Yoga for 12-Step Recovery
Hey Sacred Space Studio friends! I'm Megan, one of the Y12SR leaders here at the studio. Cynthia and I started holding Y12SR meetings here in September and its been really beautiful to experience the growth of a community focused on recovery and healing. I wanted to let you know a little bit more about Y12SR, in hopes of spreading the word to anyone and everyone who may be struggling and who may benefit from this special practice.
What is Y12SR? Y12SR is the Yoga of 12-Step Recovery. It combines the practical tools of the 12-step programs of recovery with the physical and spiritual practices of yoga. Y12SR is an innovative mind-and-body practice that addresses addiction relapse prevention. .
Who is it for? Y12SR is open to anyone and everyone dealing with their own addictive behaviors or the addictive behavior of others. When we think of 12-step recovery programs, AA and Al-anon may come to mind first, but when we take a look at the challenges we face in our fast-paced, stressed-out world, it becomes clear that there are many addictions to add to the mix these days.
Tommy Rosen, in his book “Recovery 2.0” writes: “While you may not be a fall-down drunk, addicted to pain-killers, a gambling addict, a chronic pot smoker, anorexic, or addicted to porn, you likely struggle with addiction in other ways such as workaholism, overeating, shopping beyond your means, or engaging addictively with technology such as video games, texting and Facebook. If you don’t believe you suffer from addiction in an way, chances are you know and care about someone who does.”
How did it come about? Nikki Meyers, the founder of the Y12SR movement, credits 12-step programs for saving her life, but also felt that it was missing a key piece that had helped her so much on her recovery journey. That missing element is where the yoga comes in. Meyers did lot of research on various stress reactions to trauma and how we physically hold tension. Her catch phrase is “the issues live in our tissues”. The practice of yoga, combining breath and movement, can release what’s held in our bodies. She developed Y12SR as an adjunct providing another helpful tool in addressing the physical, mental and spiritual disease of addiction.
What can I expect? The format of our one hour class here at Sacred Space is 30 minutes of a discussion (where we go around and share on a given topic) followed by a 30 minute yoga practice that incorporates some of the themes that were discussed. We are solution-focused when discussing topics, that includes letting things go, developing a meditation practice and rising above challenges.
What does it cost? Y12SR is a donation based class- you pay what you can. Our suggested donation is $10 but you are more important than your money, so even if you can't pay that, we’d love to have you. We look to cover the costs of renting the studio. A portion is also donated to the Magdalen House in Dallas.
Our mission: The goal is to create a community where people feel accepted as they are, where they can find some solution and hope, and where they can learn some positive and effective alternatives for coping with stress.
Y12SR at Sacred Space
Wednesdays 8-9am
Megan Poakeart- 914-522-0761
Cynthia Newton- cynthianewtonyoga@gmail.com
Click here to sign up for a class
