My Mindfulness Training at San Quentin State Prison

There is a powerful Jewish story I read awhile back. A father traveled near and far looking for a cure for his daughter and her sickness. He found nothing, until one day, someone suggested a holy man that lived in a humble cottage in a town not too far away. The father rushed there and begged the Holy man to heal his daughter. The Holy man refused, explaining that it was just her time to go. The father went home, saw his daughter, and decided to go back and beg the Holy man more. Finally, the Holy man agreed, and he ordered his assistant to find 5 of the worst criminals in town and around. The assistant brought them, and the Holy man asked that he, the 5 criminals, and the daughter not be disturbed for several days. The father asked the assistant why the Holy man needed criminals - the assistant had no answer. Finally, the Holy man came out of the cottage, and the daughter was healed. The 5 criminals walked out with a calm and composed demeanor and went on their respective ways. The father was elated, asked no questions, and went home to share the news and play with his healthy and happy daughter. The assistant asked the Holy man why he needed 5 criminals. The Holy man replied that in order to break into the gates of heaven, one needs the understanding and cunning of a criminal. In order to use the power of heaven, outside its natural order, one needs individuals who live outside order.

So when I spent this past weekend at San Quentin prison learning mindfulness, sharing meditation, and holding space, I actually witnessed the essence of the story I just shared. I came to a deep understanding that when one travels across a long personal Spectrum, their experience and wisdom is so bright and so full of light. GRIP (Guiding Rage into Power) is a year long training program for inmates to become group facilitators themselves. Started by Jacques Verduin 17 years ago, it is a terrific and successful mindfulness program. They have worked with over 181 inmates, 53 have received parole, and 0% have returned to prison. That is unprecedented in American prison lore. It is making moves and that’s why I signed up, I knew I had to jump on board and become a part of an inside out revolution within the prison system. Learn more

I'll start at the beginning because that's often the blessed place to start. When I arrived at San Quentin prison I immediately noticed how run down and old the outside looked. I wasn't shocked because it's a state prison and a state Institution. I don't have much faith in federal or state institutions. I do believe that the government could do a lot to help us and to help those in our society so we can all become more civic. Some of the other participants in the program showed up and we naturally created a circle and I decided to spark a question for everyone to answer. Soon Jacques arrived and we bureaucratically entered the prison. (PS, Jacques is a REAL life superhero)

I was pretty scared. I have faith that whatever is supposed to happen will happen but this was a territory I've never been in before and I had no idea what to expect except that there are a lot of rules and a great deal of fear upon entering for anyone who comes from the outside. I can't even remember the rules because there were so many. I sometimes wonder why we have so many rules if no one will remember all of them because there are so many. Anyways, we entered and immediately I noticed a few of the inmates looking at us and so I waved as an experiment. They waved back and smiled almost as if they were children. We walked towards the chapel where we'd be holding our first meditation group with some of the inmates.

We all sat down and I noticed that everybody kind of clumped together. The inmates were sitting together. The GRIP trainees started mixing into the inmate crowd. I noticed an older Latino men sitting by himself on the far end of the room, and I couldn't help but go and sit next to him. The conversation we ended up having was so deep and honest. I had an incredibly surreal moment noticing that I was being taught by a Guru. He explained to me that we need to rely less on our eyes and our ears and that we need to see without our eyes. He explained to me how important it is to connect the heart and the mind. I cannot express how endearing this man was and I also noticed as more people sat down that he was an outsider participating as an Insider.

The group started with a wonderful meditation and I immediately sensed the connection between everyone. It was so nice to see everyone; mixed races, mixed social responsibilities and behaviors, and mixed responsibilities all sitting together meditating. Everybody shared how mindfulness and meditation has changed their lives I was blown away by the depth of the conversation from the prisoners. Some of the men were really funny and how they connected to mindfulness and they really inspired me to find new ways to teach meditation. One man explained how breathing and meditation has helped him to poop better. He explained that for almost 10 years he had all kinds of gastrointestinal issues that none of the doctors or nurses can help him with. And when he started breathing and being mindful of his breaths his number 2 was way more pleasing and comfortable. We all had a great laugh but this problem is not singular to a prisoner. This happens to Professionals in almost every industry and is one of the most prevailing and unspoken issues in modern society. What a lot of people don't understand about my work is that I really care about how people poop and how important it is to have a healthy gastrointestinal system.

