Hair’s discussion was so powerful, his charismatic way of unfolding the BG truly took over and became my final reflection project It literally mind whammied me.
Nicole brought so much awareness to distractions from the outside but, also allowed me to consider what distraction I may bring to the group because i am not familiar with noises and sounds the way others might be. I asked myself am I ready to be ready for that? That lead me to ask where am I best serving myself practicing and instructing these poses?So if I do get distracted mid pose and lose the sequence do i have other options to fall back on. I began disassembling the sequences individually and try to catoragize them on the handouts and make cue cards for these poses, including notes that cultivate and bring the best service (through my awareness)as it is and update these cards as i grow. I feel this will also help me to have more accessibility to come back to during the day. While I was creating these cue cards I noticed how interchangeable these poses are for relaxation or energetic awareness, variations of tree pose could be one entire sequence lol. This really helped me to release the assumption that a specific pose is to fit a specific section.
Such powerful speakers!
Thank you so much for this reflection, Sarah—your curiosity, care, and willingness to explore your own questions so openly is such a gift to this community.
I want to take a moment to lift up one of the important points you raised—the uncertainty of what we may bring into carceral spaces as facilitators, especially when we haven’t yet been in that setting. Your question, “Am I ready to be ready for that?” is such a powerful one. And the truth is: this is exactly why ongoing preparation, reflection, and structured training beyond the YTT is part of our pathway for those who wish to serve with PYP.
As many of you are considering what comes after this training, I want to share that our Foundations Training—Yoga Through the Lens of Trauma and Incarceration—was created specifically to explore these questions. It’s required for all new PYP facilitators, and must be completed within the first year for those who wish to step into programming under the PYP name.
This training includes:
-
A deep dive into the carceral environment, including mindfulness-based practices that involve listening to actual facility sounds (doors closing, callouts, etc.)
-
Guidance on navigating institutional culture and developing trauma-informed awareness specific to incarceration
-
Time to process the emotional, sensory, and practical realities of this work in a supported learning space
YTT graduates who are interested in joining receive discount codes to join at either 100% or 50% scholarship. I absolutely recommend this training for anyone who is interested in teaching inside—and the Regional Coordinators are also here to support you in this process, including arranging opportunities to observe active programs before facilitating.
And yes—we can absolutely continue this discussion during our upcoming sessions on May 22nd and May 29th, where we’ll have space to process next steps and explore what continued integration and preparation can look like for each of you.
Sarah, I also love your insight about cue card creation and how it’s helping you categorize and connect with the poses in a way that’s grounded and adaptable. That kind of intentional prep is a beautiful reflection of your awareness and care—and you’re so right: tree pose could be an entire sequence!
Thank you again for your honesty and the thoughtfulness you bring to this work.
With gratitude,
Jen
Hari Kirtana Das is a great guest. Since the first very early lecture with Blaire Embry (link below) I've attended 4 of his own lectures on Buddhism, Yoga, and the Baghavad Gita. Hari gave me a great quote, 'Objective truth is absolute reality'. This has had a huge impact on my psychology and life philosophy, and I like Hari's reigned-in vibe. His kindness also shines through, and he's a great example of the collaborative genius of the PYP.
The Heart of Yoga: Philosophy, Policy, and Social Justice with Hari-Kirtana Das:
@andymccallumoutlook-com Absolutely! That is a wonder podcast! I’d like to hear more discussion from Hari on the BG’s grief knowledge and death. Blair did a podcast with Joyal Mulheronm the founder of Evermore and their discussion on grief and the impacts. Truly a wonderful discussion. Hari’s outlook would be a beautiful collaboration.