Entry Eleven (posted 7/30/13)
Feeling Good with Family: Last Days
of Our Research Mission to Nairobi Kenya
Family (jamii- in Swahili- according to the dictionaries
online) was the theme for the Saturday 7/28/2013 Shine Center Community Class
in Nairobi, Kenya with the Africa Yoga Project. Paige began 200+ student class
with some Adele that inadvertently went on repeat. Paige explained that that is
how yoga is, it repeats and repeats and in there, in the practice, you figure
it all out. I loved that. It was true to what I know in my heart. In the
practice, you find your truth. The whole research team was in the building and
we were all in the moment. The class was co-taught by the AYP teachers and the
experience was wonderful. Like the week before, it was a hard class : ). The
assistants rocked it and we felt amazing at class end. We had that
yoga-class-feeling of jamii or family.
After a Saturday class at the Shine Center, there
are many announcements. My mind was on the research and I was struggling to be
in the moment. We were supposed to collect teacher data and Phase II student
data after class. We had collected data for 46 adult students after the
previous Saturday’s class and we hoped for 45, at least, for Phase II. The
announcements were many. I was so very anxious people would leave and not help
because it was getting so late. I had reason to worry. First, we where
headed to Thika school after the community class data collection. Second, Thika
is about 1 hour away. Third, the children there are vision impaired or blind
and Phase II would take us a very long time there. So, this was why I was
struggling. People kept sharing and announcing. I kept telling myself, “Stay
present Catherine. Stay present. It will work out.” My heart was pounding.
Then, something pulled me right into the moment. A group of the AYP teachers
were surprised by an announcement that they had officially become Baptiste
Certified Teachers and in the group was Irene!! Irene was a member of our
Research Team Family or Jamii. Ahhh, I was in the moment and glad to be there.
Finally, it was announced that those students who
were willing to help us with the research could eat first and bring their
plates over to the yoga room and begin. My heart was pounding again. One
person, two people, and soon a group of five people was sitting down. Ugh— not
enough. Then, Joyce, Musa, and Wanji began recruit volunteers. Soon there
were 15, then 20. When all was done, we collected 47 Phase II packets! We were
at target! Phew. In the midst of all that, there was a Thika surprise.
You see, Nan and Susan had chipped in to pay for a
large group of Thika students and teachers to be transported to the Shine
Center for the community class. Nan, thinking on her toes, suggested that since
the Thika children were already at the Shine Center, why don’t we begin Phase
II with them. Of course! Brilliant! So the team split, some helping AYP
community class students and others helped he Thika students. We were able to
finish the Thika students without having to drive 2 hours to collect the data!
The Thika students were such hard workers and so committed to the work. Can you
imagine sorting ideas without being able to see them or read them- all through
audio input and communication? ….. no, me either. I began hearing Nina Simone
in the background—If you have not heard her sing “Feeling Good” Google it
right now- it is perfection.
“Feeling Good”
Birds flying high
You know how I feel
Sun in the sky
You know how I feel
Breeze drifting’ on by
You know how I feel
It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life
For me
And I’m feeling good
I’m feeling good
Then, to the complete and utter joy of the entire
research team, we had 2 hours off to get ready for the final team dinner. Susan
and Nan were leaving for safari (Susan that night and Nan the next day).
Sunday- Steve was heading out early to help children on the coast and Brooke
had a flight back to the USA in early afternoon. Sunday morning Jessalyn,
Carla, Jerry, and I along with the whole Kenyan team would be headed out to
Mama Fatuma Orphanage on Sunday AM to wrap up the data collection (except Jamo-
who would be getting ready for his art show). Still, Saturday night was
our official last dinner. We all waited for Jerry to secure and Jembe deal (a
wood and animal skin drum) and then our drivers took us back to Gracia Gardens
to shower and pack.
Fish in the sea
You know how I feel
River running free
You know how I feel
Blossom on a tree
You know how I feel
It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life
For me
And I’m feeling good
Zack and James our drivers/security for the week,
picked us up at Gracia and took us to an Ethiopian restaurant. Angie led the
evening. When we arrived, there were assigned seats for the whole team- Kenyan
and US. There were bags made by Benta (check our her stuff at the AYP store
online- super cute). In each bag was a SHINE research team t-shirt. At each
place setting, there was a set of cards and things to do. I don’t want to say
too much because if you decided to do a seva safari (which you should
absolutely do) I don’t want to spoil anything. I will just let you know that
there was fire and happy hearts involved. We ate from big platters of sour
dough bread, beans, hummus, and other amazing vegetarian tastes. Jessalyn and
Musa were officially the first to eat their WHOLE platter and it is the first
time I saw any competitiveness manifest from this young yogi’s eyes. I will
post the photo on Facebook- Musa with a smile and Jessalyn with an intense,
victorious glare : ).
