La Yoga Sirena

Yoga

When I was twenty I trained as a Yoga Instructor. It was one of the most rewarding times of my life, living that training. the skills and privileged position it has given me again are infinitely priceless. 

I was working with the Australian Red Cross in some programs, the clients of which I began to teach Yoga classes to. 

In Young Parents program teenage mothers receive parenting skills lessons to be deemed suitable to raise their babies. Usually court orders are involved and DOCS always is. But you can't give anything you weren't given yourself as a child; such as a supportive, nurturing enabling home life. I'm so passionate about this program because it breaks a cycle and the children and babies get the best chance. It's true primary healthcare and it will save the world.

The mums came to Yoga after their cigarette breaks. One week I was worried because I forgot my matches to light the incense- the caseworker was like, 'don't worry, they all have their lighters'. Some are preganant, some have just given birth. All smoke.

Five teenage girls, some with more than one child of their own, some deginitly more hardcore than me, 'delinquents', some harsh outer shells.

In the very first lesson, while lying in Savasana, 

as I read to them about how You are everything you need- perfect as you are. Whole as you are, far more than your personality past, present or future. I could hear one crying, and it brought tears to my eyes.

It's true that this could be the first time they've ever been told anything like that. In fact, their lives have insisted the opposite. Often the girls don't insist on contraception because they allow their partners to be unsafe because they are afraid to lose him, they don't know that they don't need him or they simply just don't know that they have a choice in what happens with their body. Sometimes they have babies because they crave unconditional love and affection and they think to have their own baby will be someone to love them always. Sometimes they don't know that it's not a good idea to put coca cola in the baby bottle. When you know better, you do better. 

You are worthy. You are worthy- because you were born. The light of the universe is yours- it is your birth rite. Simply claim it. 

Why should I be so honoured to be able to hold a space where young women who have never heard this before get the realisation and the knowledge for the first time? Why should I be so lucky as to spread knowledge to women who have been so misinformed about their worth their whole lives and see the effects on them and their families?

In Migrant and Refugee Program I work with people who have seen more trauma, lived more horror than we can imagine.  There was a woman with a young baby I met. She was Iraqi. She had escaped to Iran with her husband and gotten to Indonesia from there somehow. So desperate for a new life, she took a boat cramped in harsh conditions with a baby growing at only three months. Such a delicate and precious time, she went 6 days with no food and only one small cup of water. She told her husband she felt that there was no movement in her belly she told me, she said to her husband, 'nothing is there' and he said no please. When she got to Christmas Island they gave her an ultrasound and the baby was fine. He is a happy healthy baby but he was born in a Darwin detention centre.

A mother from Australia and a mother from Iraq or Sri Lanka or D.R Congo are exactly the same.

Imagine. Sit for a minute and imagine the desperation and bravery to do what she did.

I cannot be around people who talk about 'queue jumping' or stealing our jobs or not assimilating to our culture. The ignorance brings me to tears.

Why should I have such an honour to have MET this woman? Why should I be so lucky to not be so ignorant as some of the population. by the grace of God and I thank Him.

I teach for men and women, simple, simple asana, pranayama and Yoga Nidra. A woman has come to me and told me that after years of being on anti depressants with intense undesirable side effects after Yoga, she felt ready to downgrade her prescription. I woman who had lost all her family and cannot fall asleep at night, cannot close her eyes THANKS me for creating the space where it's the only time she can relax. People trek 45 minutes by train for a one hour session and then return by train for 45 minutes and they THANK me for coming in. They are so grateful to ME?! Of course, it's YOGA, it's not me- but what makes me deserving to hear these things? To contribute to helping these amaaaaaazing people? 

Nothing.

Nothing makes me different from anyone else. Yet some people live their whole lives and they never feel the rewarding feeling I am so honoured to feel. Some people won't even know what I'm talking about.

The space I get to have in people's lives. Why should I have that? Why am i so lucky? Why am I so blessed? Why am I so lucky as to realise what matters so much and what so doesn't? I'm just so grateful, so thankful and so so blessed. 

I love so much.