YWLP does yoga with Christy Brock!

From Christy's newsletter ...

Stephanie Hall, Alumnae Facilitator, Joy Vernon, Big Sister Christy Brock, YogaMinded sponsor, Meghan Baer, Program Coordinator and Olivia Rice, Junior Big Sister.

In Charlottesville, VA, middle school girls are learning yoga through their mentoring Big Sisters. The Young Women Leaders Program (YWLP) is an nine-year old program coordinated through the University of Virginia that pairs middle school girls with college-age Big Sisters for the purpose of developing the leadership potential of these young women. The co-sponsoring departments from the University are the Women's Center and the Curry School of Education who provide the training, teaching, and administrative oversight. Thanks to YogaMinded, YWLP has been including yoga in its curriculum for the past two years.

While there are challenges with presenting yoga to socio-economic groups that have had no exposure to the ancient practice, there are also successes. Some girls are learning for the first time that being physical and "in" their bodies does not involve competition, that yoga is done for the sake of taking care of one's self.

I traveled to Charlottesville and worked with the Big Sisters and the yoga program coordinators in early November. We did a three-hour workshop to experience yoga together and learn how to present it to the younger girls. While those in attendance had little experience, their openness, wisdom and leadership skills showed me they have what it takes to send a spark of the love of yoga to their peers.

YWLP Little Sister practice Half Handstand, Ardha Adho Mukha Vrksasana.

Concern for helping others often motivates self-practice. Everyone involved with the program has shown a newfound interest in yoga and the benefits of calm and centered-ness that it provides. Each young woman is pursuing yoga on her own time through local classes.

Not everyone has access to the best yoga teachers and ideal environments for practicing yoga, but everyone can benefit from an exposure to this wise practice. Through my outreach with the University of Virginia's Women Center, we are learning how yoga can contribute to the sound mental and physical development of middle school girls.

Good luck to Meghan and Stephanie, the two young women who will be leading the yoga offering through YWLP next year.

For more information on Christy Brock's organization, visit YogaMinded.