There is something quite inspiring that the women at Kate Barnard Correctional Facility (formerly Hillside Correctional) in Oklahoma City do regularly…and I noticed it from day 1, yet didn’t realize until now how important it was to share.

Anytime someone in the group (and it’s usually a new person) starts to show signs of being past the comfort zone – maybe the practice brought up something uncomfortable or that person start to feel self-conscious – there’s very little I have to do. Why? Because the group takes care of it.

“Hey – you’re ok. Don’t quit now. It’s hard, but you don’t have to do the same thing as everyone else.”

“Yeah. Just do what you can.”

“It was damn hard for me in the beginning, too. But, it’s worth it. I promise you, it’s worth it.”

These are all things that have been said, and these are all things that have worked to keep the woman who was thinking of quitting in the room.

The women don’t talk down to each other. They see each other as equals and serve one another. They do it so the other person can feel the same benefit they get from the practice, which is exactly why I started teaching yoga in the first place.

Full circle is a pretty cool thing.