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Niroga Newsletter - December 2011In a Student's Own WordsIn September 2011, Berkeley's first-ever charter school, the REALM Charter School, opened. This school integrates technology, design thinking and Transformative Life Skills (TLS) into its curriculum, making TLS an integral part of education for every student. Over half of the students come to REALM after difficulties at other schools, whether because of behavioral or academic problems or bullying at their previous placement.  Many students resisted the idea of having yoga as a required course. But after discussing and then experiencing the practice themselves, attitudes are shifting. Sometimes, as part of the class, the students write in their journal. Here is one journal entry shared by a 9th grade student, who was very resistant to doing yoga up until that very day, which was already a few weeks into the school year: "I think yoga is made to ease people's minds. Take away the stress, pain, and hurt and bad mood. I like yoga now it eases my pain. It takes the pain away and the stress away. I'm happy they made me do it. I also think yoga helps your body. Take away the energy that's inside your body. And the negative away from your body." I'm blessed to introduce this student and the others to the peaceful safe-haven inside of themselves. – Danielle Ancin, Niroga Teacher and Program Manager Trauma and TLS: Transforming Professional PracticeOne in four people in the US experiences trauma. Secondary or vicarious trauma affects those who help the victims, just as surely as second-hand smoke affects those around a smoker. In November 2011 at the first National Conference on Vicarious Trauma organized by the Children's Institute in Los Angeles, more than four hundred professionals from health care and other fields gathered to discuss the latest research on traumatic stress, as well as best practices for dealing with it. Niroga Institute participated in an expert panel and led Transformative Life Skills (TLS) workshops for people who work with trauma victims and are at risk for experiencing secondary trauma. Our presentations received an overwhelmingly positive response. One participant excitedly said, "Your workshop was wonderful! During the break, I took a photo of the 15-minute TLS protocol you presented, and sent it in a text message to my daughter who is also a mental health professional. I told her that she had to try it! This is powerful—all of us should be doing it!" Contemplative Practices Transforming Education Brain-Behavior-Environment diagram
  Experts in the fields of neuroscience, cognitive science, social science, prevention research, education and psychology came together at the Garrison Institute in New York this November for the International Conference on Contemplative Practices in Education. There was widespread excitement about the need to bring mindfulness practices such as yoga and meditation into the front lines of education and as mental training to prepare our children for the 21st century. Neuroscience has shown that our environment affects our brains, which in turn affects and predicts our behavior, or our actions, words and thoughts—and our behavior, in turn, shapes our environment. But, as shown in the diagram at right, there is a powerful positive feedback loop. Just as our brains determine our behaviors, practices such as TLS change the brain, literally reshaping it due to the capacity of the brain to rewire itself (neuroplasticity) and generate new connections (neurogenesis). With repeated practice, neurons (brain cells) that fire together, quite literally wire together, spiraling towards self-mastery. Yoga and meditation have long been known as catalysts for changing our internal environments, and now they are emerging as a powerful force enabling academic achievement and social and emotional learning, impacting our external environments in profound ways [see Figure]. To further studies in this area, Niroga is conducting two small randomized control trials, in collaboration with the renowned Prevention Research Center at Penn State, investigating the effects of TLS on high-risk adolescents and its impact on alternative education. TLS Continuity of Care ModelFrom Incarceration to ReentryNiroga has been providing classes for youth in Alameda County's juvenile detention facilities since 2006. While incarcerated, youth are learning the transformative practices of yoga and meditation on a daily basis. They are learning that these practices help them with stress and anxiety, anger and impulsive behavior, self-discipline, focus and attention. Recognizing the value, these teens are asking for access to Niroga classes outside of juvenile hall.  