I'm three months pregnant! What the heck- let's do this!"

I didn't know what to expect.

If you've never been to Lima, it basically looks like any other government-run office building (blue walls, 70's yellowish counter tops and beige everywhere else) except this place also has doors you have to be buzzed into and lock behind you- places to sign in and out and guards and other workers everywhere.

I was escorted to this room:

With this view:

Six girls were brought to participate in the session yesterday. It reminded me of my WORST classes when I taught at BH. The difference here- I didn't HAVE to get anything done- also, I was the fun teacher that day. I was the reason they were able to get out of class or not be trapped in their rooms. I went through and easy/beginner session, working on breathing and focus. If you've ever been to a yoga class, you know that quiet is the norm but if I expected and demanded that yesterday, I was going to be disappointed. We laughed the whole time, the girls asked why some poses were named after animals and some weren't and otherwise, they seems to appreciate the time to talk about focus and appreciating the light that's inside others (the meaning of the word we say to each other at the end of class: namaste.)

I'm going back for three more sessions- all Tuesdays from 3-4. Next week, I think if we have the space, I'll try a head stand or a shoulder stand with them. When you teach yoga to adults, they don't always have the sense of wonder- and they aren't as willing to try some of the inversions or poses that take them out of their comfort zones...but kids are invincible.

I had a funny moment at the end of class- I usually thank people for coming and tell them that I look forward to helping them on their journey and through their practice but in this case- I hope I don't see these girls again. Once they're on good behavior or serve their time, they go home. I was reminded by the director that these kids have seen it all and been through it all- stuff that you or I would think only happens to people movies. I got a taste of that when I worked with a few of my students at BH with just one of my classes but let's face it- I have no idea what they deal with. I'm a white girl from Drexel Hill and now I'm a married white woman who owns a house and can pay for (albeit on credit) yoga teacher trainings.

I hope they had fun yesterday. I did and I'm looking forward to going back next week.