At the end of the session several of the guys, old and in their mid age, came to me and shook my hand. We spoke and it was hard to move on to the next part of the day because they all had so much to share and were so excited. It reminded me of the orphans that I met in India. They had a sense of childishness and innocence like they had been reborn in prison and through this mindfulness to be sensitive, curious, and kind. I didn't feel at all that I was around a bunch of violent criminal offenders. Rather I felt like I was around a group of excited and curious children. So we moved on to the next part of the day.

One of the inmates shared a short play he was writing. It was amazing. He explained how important acting, writing and performing was for so many in the prison. Check out his work and others at http://marinshakespeare.org/stories-from-san-quentin/

We walked across the yard where the basketball courts were. There was a football field and baseball field and a gym. Everyone stared at us walking and I tried to keep in mind for to reciprocate and acknowledge them but also to remember something that was told to us at the beginning, “how you walk is your calling card in prison.”  So I straightened my back and I puffed my chest and I crossed my eyes, walked and smiled and stared at people in the eyes and tried to be a strong loving conduit from the outside world. We walked up to the sections that were designated as a school and education service for the prisoners. One of the extensions ended up being where the GRIP program does its work. We gathered around with some of the group facilitators who are also prisoners. Our discussions, our meditations, and our connections were so deep and so profound that no words that I write can ever do justice to them.

Here are some quotes by the men we met:

“The NEED to change turns to a WANT to change”

“I wanted to be somebody… but there was nobody to show me HOW I could be somebody.”

“Hurt people hurt people. Healed people heal people.”

I felt like we were in a secret super conscious think tank. These men were guides to how we can change gang culture, violence in inner cities, and negative behavior in men everywhere. The conversations we had brought light to concepts like MORAL INJURY, the importance to RESPOND versus REACTING, and the power of circling to improve bonding and emotional empowerment.

One of the woman involved in the training clearly stated that she had never been around a group of men as advanced sensitive and emotionally centered as these men. I agree with her because I sensed that they took full responsibility for all of their actions. Now they wanted to correct things, not only through the system and with the system, but they also had a perspective to go into troubling areas of society to stop systemic cycles of violence. Keep in mind that many at San Quentin are locked up for near life sentences so I will be advocating even more now that they get their sentences reduced and have an opportunity to make a difference outside of prison. Their ability to see both the black and the white and to live in the middle will make them much more effective citizens than most of us can ever say we are.

The first day was powerful, and the next day, even more powerful. We completed our training the following day, practicing techniques that have worked really well in San Quentin. More importantly, we met Bernard. He had become a GRIP facilitator in San Quentin, and eventually was released from prison a couple of months ago! He had been in prison for 27 years, 10 month, and 15 days. The way he lead the meditation was incredibly surreal. He was masterful, and a true leader. He is already leading groups and mentoring at risk youth in Richmond and nearby.

Here is what one of the inmates told the facilitators: “Better to be wanted by the police than by nobody. Better to be held in jail, than by nobody.”

The beauty of GRIP, and mindfulness training in prisons, is that it reconnects human beings with emotions. It reminds them that the present moment is an opportunity. An individual’s identity is not created by how others perceive them, but how they themselves carry their emotions, realize their purpose, and practice gratitude and abundance. The joy that Bernard carried, his incredible understanding and wisdom, and his bravery to shift perspectives showed me that there is GREAT hope in humanity.

I recommend everyone check out GRIP, support it, and vote to pass PROPOSITION 57 in the Fall.

Yoga Teacher Training 3

The next stages of the yoga teacher training have been extremely satisfying. There is so much more to yoga than I imagined. After going over the philosophy we've now started to focus on the physical practice. In a couple of classes we've focused on the Surya Namaskar A and some other positions in the primary series.

    

We are so fortunate to have teachers like Kumi Yogini and JQ William guiding us. They make a great team: Kumi is very nurturing and particular about the existential aspects of yoga while JQ’s attention to detail and her knowledge of anatomy and physiology gives all of a practical understanding of the yoga positions. 

This is all an opportunity for us to learn how to improve our own practice and at the same time become very comfortable with helping others perfect there's. What's even more profound is our ability to help people avoid getting hurt while pushing themselves to grow in yoga. The teachers at Veda yoga are doing great justice to their teachers before them. We focused on perfecting the teaching of down dog and chaturanga dandasana along with the correct positioning of our arms, hands, hips, legs, feet, and back. Kumi also makes a great point by showing us that there are planes of positioning in all the positions of yoga. This makes a big difference to a person like me, as I visual really well. With this knowledge, I was able to see how I could improve people’s postures better.

