This October, The Boys’ Club of New York launched a yoga pilot program for Junior members aged 10-13.
The yoga program took place at the Gerry and Abbe Clubhouses as a part of a Healthy –Living Education Program. The yoga instructors from The Lineage Project, Bart van Melik and Dani Colaialani-Poe, touted a “noticeable development” in the boys’ ability to focus and concentrate as the classes progressed.
The class averaged 8 boys per session and as instructor Bart notes, the class was “a very positive [teaching] experience.” As a group, the boys were prompted to reflect on topics such as ritual, compassion, gratitude, natural talent and regret. They learned new ways to relax, find peace-of-mind and gain awareness of their inner “self.” For Lineage Project instructor Bart, his favorite moment came after a Junior member concluded his meditation session by stating that he ‘had never felt so calm.’ Bart also noted that almost all of the boys who participated in the class indicated they felt calmer after yoga.
The Lineage Project’s 10 week course taught BCNY member’s a wide variety of awareness practices, such as yoga, Chi Qong movements and meditation techniques. The Lineage Project’s mission is to “empower youth to find alternatives to stress, violence, and incarceration” and closely aligns with BCNY’s mission to encourage the emotional, social, physical, educational and vocational growth of our young men.