We had a great time and said good-bye to Susan as she
left on safari. A group of us went to the Italian place for dessert, some went
to bed, and Steve and Brooke headed to the Moroccan Bar for an evening of
cultural education (which I still want to hear more about- Brooke)! My heart
was wide-open, thankful, loving, and feeling like family after a big Sunday
dinner. Earlier that night as we were eating, I looked around the table
thinking that just over a week before I was just meeting some of our team
members. Other members I knew from the yoga studio, some were my friends, close
friends. But after this collective effort, I was looking at my family.
Dragonfly out in the sun you know
what I mean, don’t you know
Butterflies all havin’ fun you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when day is done
That’s what I mean
And this old world is a new world
And a bold world
For me, For me
Sunday, those of us who were left felt like people
must feel when their kids go to college. Jessalyn, Carla, Jerry, and I were
there and things felt small. We were thrilled to see Nan and her friend who was
joining her for safari and then some of the Kenyan research team members. Ahhh-
things were feeling right as the numbers grew. We hugged Nan goodbye and got
into the van for Mama Fatuma Orphanage. The kids were as beautiful and hard
working as the last time we visited. They completed Phase II and I think it was
harder to leave this time than the last. It was then that it hit me, “We are
done. We have collected all the data.” I looked at the team members and I drew
my scarf to my mouth over my eyes and said, “I think I am going to cry. Wait, I
am crying.” I cried tears of utter relief. We had 118 phase II packets of child
students, 87 packers for adult students, and 40 teacher packets. We more than
surpassed the numbers we needed for validity and more than exceeded our
hopes. Yes, I cried.
It was now official. There were no more questions
about the possibility of pulling this off. I promise you that less than a year
ago when I approached Paige at Art of Assisting in Cleveland, Ohio, I scared
myself with the idea of completing a study, on yoga, in another country. I
stood on my own two feet and said, “Hi Paige, I have an idea.” Well, from that
point on this was about manifesting something that has never been done before,
anywhere else, in any form. An BY GOD- WE DID IT- me, Jessalyn, Carla, Nan,
Susan, Jerry, Brooke, Steve, Irene, Jamo, Musa, Wanji, Joyce, Louis, and Angie.
WE, our research family, did it. Each person on the team did at least one thing
that saved the day. Without any one member, —- ahhh- I can’t even imagine. I
was feeling good.
Stars when you shine
You know how I feel
Scent of the pine
You know how I feel
Oh freedom is mine
And I know how I feel
It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life
The beauty of the day began. We arrived at the
contemporary art space next to what I am pretty sure was a mansion outside of
the city of Nairobi. Jamo was showing his amazing photographs– a series on
Kibera. The images were themed on the home as a shrine and illustrated the
beauty and care that can take place on the inside of a home even in the most
challenging of circumstances. It was a breathtaking exhibit. There were authors
and dancers and musicians along with a gorgeous spread of food and drinks. We
spent the whole afternoon bathed in beauty stimulating every sense- eyes, ears,
and heart. We then headed to the national park for a Debe Debe- a drum circle
with Irene, Louis, Wanji, and Musa. We played drums in the park, in the
sunlight, and open air. Jerry was in absolute heaven.
It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life
It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life
It’s a new life
For me
It was time to go. We hade to finish packing and
leave for the airport. Before I close, I want to tell you about the data. We
had taken to calling the bundles of completed, Phase II data packets “babies.”
Each data collection trip, we put members of the research team in charge of the
babies (data packets). This was done in fun and jest and in all seriousness.
Our family, our jamii, had been quite productive and had “birthed” several big
babies. We took the care and feeding of our babies extremely seriously. Once a
team member was charged with the care of one of the babies, it was his or hers
until it was placed in the large “play-pen” or suitcase in me and Jerry’s room.
In fact, on the flight home all of the data went with us on the plane-
carry-on- NO checking of the babies- these beautiful bundles of joy when with
us on the plane!
We got back to the USA later yesterday- data in
hand. We had a little bit of a dramatic flying story- ask Jessalyn, Jerry or I
in person- ugh. Still, we landed safely and soundly with the babies. I went to
bed early and woke up in what would be late morning Nairobi time- so I felt
awesome. I taught my 6 AM yoga class at Power Yoga Buffalo, loving very minute
of it.
I got home and threw on my running shoes and
headed out the door with my music in hand. About a mile up the road, toward the
falls, it came on, “birds fling high, you know how I feel…” I put the song on
repeat and ran as fast as I could. I felt as if I had wings on my feet. If you
ever wondered if it is possible to run, cry, and laugh at the same time—the
answer is – yes, yes you can.
And I’m feeling good
I’m feeling good
I feel so good
I feel so good
Namaste! (and Kenyan Team- I miss
you already)
Catherine Cook-Cottone
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