Something really important in our research and practice is how focused and collaborative the class is. Everyone supports one another, there is positivity, honesty, and a willingness to volunteer. I'm so honored to be part of a great yoga teacher training group.

One of my favorite parts about the last couple of practical exercises has been massaging people doing yoga. Personally, it's my favorite thing when I practice in yoga classes. The  teacher comes around while I'm doing a pigeon pose or something else and they push down on my back or they squeeze my arm or pull or correct something in my body. It feels so great and sometimes if the yoga teacher is intuitive enough there is an incredible feeling of relief, support, and nurture. We got to practice those massage techniques on each other and I am so excited to bring that kind of attention to future yoga practitioners who attend classes I lead. I've always been very fond of the power of touch and yoga is a great opportunity to serve people while they are working very hard to let go of physical and emotional blocks.

The journey continues and I am so excited to receive an abundance of wisdom from all those participating in this training.

Follow Indy Rishi Singh’s journey into teacher training for yoga or visit www.iLiving.guru to learn more - come experience a laughter meditation

Day 2 YTT - History/Philosophy of Yoga

The 2nd day of teacher training started with one of the most intense yoga practices I've ever experienced. It was taught by the Hiro, a phenomenal example of a teacher who explains so well you can follow his directions with your eyes closed (I tried a couple times!).

I learned how important it is to maintain a foundation that allows you to hover if you need to. That was a great metaphor too. If we really want to float, to fly, we need to build a foundation that can support that flight.

After the yoga class we did acroyoga. It was my first try and I really loved how both people need to work together to make something beautiful. Acroyoga is a new practice in the yoga arena.

Then, after lunch, we dug deep into yoga history. In my own analysis, I've found that most yoga teachers lack knowledge of the history and basic tenets of yoga. This troubles me, as I am a self knighted guardian of wisdom (like an untrained kung-fu panda). In the training, we discussed the history of yoga, and delighted in the passage of this spiritual and physical knowledge.

The class learned about Sri T. Krishnamacharya, who developed and established the Ashtanga style. Indra Devi and BNS Iyengar took his teachings and delivered yoga to the West and to people seeking health from diseased states, respectively. I have a newfound appreciation and gratitude for all the people who have passed the knowledge of yoga down the vines of history and into studios like Veda Yoga in the heart of Los Angeles in 2016.

We also read the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. I was so happy we read the sanskrit and the English versions. We discussed each line. It felt true to discuss this wisdom as a collective. I found it especially interesting that yoga was initially intended to conquer the senses. It was also refreshing that we are incorporating the “spiritual” side of yoga with the physical side.

During yoga, there are times that we feel we can't go further. If and when we breathe, and take ourselves out of the physical limitations, we find that we can travel further along the existential path. We are all finding meaning, we are all searching for answers to our ailments, and we will only find them if we go all in-discovering the Awareness behind our perceptions.

Follow Indy Rishi Singh’s  journey into teacher training for yoga or visit www.iLiving.guru to learn more - come experience a laughter meditation

1st day of Yoga Teacher Training

The class singing "Lokah Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu"

-May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and freedom for all.

Am I committed or am I attached? We touched on this subject on the first day of Yoga Teacher Training at Veda Yoga in Los Angeles, California. I felt an intense thinking. I wondered how long had I been confusing those two ideas. Then in that circle, where we passed around feelings, excitements, and fears, I realized I was embarking on a monumental experiment into new dimensions of perception.

It was so appropriate that we began with mantras on the first day, even while we practiced the physical Yoga. Mantras and music are meaning something so much more in my life. They are quintessential for our happiness, security, and success. The very nature of redirecting our focus away from doubt and fears is harmonizes our bodies and the environment.

I found myself imagining the 7 Rishi’s sitting around a beautiful, fire dedication. The teachers organized a terrific altar in the center of the circle that resonated my vision.  The Rishis’ were committed to the curiosity about the evolution of mankind. It lead to practices that have allowed many to experience elevated states of physical health, perception, and superconscious ecstasies. I felt the Shiva dance above the fire and the Rishis commit to the experiment they chose to participate in.

