{"id":6546,"date":"2010-05-05T15:49:00","date_gmt":"2010-05-05T15:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ynottony.com\/ynot\/james-howell-studio\/"},"modified":"2015-03-21T03:32:33","modified_gmt":"2015-03-21T03:32:33","slug":"james-howell-studio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ynottony.com\/ynot\/james-howell-studio\/","title":{"rendered":"James Howell Studio"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"iyengar<\/a><\/p>\n

Traditionally, At the beginning of each yoga class, I tell a little story to the students. And each story is based on my personal experiences & possesses a moral<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Well on Tuesday night, as the class poured into James Howell Yoga Studio<\/a>, I sat in Siddhasana<\/a> and pondered over:<\/p>\n

Question: <\/span>” From my personal experiences, what could I take from them and share with my students?<\/span> <\/span>And, how could all of us learn something from \/ grow from that shared experience?”<\/span><\/p>\n

And as the students rolled out their yoga mats and patiently awaited the story, tears began to fall from my face. Then, I began a story which was like none other – not the usual “FUNNY” – not the famous “Disney” – but “KALI<\/a>.”<\/p>\n


<\/a>
You see …<\/p>\n

Each Christmas, as part of my community service, I visit San Francisco General Hospital’s Ward 5A<\/a> and deliver gift bags for all the AIDS patients experiencing Xmas in the confinements of the hospital ward. And each year, I come home with a ‘GREAT FEELING.”<\/p>\n

Yet 7 months before Xmas, 6 times (within a 1 week period), I have visited San Francisco General Hosptial’s Ward 5A. And with each of those visits, I developed a deeper understanding of not only the meaning of DEATH but also, the meaning of LIFE.<\/p>\n

And as I witnessed my friend’s physical, mental, and emotional pain, I felt pain.
And as I wondered, “how did he get into this situation?” – I refocused on my intentions of assisting in improving his health.
And as I pondered over , “where’s the hell is his family?” – I realized, “that would be ME.”<\/p>\n

So, I delivered the “raw juice<\/a>“.
So, I delivered a mission district burrito.
So, I sat with him (in the General Hospital 2nd Floor Park) and watched a Samoan Family’s Bingo Tournament.
So, I occasionally rubbed his feet.
And when he was released from the hospital, I was there to bring him home.<\/p>\n

With each breath of life, we have the opportunity to become involved in the political process; we have the opportunity to eat, sleep, walk, laugh, bike and run as we please; we have the opportunity to enjoy fine elixirs; we have the opportunity to buy extravagant cars & houses; we have the opportunity to live vicariously through television, magazines & video games; and we also have the opportunity to serve not only our immediate family, but our friends, and our community.<\/p>\n

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