2/15/24 Live Session Recording

I very much enjoyed this topic. Thanks, Jen, for the opportunity to move in the beginning because I was also having a week!

I completely agree with practicing sitting with uncomfortable feelings and confronting it head on. Doing this has been incredibly painful, but necessary in my own life. I had to do a lot of unlearning over the years since I grew up with messages of hate toward certain groups, whether it be race, socioeconomic status, LGBTQ+. I'm still on that journey as I occasionally catch myself saying or thinking things that perpetuate that. Hearing others be so vulnerable during discussion is so inspiring. 

I administer ACE surveys to individuals on my caseload and more often than not the numbers are high. No surprise that there is a lot of trauma experienced by those in the criminal justice system. Over the years the survey has been expanded to account for racism, community violence, neighborhood safety, foster care, and bullying!

Thanks to this training I've been paying a lot more attention to what my body really needs during a yoga practice and not pushing simply to feel stronger or more flexible. It's helped me enjoy it so much more and I did not realize how I was harming myself by putting that much pressure on me.

During the discussion post breakout group regarding race, I felt myself tensing and bracing because there were a lot of raw emotions, but I was relieved to see how each participant was able to be open and work through a delicate conversation. In the end it felt like there was more of an understanding, which is what it's all about!

The topic of Ahimsa and non-harm seem to be the most scary thing for me so far in terms of yoga. I am thankful to have a name for what it is because not being able to trust yourself is the worst feeling. 

The mirror consideration is also big for me because for a long time I didn't like who was in my mirror and so I stopped participating in the decisions she made. If someone doesn't like there reflection then there is no problem with changing patterns to change the reflection. Ahimsa is a way to see the self harm you have been causing yourself. It is always better late then never and that is where I am at in my journey. I would say worry is my biggest thing especially in and after college. 

This is a tough topic for many and I can see/feel that in the livestream. I am very grateful to those who shared their thoughts and feelings on Ahimsa. This livestream also helped to encourage me to listen to what my body needs throughout the day and how to note when I am stressed and what triggers that stress.

A great part of the lecture that made me reflect is when Jen mentions how we need to take a step back when someone says they have been harmed in some way. We are not to question if they are truly harmed, but why they feel that way. We see this with social injustice and how a group may say they are feeling harmed, and the opposed party responding with reasons as to why their feelings are invalid. Living in our yoga we are called to listen to why those groups feel harmed and I definitely practice that in my life. Even as a black person, I have seen the harm in the black community when someone says they feel harm. It can be harm done within our community that needs to be listened to for things to progress. Divided we fall and that is in terms of the black community and the community of us who aren't the decision makers. We all suffer from capitalism in some way, but they win when we are divided.

Great topic to have when navigating how to live out yoga under these conditions. It's very complicated, and I hope to get help unpacking this with these modules. Thank you Jen! ❤️ 

Thank you for sharing this topic with us, Jen. It is really interesting to further consider all that ahimsa can be. I plan to write more about this in my personal journal, the module reflections, and am following up on your suggestion to read more of Thich Nhat Hanh's The Cause of Suffering.