In Module 6, I appreciated reviewing the Facilitator Workbook and think it will be really helpful to go through separately, especially the new draft Jen is working on with improvements like additional space for notes. I also think the recommended eight-week pilot will be really helpful when we go out into the community and start a new program.
It was really nice that Jen gave an overview of the different options for volunteering with Prison Yoga Project. When I complete the Yoga, Social Justice & Leadership 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training, I’m planning to take the Intro to PYP Training and then apply for the Justice System Liaison position, so this was actually the perfect time for me to tune into this recording.
I also liked Jen’s suggestions about other institutional and community spaces where this work could be beneficial. I immediately thought about criminal justice advocacy organizations like the Elizabeth Fry Society and John Howard Society, as well as City-run shelters and support programs. I also remember Jen mentioning work with oncology patients, which made me think about hospitals and other healthcare and recovery spaces.
Strength & Resilience immediately makes me think about the strength of my body, but it shifts to mental resilience and everything I have gone through to be where I am today. It’s wild to think that I’m planning to complete this training next month and take on a new volunteer opportunity around the two-year anniversary of spending six days in jail beginning October 17, 2024.
I could really relate to what Nikky said about always having to be the strong one. I’m a ’90s-born eldest daughter, and I’ve been reflecting on the parentification I experienced and how I often had to be the mediator and the strong one. What Nikky said really resonated with me because I don’t want to have to be strong all the time, but I also recognize that I couldn’t have made it to where I am today without my strength and resilience.
While I was watching the module, I received some unsettling news, so the practice with the chair-supported sun sequence and other movements came at exactly the right time. I also really resonated with what Chris said about the reasons we might feel like we aren’t ready, the stories we tell ourselves about what we can and can’t do, and what Jillian mentioned about the pressure to be a “perfect” instructor. Those reflections felt especially relevant as I get closer to completing the training and thinking about stepping into facilitation myself.
Thank you to Jen and PYP for this learning and yoga session. ☀️