Today, long-time Guiding Light supporter, Julie Lovell came into Guiding Light to teach her yoga class. Julie has been working with men in the Recovery program for years and, until recently, would stop by every other week to instruct the men in a recovery-centered yoga session.
It has been nearly a year since she was last in the building. This is the first time, for many of the men staying here, that they have ever met Julie or tried an exercise like this. Practicing yoga is particularly helpful when recovering from the spiritual, mental, and physical damages caused by years of living in active addiction. Being addicted to drugs and alcohol over a prolonged period of time can cause severe imbalances in one’s brain chemistry and neural circuitry, making it difficult to control impulses and regulate emotions.
Studies have shown that forms of meditation and breathing exercises such as those introduced to the men today by Julie are beneficial in healing the mind, body, and spirit in early recovery. Men come through our doors struggling with the existential troubles of not only addiction and homelessness, but a distinct sense of hopelessness as well. Here, we are able to provide men with a powerful sense of transformation, a new design for living, and hope for a better future.
Men and women who donate time out of their lives to give back to our community at Guiding Light are a big reason for our success. Without donors and volunteers like Julie we would not be able to facilitate the profound spiritual transformation that occurs in men’s lives here every day, and for that we thank you.
