Blog Written by Angela Williams-Jones As I write this so many thoughts and emotions come to pass. The excitement of being selected for this magnificent journey brought thoughts of worthiness, worry, fear, past experiences, where we all are on our current journeys, what felt resolved, what is still unfolding and a work in progress. Deciding…
Operating within the juvenile justice system, The Art of Yoga Project provides yoga, mindfulness and creative arts programming for incarcerated and exploited teen girls. I had the opportunity to visit the center last week to participate in the weekly yoga practice and join forces on a visual storytelling project with the girls. After fingerprint tests…
Pain and disease awaken us to convictions, which are necessary to our moral condition. ~ Samuel Johnson These pains you feel are messengers. Listen to them. ~ Rumi Pain is the great teacher of mankind. Beneath its breath souls develop. ~ Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach February was the first month in over ten years that I did…
Trauma as Spiritual Crisis When we talk about purpose in yoga, we use the word dharma. Dharma, a Sanskrit word denoting one’s “ethical duty,” serves as our guiding principle for living. A need and desire for dharma is innate, yet changes over the course of our lives. If we were to intermix Western psychology and…
I love teaching yoga to kids in detention. I have found that many of the young people I encounter in juvenile detention can’t remember when they last heard a good word from anyone in authority, whether it be parents, teachers, judges, probation officers, or detention staff. They are so open and so ready for what…
A couple of years ago, in a New Year’s Eve note to my readers on SemperSarah.com, I encouraged them to be vulnerable. Then, I decided, I was going to walk my talk. First, I shared this note with them. Then, I included an expanded version of it in my book, Just Roll With It: 7…
I have been really struggling with anxiety and depression the last several months. So much self doubt showing up. Doubt in myself and the path of teaching trauma-informed yoga to women that has chosen me. The fear of not being able to make a living piecing all of these parts of my life together. The…
I used to think strength meant presenting an image of strong silence and always looking like I had everything together. I was a Marine, a leader, and could never make a mistake. I became a Marine to serve, and loved being part of the Corps. As with anything I have ever loved intensely, the military…
Yoga for First Responders: Waking Up Through Serving Domestic Soldiers by Olivia Kvitne* I remember the moment when the definition of “teaching yoga” changed for me. Barking out asanas in a hot room with a required Top 40 playlist didn’t seem to fulfill what I had intended to offer. I also didn’t practice that way,…
Understanding Interception and Supporting the Recovery of Trauma Survivors through Yoga: David Emerson One of the key theoretical underpinnings of our model of Trauma Sensitive Yoga is neuroscience with a particular focus on parts of the brain collectively known as the interoceptive pathways. These are parts of the brain that make visceral sensory experiences available to conscious awareness…