Veda Yoga, and its teachers and beneficiaries, are a conduit of that ancient knowledge which was passed down through experiments, practice, documentation, and repeated evaluation. In Los Angeles, California an Indian-Canadian-American wannabe mystic, is connecting to an ancient knowledge that is embedded in his very DNA.

As grateful and excited as I am about learning Yoga and becoming an effective teacher, I am more elated about the people who I will be traveling with these next few months and the incredible transformation we will make together. This is why the journey is better than the destination.

Follow Indy Rishi Singh’s  journey into teacher training for yoga or visit www.iLiving.guru to learn more - come experience a laughter meditation

Philosofaster 4 - Neha Pandey - Philosophy of Makeup

Is Ignorance really bliss?

I stumble across the phrase, "ignorance is bliss" more often than I would like to. It's an incredibly awkward and unusual phrase. Nevertheless, most of modern society accepts it either consciously or subconsciously. It makes me wonder, how much power are people forsaking? May I remind you of the other longstanding maxim; "Knowledge is Power."

So I decided to do some research. Where did this phrase come from? It turns out that in the 1700's, a man named Thomas Gray wrote the words for the first time. His background withstanding, the actual words belong in a context; "No more where ignorance is bliss / Tis folly to be wise."

This leads us to a very interesting perspective. Our very understanding of this famous saying is misconstrued. If you evaluate the real origin, you'll bare witness to Gray's humor and wit. He confuses us and at the same time, injects a powerful knowledge. The wise are the ones who value knowledge. The ignorant are the ones who generate folly. More accurately, Gray is using the words to showcase his nostalgia of being a young child, joyous and playful without much care. 

Later, in the same "Ode," Gray refers to "a mirror in every mind." That powerful reference is completely opposite of the ideology spread by our current misunderstanding of ignorance is bliss. A mirror in every mind allows everyone to look at one another as an opportunity to witness the deep connection we have with anyone we come in contact with. A mirror in every mind is an opportunity to see how our own personality and character are reflected in those close to us. 

From now on, please be conscious that ignorance is not bliss. Rather, Knowledge is POWER. The more you know, the more your neighbor knows, the more your community knows, the more security, prosperity and health you will all have. It's a very simple equation. The less you know, the more wars, disease and suffering you will all experience. Let us all wake up and use words that represent our true ambition.

Butterflies and Breathing

Butterflies. In my stomach. Beautiful, dancing, fluttering, colorful butterflies flying throughout my stomach. I didn’t want to think negative. So I visualized butterflies. It was 11 PM and I had been driving for over 3 hours on Highway 5. I spent the first hour in Los Angeles traffic, blech. The next two found me worrying about my seminar the following day. I had to give a lecture to a group of executives and managers from Marriott Hotel. I had material planned, I knew what I’d talk about and how I’d lead them to a laughter yoga session at the end. Still, I found myself nervous, with fluttering butterflies in my tummy. 

So I wondered, is this normal? Is this how I’m supposed to feel, before I step into the great Unknown? I decided, I’d try something new. While driving, I began to do a Pranayama practice. I spent 10 seconds breathing in, 10 seconds holding my breath, and 10 seconds releasing my breath. I would close one side of my nose and go back and forth between them, almost creating a cyclic flow of air into my head. I noticed I was more relaxed. I noticed myself envisioning the smiles and laughter of the attendees of my seminar at Marriott. I saw their delight in receiving inspiration for the growth of their health and spirit. I also noticed that I was higher than a kite!

I had perfect focus on the road, which if you’ve ever driven on Highway 5, isn’t that difficult. I maintained focus all the way to my parent’s home in the Bay Area. I fell asleep on a dime, still intoxicated from the Pranayama session earlier. 

I woke up in the morning, did my meditations, oiled myself with hot sesame oil, did my yoga and stretches, and ate a hearty breakfast. I still had butterflies, and I was learning to fall in love with them. I wondered, have all speakers and lecturers, even the great ones, experienced butterflies? Did they have them their whole life, even if they spoke a thousand times? I wondered and pondered, but I did not limit the possibilities. 

Finally, it was time to drive to Marriott and give my seminar. This was no doubt an important time in my life. I have spent much of my adult life exploring the vast spectrum of health and wealth. I’ve lived with, learned from and taught the wealthiest people in the world. I’ve slept in parks and trains with the homeless. I’ve moved from sofa to floor to grass. I’ve served the poor and I’ve served the rich. I studied allopathic medicine and when it had no solution to my digestive illness, I studied Ayurveda. I realized the breadth of knowledge in Eastern medicine. Now, I seek to make connections between the ailments that cause so much suffering with the recommendations of treatment that have survived thousands of human lifetimes. 

