More reflections on service

Sunday I attended the final day of an adult education class at my church. I had intended to go to this class for the past several weeks - and just did not make it. What an error. The class was originally called "The black Christ" later edited to "Black Theology and Black power: Looking for god from the bottom." It was led by a very talented and feeling man - Everett Mitchell. I have always admired him. He has been involved with our church for several years and his style and his service are extra great.

He blew me away on Sunday. He spoke about a question "Are there more black men in prison or in college?"
He showed a video that asked and answered the question and showed black child after black youth after another and another saying decidely - without hesitation - "Prison." Then they showed the answer and the math. The answer? College.

He talked about the myth that has been perpetuated and built in to our society about this issue and about how we needed to play a role in changing it. he is a man of action and his theology is from the "bottom up" as opposed to "top down." He asked - "How does a church respond? How do you respond? And he added - I am not talking about going to run for the school board people, What are you going to do from the bottom up?"

Oh man - what a challenge to a room full of upper middle class white doctors and lawyers and marketing types. We are so Top down!

He is a member of an organization in Madison called Madison Urban Ministry. I immediately thought "Maybe I should teach yoga for those people." That is so bottom up and so idealistic and that is where I am right now.

On Moday I checked there website: What do you know. They run a program called healthy Neighborhoods! The description reads:
"The Allied, Belmar, Dunn's Marsh Wellness Center has a mission of promoting holistic health and wellness for the neighborhood. It is staffed by a community parish nurse who provides individual contact as well as group programs."

Oh my. That will require some soul searching. Can I tackle that? Can I teach yoga anywhere?
I mean these are rough neighborhoods.

So what is the deal with this draw anyway? I guess I keep saying to myself, " It's the people who don't have Yoga yet that really need it."

So now my thoughts are on Everett and his fantastic motivating talk! Why not try to do that? Well - it would be hard as hell for one thing.

It is interesting to me that on Sunday the 6th an African American man motivated me to focus myself on service to others and I accept what he taught me fully. And then 1 week later on Sunday the 13th another African American man further motivated me to focus and service and gave me some options.

Ok god. I guess I need to listen. What is next?

Coming in to week 2

On Saturday I got a reply to my email inquiry about an audition class at my friends studio. She was interested - but wanted to wait until January. She also noted that she had no positions and had 3 people who wanted to teach.
This is a really popular studio with a big community of active students and teachers. I have always had mixed feelings about teaching here. It is the "best" studio in Madison. But for some reason I had concerns about my fit there.
1. I was concerned about not being good enough for the community 2. I did not want my auditioning and wanting to teach there to affect my relationship with the owner who I love and respect. It concerned me that she might have to tell me I was not ready. I am totally ok with being not ready - but I hated to put a friend through that process
I also felt like I want to take it slowly with the home studio. Like I really needed to cut my teeth outside of my home environment. I also had the sense that i wanted to learn a little more about the yoga community around Madison. I had been very singularly focused on this one studio.

One other thing I have been drawn to do is to plan a "Yoga for 12 Step Recovery" class to offer at the local 12 step clubhouse. I have been thinking about this often and have even started a plan. I feel drawn to help recovering people "get back in to their bodies" as Shams stated it. Shams had shared his experience doing some of this service work. I know it might not have the same appeal of a regular studio - but I cannot help but feel I want to take yoga to the streets.

Is this a standard feeling on becoming a teacher? I want to help save the world with yoga? Are others feeling this?

On December 6th I wrote that my intention going forth from here was "To help others seek spirit through body and breath." Perhaps I am just sinking my teeth in to that intention. Perhaps I am just being eager and Idealistic.

Whatever will come of this will certainly reveal itself to me. I think I am just going to go with it for a while. I have moved from thinking to feeling (even though there is a lot of thinking going on) - It is the feeling kind of thinking. I think (see what I mean!) that will allow myself to be idealistic instead of second guessing my way in to defeating my idealism because of my Thinking problem. Yes I said Thinking Problem. It is a lot like my drinking problem, only worse.

Rolf said over and over that when he came from a place of service that everyone think worked out. I seem to be feeling that and I want to hang on.