It Started As an Idea (Part 2)

the How and Why of Black Boys OM

I completed my first yoga teacher training in the Spring of 2018. That foundation has stayed with me, even as I’ve gone on to pursue about a dozen other trainings over the next decade. My initial training was in Power Vinyasa, which is ironic because I rarely teach it now and no longer practice it myself. When I say I don’t care for it, I mean it’s simply not part of my personal practice or teaching repertoire. I’ll make an exception if asked under special circumstances, but my true preference is to create a space where students can move slowly and mindfully.

Celebratory Dinner out with some of my YTT Cohort after our graduation.

I knew in my bones that I would do more than just teach yoga. I was so inspired by the training and endless possibility that my mind oriented toward what more could be done. I remember an idea came to me while sitting in the business of yoga portion of our training towards the end.

Teach yoga to cops.

This wasn’t some benevolent love of cops idea, it was a , they need this, because what the fuck type shit.

My dad recently had cops pull a gun on him outside of his own home. I too had a gun pulled on me by a cop not long after what my father experienced.

Both experiences were maddening.

My big idea was to somehow, some way get a contract to teach yoga to cops and do so in a way that thousands of them could receive the training across the country. I didn’t know how this would be done and I remember to a close friend who introduced me to someone who was doing wellness work with law enforcement in the city of Atlanta. I met with that person over coffee, got some good insights and ideas for how I might move froward.

I’m not sure at what point I let go of this idea but I never fully pursued it.