Breathe, center, focus… The world inside each of us is just as vast and energetic as the world outside. I had wanted to be like a stalk of water lily, swaying with the waves in the pond and the breeze, while remaining rooted in my surroundings. But, lately, I had been feeling unmoored, swept away by the currents of news of violence and despair all around the world. I was beginning to wonder about my place in the world—about my purpose in the place where I was living.
But when another yoga teacher canceled an event we had planned in Olo, I didn’t want to simply replace the cancelled class with another regular class. A part of me recognized this as an opportunity to try something different, to create something that would involve bringing people together to do something with a strong sense of purpose.
I called Ames and Lily. We met at our favorite hipster café in Imsouane to talk it through. I’ve been teaching donation-based classes almost every month for different causes, but this time the idea was to collaborate with other teachers. We wanted to host a community yoga day to support a local primary school. The school sits on a hill and has only two classrooms, with 27 students aged 6 to 9 years old.
Both Ames and Lily immediately came onboard.
The event was a great success. We raised enough funds to purchase art supplies and food made by local women. The art workshop was led by a talented local artist who also happens to be a longboard legend. Each child received one of his signature stickers as a gift. If you don’t own at least one of his stickers or T-shirts, you probably haven’t been to Imsouane yet.
For some students, this was their very first experience with art. It was so helpful to have Rachid, the teachers, and Elsa there on site. Lily joined in with games and a closing circle—it all felt so natural. I even remembered all the songs Angela taught me back then.
What struck me was how each child chose their subject to draw. If there was a car, it had a single-fin surfboard on top. There were drawings of birds, houses, waves, surfers, longboards, and boys riding them. Some just filled their pages with colors. You could really see how the environment shapes us from such a young age.
Rachid’s laid-back approach and his idea to take the art session outdoors—away from dark, enclosed rooms—brought a sense of freedom. He has this beautiful ability to observe and feel, which must be part of every artist’s toolkit. I was amazed by how engaged the kids were—and even more so when they learned they could keep the materials and take them home.
Later came the group hugs. A few of the girls came up and whispered, “I love you,” which left us shy and speechless—so we just whispered back the love they gave. We were both gifted handmade bracelets, Lily’s name charmingly misspelled, which only made it super cute.
We left feeling stoked and happy, with a promise to do more events like this—where all you need is to show up, share, and bring some of your own silliness.
Thank you to everyone who participated and made it happen! Together, we achieved a day of grace and beauty for the children and for ourselves. This would not have been possible for anyone to achieve on their own. You answered the eternal call to step forward, together, hand-in-hand, to serve a purpose. Together, we set aside our everyday roles to breathe life into a new idea, and found strength in a shared purpose. Thank you!