At the same time, county agencies are preparing to provide continuity of care for the youth as they transition back into their communities. As part of this new agenda, the county is starting two new schools in which the youth exiting juvenile hall will be placed. We are pleased to report that these Bridge schools will incorporate Niroga's classes into their weekly structure, providing continuation of the practice that had been valued in juvenile hall. We are also pleased to report that, as these youth age out of the juvenile justice system and end up at the county's Santa Rita Jail, they will be able to participate in a pilot program, which includes Niroga's yoga and meditation classes. Additionally, in a continuity of care model, these older Transition Age Youth (TAY), ages 18–24, will be asked to participate in Niroga's classes after leaving jail and reentry into their communities. Now for the first time, Niroga will become an integral part of the lives of the youth, both on the inside and outside of the hall and jail. Director's CornerBalancing Internal and External Environments
Figure 1: Effects of Transformative Life Skills
 Every year, a million youth drop out of high school; every year, we warehouse a million youth in Juvenile Halls. Given these close numbers, you wonder if there is a connection, and indeed there is. When a youth drops out of school, there is very high probability that this youth will be involved in juvenile crime and delinquency, substance abuse and homelessness. There is clearly a connection between education (school failure), violence prevention (juvenile crime) and health care (substance abuse, trauma), and we cannot think of these major domains in isolation. The California Dropout Research Project at UC Santa Barbara hints at this connection when they conclude, "juvenile crime could be reduced by 20% if graduation rates could be increased by 10%." [Rumberger, 2009] How do we raise the graduation rate that hovers around a dismal 50% in our inner cities? How do we get more than one in two vulnerable youth to finish school, help avoid troubled behavior, and build productive lives? Suggested resolutions include greater community involvement, mentoring by caring adults, investments in culturally relevant curricula, better-trained teachers, and so on. But most of these solutions are directed at external environments, so the internal environments of our youth do not receive the same levels of attention. Most of our vulnerable children and youth at highest risk of school failure are coming to school not prepared to learn. They are often dealing with the trauma of abuse and neglect at home, as well as the crime and violence, guns and gangs, drugs and death in their community. Transforming Internal Environments Enhancing Emotional Regulation – Bidyut K. Bose, PhD, Founder and Executive Director Niroga Benefit Focus on Education Benefit for Niroga Institute October 2011 About two hundred people attended our annual benefit event this October, at which Delaine Eastin delivered a passionate and powerful message. The former Superintendent of California Public Instruction has been a pioneer in education reform for decades. She outlined the serious challenges in education today and its impact on our global competitiveness. With more than one in two children destined for school failure and a life of crime and violence across our inner cities, she reminded us that children are optimistic by nature and that we are systematically crushing this optimism, especially in children who are the most vulnerable, by tolerating a system that is essentially broken. She exhorted us to nurture the whole child and to heal children even as we rush to teach them. Providing children with transformative life skills can help overcome the effects of all the stress, trauma and dysfunction in their lives. In addition to the keynote address from Delaine, attendees viewed a new Niroga short film by independent filmmaker Steven Schecter, heard several testimonials from young people in Niroga programs, participated in a TLS practice given by Bidyut K. Bose, listened to a performance by the Oakland Youth Chorus, enjoyed a buffet brunch, shopped for Niroga t-shirts and DVDs, and visited with other inspired attendees. Niroga Center for Well BeingNear downtown Berkeley, Niroga's yoga studio specializes in yoga for wellness and common chronic conditions, as well as for special populations. A range of yoga classes and specialized workshops are available for all ages. Some classes are specifically targeted for seniors, cancer survivors, people with back pain, and anyone looking to relieve stress. The Niroga Center also serves as our Training Center for year-long yoga teacher and yoga therapist certification programs. Need-based scholarships are provided for minority students, who pay forward with community service, as we change the face and the zip code of yoga. We conduct two-day trainings for yoga teachers who serve children and youth. Through day-long TLS and stress management trainings, educators, health care professionals, and violence prevention officials gain tools for self-care and healing from secondary trauma, and acquire skills for application of TLS in their professional practice. Take a class - Feel better - Support Niroga!
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