For several months, Yoga instructor Claudia Seymour has been offering yoga instruction for the women living in temporary and emergency accommodation at L’Étape de Semnoz. The class takes place weekly at the centre, with mats and other props provided by Claudia and Lake Aid volunteers.
I met Claudia recently at the centre to attend her class, and was greeted warmly by the Red Cross volunteer at the gate. She told me she would let everybody know that it was time for yoga, and wanted to make sure I’d noted that it was a very popular activity at the centre.
The class is primarily attended by the women to offer a respite from their daily chores. Occasionally mothers bring their daughters along, as was the case the evening I attended. Attendance varies depending upon what is going on at the centre, however there are frequently as many as twelve adults.
Hovering just outside the classroom were a host of little boys, all eager to join in the fun. They were promised their very own session if they could be patient and respectful of the class currently in session. Boys being boys, they did their level best, and waited as quietly as they could for their turn.
The atmosphere in the classroom was warm and welcoming. Claudia’s bright smile did most of the talking, as she encouraged her class to breathe through the poses and experience the joy of movement. The little girls would lose focus now and again, occasionally tumble into one another, share a giggle, and come back to their mats, ready for the next exercise. One could see that they took pride in the accomplishment of moving through the sequence of poses, appreciating what their bodies could do, without judgment. As is the tradition, at the end of their session, the class took a few moments to lie quietly and share a moment of gratitude. They hugged Claudia as they filed out of the room, barely able to contain the boys who were waiting in the wings.
As the boys burst into the room, they were reminded that they were welcome to practice yoga if they could respect the rule — sometimes difficult for a group of boys no older than 11! Yoga, after all, is a practice whose first lesson is ‘do no harm’. The boys listened intently, sitting criss-crossed on their mats, eyes wide open. Shaking their heads yes, they agreed they would do their best to respect the rules. They would avoid pushing or shoving. They would be patient with one another. I watched as they followed the directions and managed some challenging poses with grace and athleticism. They paid attention. They tried helping one another. And most of all, they had fun. Were there a few tussles? Only little ones. Mostly what I saw was the joy of playing a new game where everybody was included, and everybody won.
Yoga has existed in many cultures around the world for well over two thousand years. Its benefits have been widely recognised to reduce stress, diffuse anger and aggression, and promote a sense of well-being. I cannot imagine a greater need for those benefits than people who are homeless and whose futures are uncertain.
Thank you to Claudia Seymour and all of our Lake Aid volunteers for making a difference!
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