This opportunity was a blessing in disguise. It seemed out of my realm. I don’t know why I still haven’t “bought in”. I mean, I’ve given seminars before. When I worked with Revolution Prep, I traveled across Northern California giving lectures about stress management and test preparation. I would speak to teenagers, or I’d speak to parents in the evening sessions. I was able to give lectures in both the inner city schools of Oakland and Richmond and the elite schools of Belmont and Danville. Eventually, I was invited to speak at a professional gathering at the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas. That was incredible. I spoke to a gathering of professionals from various fields such as medicine, law and finance. I wasn’t adverse from the experience of lecturing. I was, nevertheless, nervous as ever. 

I entered the ballroom at Marriott Hotel. It was massive and a beautiful chandelier floated above me. I stretched and prepared myself as people trickled in. I smiled at the staff and encouraged them to be comfortable. I gave each of them a small notebook that could fit in their pockets. I made a point to personally meet as many of them as I could before the session started. Shaking hands and looking into one’s eyes is a powerful form of communication. It doesn’t even require language. It is transcendent and powerful. Many times, it breaks all emotional barriers. I have to digress, with kids I tend to use a high-five. I’ll go into this more in another thought blog. 

Finally, I could let the butterflies out. I began the session with a color exercise. Then, the lecture turned into a wonderful interactive workshop. I encouraged it. It was terrific discussing health concepts, sharing ideas about them, having people in the audience looking up research and case studies, and connecting with each other about something we all care about; health. 

Attendees took notes and we shared valuable stories. We discussed the importance of our digestive systems and various modalities that encourage digestive health. We spoke about taboo subjects like enemas, mushrooms and clarified butter. People from different parts of the world spoke about their ancestors and how they were conscious and healthy. Overall, it was a powerful collective experience. An hour or so later, I had to introduce a new dynamic. 

Ever since I was introduced to Laughter Yoga, I’ve been a fervent subscriber. I forget it sometimes, and later realize I should implement the lessons of laughter yoga every moment I can. I stumbled upon Laughter Yoga when I lived in New York City. I was caught off guard by Alex Eingorn’s subtle ability to teach to and inject the power of laughter into people of all ages and backgrounds. By the way, Alex runs an amazing chiropractic clinic in Manhattan and offers free laughter yoga every week. Visit him when you can (http://www.chiropracticnyc.com/chiropractic/midtown/laughter-yoga.html) 

Receiving a practical education in Laughter Yoga from Alex allowed me to transmit the same morsels of data to the Marriott managers and staff. We ended up including the cleaning staff, who did not speak much English for the most part. It was incredible to see managers laughing with the cleaning staff. Can you imagine? These two classes probably never spoke to each other, despite working under the same roof. And in my seminar, they were laughing, looking each other in the eyes and experiencing something profound and beyond explanation. Everyone was laughing, having fun, and I could sense that everyone was connecting to the child within. We often forget about the importance of laughter in our lives. Exercises can help us, they can help us connect circumstances in our life to laughter, even if they’ve been conditioned to make us stress. It’s up to us to reprogram how our heart and mind process information. It will no doubt have a profound effect on our health and happiness. 

Back to the seminar. Someone in the group recognized it was time for the session to end. Everyone else was laughing, having fun and engaged in the lesson. As I closed and said goodbye, I felt a warm wave flow over my heart. I knew a profound shift was taking place in many of the people who attended. I also recognized a shift in myself. Some individuals got in line to ask me more personal questions. They even exclaimed that they didn’t even feel the 2 hours pass by! What a tremendous compliment. As a speaker and teacher, I strive to make the experience of learning a fun and joyous occasion. Those moments tend to pass much faster than the tedious kind. 

I realized, my true journey has begun. I am a speaker. I am an inspiration to all I meet. I practice what I preach, and I admit that I fail. I am you and you are me. Why shouldn’t I share my gifts. If I “buy in”, will you? I can certainly count on myself, and if I do well, we can all count on each other. 

Feel free to follow this Journey, help me as I share my gifts, and pass on the knowledge that I’ve worked hard to stumble upon. Thank you and infinite blessings.