In-Powered Guest Blog by Amy

Ms. Cash's Yes Prep Yoga Class

 

Yoga: A four letter word that has many different meanings and connotations for everyone. The Merriam Webster dictionary says that yoga is “a system of exercises for mental and physical help.” This definition does not do yoga justice, especially in terms of my personal experience with the practice and everything it has provided me.

The reason I started practicing yoga was purely out of curiosity. I saw Mr. Houston teaching a class and I was in awe and fearful at the same time. Given my experience in dance and gymnastics, I figured that I would be able to do yoga, but I never considered that it was anything more than just stretching.

The gift of chaos within my class schedules allowed me the chance to actually take this elective yoga class. I admit that I was initially reluctant because I preferred to enroll in dance or something else, but I needed a PE credit and yoga was my only option. While our class is packed now, there were only five students on that first day.

Just as soon as Ms. Cash started preaching about the Four Agreements, I was hooked. I tried everything in my power to keep the school from changing my schedule, and lucky for me they didn't!

I have come to realize that, as people in a constant moving society, we never get the chance to really stop and just feel the stillness. The hypnotic sensation of air coming through my nostrils was (and is) pure and utter bliss. This amazing sensation was something I was totally unaware of. I am a very hyperactive person and I rarely had a chance to intentionally be forced to sit and breathe.

My everyday routine used to mean I was always on the run. And, as a high schooler, I juggle multiple commitments: my classes, dance, and my desire to truly define myself. This constant juggling act created a lot of stress throughout the years, which eventually caused me to develop frequent panic attacks starting in the 8th grade.

I haven’t had one single panic attack this year, which really surprises me, and leads me to correlate yoga with the sudden extinction of my episodes. The Four Agreements were somewhat an emphasis of what I have already believed in. I just could not really put these ideas into words. I used to carry around baggage that really held me back from realizing my true identity. Now, as a junior in high school, I’m beginning to understand who I REALLY am. Through our class sets of Four Agreements meditations, I came to realize the true colors and hues of Amy Garcia.

This eureka moment lifted a heavy confusion on my shoulders. I accept my flaws, my circumstances, my upbringing, my quirks, and, most of all, my body. I ponder everyday how majestic a body is. It does us so much good, yet we hurt it and poison it and deprive it. I learned to appreciate my body and all that it does for me, rather than all the things it does not do for me or how I want it to look.

Body image should not be created based on social media and pop culture, but rather the inward gratitude it deserves. I acknowledge that I am still working on this idea. I also acknowledge that I have reached a greater sense of confidence beyond my bubbly personality.

I do plan on doing yoga for many, many more years, and I am forever grateful that Ms. Cash and Mr. Houston brought yoga to Yes Prep through In-Powered. As I reflect back on my junior year, I’m so grateful that this class was here for me. I have had the chance to meet great, genuine people through the class. More than that…I had the chance to meet my truest self! I’m pretty sure a P.E. class couldn’t have facilitated this type of change in me.

Namaste.

Amy, Yes Prep - North Central High School Yogini

Community is the New Currency

When people ask how me how we conceived the idea of the “In-Powered” Kickin’ Kombucha, I always feel obligated to share a little secret: Community was the creator, the real currency.

Let me give you a little background. In late January, Cristina and I were blessed enough to rock a goal coaching session with a legitimate BADASS! Jacki Carr, co-founder of Rock Your Bliss, is making shift happen in her own world by inspiring others to live their best lives through yoga, coaching, retreats, and (that all-important word) community.

Jacki’s goal setting session revealed a HUGE opening. In-Powered was ready for a finer balance between its IMPACT and its SUSTAINABILITY.

Instantly, an inspiring question blossomed in my mind: “How can we do both…at the same time?”

Let me explain what I mean by a “balance between impact and sustainability.” In-Powered has grown multiple programs that are changing the lives of students, prisoners, and those struggling with homelessness. Cristina, Roger, The In-Powered Team, and I have thrown our hearts into our work – often with little concern for any financial gain.

What became clear through our coaching session was that In-Powered was ready for greater economic viability to ensure that our programs would be around well into the future. In fact, a “non-profit” that disregards its financial responsibility does a disservice to its clients, which is why I now like to refer to In-Powered as a “MORE-than-profit” organization.

In a single word, Danielle Fanfair and Marlon Hall, the creators of the “IN-POWER” documentary, answered my question of how to affect change and create sustainability.

Cross-Pollination!

Danielle and Marlon were featuring “INPOWER” alongside their documentary about Kickin’ Kombucha. It only made sense to ask Kickin’ Kombucha’s team, Robert Lopez and John Ermis, about creating a new flavor that could benefit our respective work. In each of our conversations, Robert expressed a strong commitment to supporting amazing things happening in the Houston community. His unequivocal “YES” was a signal that Houston’s business community is ready and willing to support fresh, meaningful ways of creating community.  

The final product, a wicked blend of berry and ginger in a bottle that includes our mission statement, is a beautiful example of how local businesses can nourish charities while creating profit. It’s such a simple and powerful model: You purchase an “In-Powered”, Kickin’ donates $0.25/bottle, and people get yoga. You Get2Give!!!  

I’m so honored by the tremendous response from the In-Powered community. It has been amazing to see the Instagram and Facebook posts and hear the buzz. What’s not to like about getting a wicked drink, supporting a local business AND helping a charity make a difference?

Sounds like my kind of community!

In-Power On,

Dan

In-Powered Guest Blog by Juan

Ms. Cash’s YES Prep Yoga Class

My Yoga Experience

Yoga had not really interested me, so why am I in yoga?  In a way I decided to be in yoga, though I didn't initially agree with it 100%.  I originally wanted physical education as my first option because yoga was one of my secondary choices.  Since I did not get my option, I was “stuck” with only three choices: yoga, theater, and study hall.  I’m not much of an acting person, so theater was out of the question from the start.  Study hall seemed useful, even though it did not count as a credit, because I would be able to finish my homework there.  I wasn't so sure about Yoga - mostly because I had never taken a yoga class ever before.  However, I stayed optimistic and decided to try out the class and see if it was as interesting as my peers said it was.

My views of yoga before Ms. Cash were overall neutral because, honestly, I didn’t know much about it.  All I knew that you did “meditations”, “stretches”, and other awkward things with your body.  Yoga was something I really did not pay attention to, but it was because I had limited information about it.  I now see yoga as a much positive aspect because I have fun in the class.  Ms. Cash has taught me and my classmates how astonishing yoga actually is.  It is a place to relax, express your emotions and have control and clarity of the thoughts inside your mind.  At first I had some issues in joining yoga, now I am glad that I decided to take yoga as one of my classes.

Yoga has also helped me improve the abilities of my mind, body, and my daily life off the yoga mat. I used to have some trouble dealing with my stress. Though this was not a big issue, I still needed some assistance in clearing my mind.  Yoga provided that for me, with breathing exercises and expressing our emotions towards the class.  

Yoga has also helped me physically because I am experiencing more flexible and less tension in parts of my body I didn’t know were possible. My legs, for instance,  feel more relieved, my arms are gaining strength from the poses, and my breathing is much more controlled.  Now,  in my daily life, I can rely on yoga to help me with non-school stress or to clear my mind from the day.  Yoga has assisted me very much in my life, for the better, and I have no reason to complain with the opportunity provided for me now.