Dalama Adventures Tale of two corporate types ditching their jobs and traveling the world for 14 months... check out all photos, blogs & interesting tid bits at http://www.dalama.net

One of the reasons I selected Xela and this particular Spanish program with ICA, was to be able to volunteer with the special program they have with the women's prison.  They were looking for me to teach yoga, and now with my Yoga Alliance Certification, this would be my first real teaching opportunity during the trip.  With the help of my good friends Tara and Amy stateside, I was able to find some good materials to use (while my stuff is all in storage back in the US), some even in Spanish.  My Spanish teacher took time with me during one of my classes to cover critical words that would be helpful, so I came prepared to classes, after having rehearsed in my mind the phrases, words and asanas.  I think I over prepared.  My class ended up being just a few of the many women, most sitting around knitting and just looking on.

The women's prison here is really a holding tank for women who have been accused of crimes, and are just waiting for their trial in Guatemala City.  One elderly woman has been here for eleven years waiting for her trial.  The unfortunate thing, many of these women may never get a trial.  Without money it's tough luck.  Many of these women are in here for drug use or drug sales.  Not hard to imagine here in Guatemala, where so many single women with children have either been abandoned by their husbands, or had fled a life of domestic violence.  They're living on the streets and doing any work that will allow them to feed their children.  Some women here have been accused of murder.  Some say they have needed to defend themselves from abuse, rape, etc.  In such a "machismo" society,  it's not hard to believe that women could be doing time for assault or murder in a situation of self defense, and the female takes all the blame.  These women seem to be making the best of a difficult situation.  Despite many that suffer from illness, sickness and addictions in the prison (of course, the school, ICA, never once told me about anything I would or might be exposed to here, in fact they gave me no information about the prison, women and situations, etc.), they continue to keep themselves busy knitting and making crafts.

I'm here to help them keep their bodies active, and minds relaxed.  It's challenging; I've got several smokers in class who prefer to do yoga with cigarette in hand.  One woman can't keep her attention on any one thing for more than a minute, and is off galloping around the prison courtyard, only to fly back into the middle of our practice with a backbend posture.  Other women suffering from various illnesses can only do select activities.  I teach them some basic meditation techniques.  In the middle of the meditation, one receives a call on her cell phone, sending her into a raging fit.  Sigh!  Ah, the world of difference meditative practice and mastery could have here to ease their minds and the tension that has taken over their bodies as they await  a trial.  A very non-traditional yoga class... our prison yoga is full of ore laughter and onlooker participation than silence and contemplation.  I think at this point we can classify this as laughter therapy versus yoga therapy.  That said, fun is had by all, and for them to actually lighten their days and minds with a little exercise and a lot of laughter is in fact a nice balance for where these women are at.  They even requested to get handouts so they can meditate and practice asanas on their own, which I more than happily give them, encouraging them to continue at anytime of the day with our without me there to guide them.

Keep an eye out for the upcoming yoga line by Prana:  Prison Wear.  I’ve designed it specially with the women from Guatemala.  They’re busy knitting the samples as I type.