Why I Teach Adaptive Yoga – kerri hanlon
It’s Tuesday morning and I head into my first class of the day. I’m greeted by a group of tweens/teens – full of questions, some interested in exploring asana and breath, some less so. We circle up and I give plenty of options for all to participate in a way that’s meaningful for them today.
In my next class, I’m with younger kiddos, ages 5-7; we play yoga games, slither like snakes, roar like lions and pick whether we want to be “Ariel” or a burrito – both involve being cocooned in a yoga blanket.
Next up is a group of young men, ages 16-21; we breathe deeply, stretch long and find opening and strength in our bodies. It’s later in the day at this point and I’m sure to leave time for meditation and a long savasana.
In all of these classes we incorporate breath, mindfulness and movement. We notice how some days we feel great in our bodies, some days there are challenges. Some days we can breathe deeply, some days the sniffles and coughs take more space in our noses and lungs.
We observe how some days we can easily bring happy thoughts to mind, some days it’s more sadness that seeps in. We’re in this together. We set intentions for ourselves, intentions for each other, intentions for the teachers and staff, intentions our school community, intentions for our world. We are yogis. The yogis of HMS School.
HMS School (also known as HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy) serves children with multiple, complex disabilities, with a focus on what a child CAN do and maximizes their strengths to help them move through this world. They have entrusted Yoga Home with bringing yoga to their students, alumni, teachers and staff for the past several years.
This is a deeply personal mission for me. My son, Sean, attended HMS School from age 6. It was there that he thrived and where I attended Parents Nights, Holiday Shows and End of Year Celebrations. It’s a small, deeply connected school where it’s not uncommon for staff to be tenured 20+ years.
It’s because of Sean that I started our Adaptive Yoga program. He was my inspiration, my demo student, and by far, my greatest teacher. When Sean passed away suddenly, at age 19, I wasn’t sure I could return to this path that he had started me on. How would I continue to teach children and adults who would remind me of him?
And yet, I knew he had placed me on this path for a reason. Adaptive Yoga (or Accessible Yoga) is just beginning to emerge – the idea of creating a safe space for ALL to practice has been recognized as important, along with the reality that it does take skill, knowledge and passion.
Since launching our Adaptive Yoga Program at Yoga Home, we’ve grown from offering one class a week to several. We see students in schools, host Adult Day Programs, provide guest lectures to Universities, lead Teacher Trainings, and have a robust offering through our Yoga Home online platform. Our students include those who are recovering from surgery or injuries, those seeking a gentler practice with more time for transitions, and those with mild to severe medical issues or disabilities. All this, from the simple idea that Yoga is for EVERY body.
All this because one young man in a very medically complex body came to yoga – and his Mama got curious what could be, and her studio partner encouraged her to explore that. All this, because this is our yoga – to seek the union of body, mind, spirit and embrace the power of community.
It’s not always easy to return to HMS School. It’s been two years and I’m still missing my Sean so very much. And yet, when I’m there on Tuesdays and I see his former classmates – and am reminded of what a little nugget Sean was when he started there – I’m so grateful I have this gift to share. The gift of yoga. That’s a blessing, indeed.
You can learn more about our adaptive offerings here. We’re always grateful for your generous support of our Adaptive Yoga Program. Click here to make a donation.
