hope and integrity

My group has been in lock down again for most of the week due to technical problems in master control. We started class with a deck of "needs" words spread out on the floor. Each person picked one card and said what was up for him about that today. "understanding" "hope" "to have my intentions seen" were some of the words. Because they had been cooped up all week, and it was a beautiful day we went out side and did some yoga. This class is 80% black and 20% Native American at this point. There was such a joy in being outside in the sun, and moving together. When I do yoga with young men I usually make it pretty challenging to help them burn off some of their excess energy and keep them focused. (I'm still sore form that session!)
At the end of the session I asked them to come back to the word they had chosen, and to say if doing yoga had given them a new perspective on the word.

One young man who is quite boisterous had chosen "integrity." When he first chose it he said "I'm not sure what this means but I think its important for me." After yoga he said
"What does it mean?" I said "it means wholeness." It means your thoughts, your feelings and your actions are all whole, all together. You do not think 'I shouldn't do this', then do it. You are whole like that." He said "yeah, that is important to me. I'm like that with you, with my friends, but not when its about what a nigga's gotta do to make money.I need to bring it to that too." I said " So integrity is something you have, and something you want to more of?" "yeah" he said.

A young Navaho man just found out his girl friend is pregnant. He picked the word "hope." He said he hoped that he would change his ways (drinking) for his baby, and give his child a good life, do it differently than what he had had growing up. He asked me to recommend a prenatal yoga teacher for his girl friend.