Front row!

April 17th, 2012 by Jan

I love my work at the O, and I love it even more when I get to see a light go on inside someone.

The qigong class is mandatory for the clients at the O, so that means the room can be crowded. Still, there is always enough space for everyone to spread their arms out and stretch, especially in the front.

A lot of the new folks tend to stand in the back. They are willing to bump into chairs or cram themselves against the wall, taking up as little space as possible. The area right by the door is the most popular, making it easy for a quick get away when class is over.

I ask people to spread out, but the courage required to take up personal space is both over-blown or undiscovered by people in early recovery. Boundaries are illusive and taking up space in a room can be just as weird as standing inside themselves.

My heart soared today when a shy young woman moved up to the front row. Over the last few days, she has been crowded against the back wall. She is also one of the first to leave the moment we are done.

Today though, she lingered, and as the room cleared, she told me she liked being in the front row; she could see better and was able to enjoy the practice more.

Then with courage and awareness of her centre, she said, “See you tomorrow! I’ve become a front row girl.”

I don’t think it gets any better than that!

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