no mocking

Last Friday we tried something new in F-8. An outdoor yoga and meditation class for 30 people. My regular guys were skeptical about allowing more people to participate. They Said " They'll mock the yoga, Miss Tejal. They'll just mess around the whole time." Somehow the word got around that this was to be respected, and entered into with seriousness, because this is the way the men wanted it.

Thursday we had 50-60 miles an hours winds and cold, and Friday started off blustery, snow showers, and generally psychotic New Mexico spring weather. Standing out in the reck yard at 2:10, waiting for my guys, the sun broke through and made a twisty grid pattern through the wire mesh.

The men stood, chilly in their cotton orange jail uniforms, and I asked them to spread out and find a spot of sun, make sure they had enough room to swing their arms around
without hitting any one. There was a quiet expectancy, and little bit of nervous laughter.

We did about 45 minutes of postures, and fell into the peaceful entrainment that inevitably comes from practicing yoga together, each man in his own square of sun light and brilliant blue sky.

We sat in meditation for 10 minutes, then one young man sang a beautiful song, a sweet ballad for his girl.

Then we passed a candy wrapper for a talking stick. I heard men praying for the safety and well being of their families, and may they lack nothing.

I heard men saying "Thank you for taking your time to be with us." I heard men saying "I was was stressed and gloomy before, now I see things in perspective."
I said "I have been doing yoga for 30 years, and wherever I go in the world it feels like this: People feeling right with each other."

I heard no mocking.