Disturbance in the force

Or lessons in non-judgement.

Today I experienced the weirdest yoga class ever. I was doing Shannon's Friday morning yin class, and firstly, it was the fullest yin class I've ever seen, and secondly, there were some teenagers there who quite obviously didn't want to be there. Now imagine this, you pay $15 for a class that you don't want to be on. Firstly I didn't even notice them - I was in the first row as I always am, and I was concentrating on myself. But at some point I started noticing unusual amount of people shuffling, going to the toilet, and I heard Shannon speaking to someone who didn't want to do a certain posture. There was some whispering, giggling - so I peeked during a down-dog. Yep, bunch of teenagers in their oversized jeans and baggy sweaters, with sour faces.

I kept wondering why Shannon didn't just ask them to leave - instead she kept her cool and kept saying things like "You don't want to do this posture? That's ok, join us when you want." (most of them were just sitting there not doing anything) or "If you don't want to do the postures, be respectful of those who do". Personally I was starting to get really annoyed, until about mid-way I started to think about non-judgement.

Those kids - and I imagined they were probably there to do a PE class or something like that and tried to get off easy... we've all been there! - were so afraid of failing or looking uncool that they covered their insecurities in giggles and pretence. They had difficulties sitting still, if help was offered at those rare times they attempted a posture they shrug it off a laugh. All signs of extreme lack of self-confidence.

They were rude and unrespectful - although not to a degree it would have been really distruptive - and still, in the end of the class when Shannon thanked everyone for coming, she especially thanked the teenagers and said that we all had our challenges. I was surprised they stayed for Navasana, but after that they were out like bullets. So I went to Shannon to ask what on earth was that all about, and she explained that there were actually Natalie's - one of our yogis - students, underprivileged kids who had been to jail, and they were trying to reintroduce them to the society. Nat had thought that yoga would be calming for them, and this was their second class.

So yes, they were annoying, but after that I was so glad that Shannon had taught me that lesson about non-judgement. I think her way of dealing with them was exactly what was needed: anger and dismissal has been the only language these kids have ever understood, and actually having a class full of calm adults who didn't scorn them for their actions but instead tried to help them was probably a rare experience. I would just hope they wouldn't be so afraid of trying out something like yoga - but that's probably quite far off in the future.

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