Outreach

I have had the wonderful opportunity to reach out to an after school program with young adolescent girls from December - March.  It has not only given me the opportunity to strengthen my own yoga teaching, but project a good self image to these young girls.

All my life growing up I was always teased for my appearance.  I was never a really pretty or a 'popular' girl  in my junior high or high school years which often lead to ridicule and no dates or interest by the opposite sex.  I never really let it get me down, but instead really focused on my academics and athletics - becoming a student who excelled both scholastically and athletically all through my growing years.  While I was pretty tough and determined, it would have been really cool to have been exposed to a strong female who I could have looked up to.

I think its really important to go back into the school system and show these young girls that you can be a good role model without being an actual model.  I had these girls dancing and singing, and being silly while we played fun yoga games.

The girls were grades 5 and 6, so not a age level that I'd really apply a moksha practice to.  They are pretty young and full of energy at this level so its always fun to make yoga games.  I created this came which is kind of like musical chairs, but I called it musical mats.  The girls would run around the mats in a large circle while I played music...and when it would stop - I'd strike a yoga pose and they'd have to run to an open mat and copy me.  Every round I would remove a mat and any girls who were eliminated would have to help me pick the next yoga pose.  It was a fun way for the girls to be silly yet get some yoga postures in.

At this age, they're really creative and not afraid to speak their thoughts (I find they get more self conscious of what others think in grades 7-9)...so I created another activity where I demonstrated some of the basic yoga poses - and then they were given the opportunity to create their 'own' yoga pose....well, let me tell you I had some really interesting ones!  Mostly based on food for some reason, steak pose, taco pose, ice cream pose....hahhahahah!  Taco pose was definitely the most interesting, yet its something that I probably will never demonstrate in public.

What I learned from volunteering with this program is that there really needs to be more programs like this up and running in more schools.  I give such kudos to the teachers who spend their time after hours to organize events like this and give an opportunity to open and expand the minds of these young girls.  I hope that I have made an impression with at least one girl in my time here and that maybe 10 years from now they will be inspired to be an instructor or a teacher.

Sangha Support

We have a beautiful 2 story series of picture windows that overlook Lake Winnipeg at my parents cottage.  Ever since my parents bought and started building the cottage 15 years ago, it was my fathers dream to create a 'rock wall' - a beautiful wall of stone that he spent years preparing for. First he talked about it for a few years, talking it over with my mom and trying to figure out how he was going to do it.  He then spent years hand selecting rocks from our beach front, cutting them in half and he started stock piling these rocks.  He looked into tools that he needed to use and even bought a 2 storey scaffolding so that he could reach the top of the picture windows.

Once all the prep work was done he laid this wire mesh, prepped the wall with mortar, and in 2009 he started to create his masterpiece... a wall that he wanted his grandchildren to look at and know that 'Gigi' (Ukrainian for Grandpa)  built that wall.

When carbon monoxide poisoning took my fathers life just before Christmas in 2009, he was only half way done.  For 2 summers it was a constant reminder of what we lost and all his tools, his unused rocks, mortar and scaffolding remained just the way he left it.

We contemplated contracting someone to finish this work for us....but I finally decided in the spring of 2012 that I was going to finish it.  My dad would not have paid someone to finish this job, he believed in doing things himself....Now, I'm not a stone mason, but neither was my dad.  Luckily I share the same characteristics as my father - that being mainly stubbornness..but also the ability to conceptualize an idea, and then will it into fruition via trial/error and a lot of patience (and the occasional swearing moment)

So on June 23rd, 2012...I started helping out my Dad - one last time.

Click the link to see the photo documentary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwEBZcVQi5I