|
|
||||
|
||||
In
the Community |
||||
| David's Blog from Israel and Palestine April /May2008 Sent 5th April - Just finished a full day at Kibbutz Ein Shemar run by Honi Rosen of the Israeli Teachers Association and I am cream crackered. Honi refused to take her percentage instead donating to my work in Palestine. Wow the kindness of people just blows me away. Going to Palestine tomorrow to teach teenagers at the Freedom Theatre in Jenin. Sent 6th April - This amazing message came through on my cell phone when I crossed into Jenin 'Marhaba. Smell the Jasmine and taste the Olives. Jawwal welcomes you to Palestine' Sent 7th April - After my first day and session with the kids here in Jenin there was so much hilarity and laughter. It feels like I have known them all my life - the Yoga session began with the Teachers and the kids and I running in the street as an Israeli Apache helicopter flew overhead (they are the attack artillery)and so we went from fear and aggression of being a missile target into a Yogabeats session and then back to more hilarity, joking and laughter. Life is special and blessed. Sent 7th April - It has been magical in Jenin. I cannot wait to return there in two weeks time. They were all hugging me before I left. I was hitchhiking from the border check point dreaming of a Soya Latte and a guy picks me up. He asked what I do and I said Yoga. He asked my name and when I told him he totally lost it - because his girl friend is my biggest fan. He runs the best Cafe in the local town of Afula - so now I am sitting as his guest drinking a Soya Latte (Wow) and having dinner with Nadav and his girlfriend. His cafe is called Moklot Vanile. God bless them. Sent 11th April - My dear friend and brother who I stay with asked me 'did I not feel any fear going into Jenin from the terrorists?' and I was surprised by my own lack of worry or concern as all I ever receive from there is huge amounts of love and respect - but what I realised that the real terrorist, the absolute horror for me lays in the possibility of losing my own life's direction again - this outstrips every other fear - even death itself has nothing on this one! When I reflect that a great deal of people in the West just allow themselves to become wage slaves and part of a living dead where every day is just another day until the weekend or another holiday looms up on the distant horizon . In my life now there is a deep satisfaction and a smile in my heart because somehow I escaped this mundane hell - and my joy arises out of seeing the kids I teach in Jenin creased up in euphoria grinning hysterically in the Yoga and giving me high 5s after the classes - and being in the place where I have the privilege of making a difference' Sent 13th April - So now I am off to Egypt. I did not realise how tired I was being constantly on the road these last few days but at least I will get seven days in the sunshine giving two classes a day to my students and catch the rays of the sun by the Red Sea. Just about to catch a plane to Eilat then an enchanting soiree (hopefully a brief one) with the drama society at the Israeli/Egyptian border, then a fast cab 2 hours south to Dahab. Shear nail biting realism and theatrical performance beats Coronation Street any day! Sent April 15th - This was sent to David by Sarah today about his work in Palestine. 'Seek the light and keep weaving threads of light between our world and their world with your mission to work on earth with your resources of heaven. You are wonderful friend. Cheering you on!' Sent April 22nd - I am in Jenin again. Was racing through the West Bank by taxi having passed through the border next to Ramala yesterday to get to the Freedom Theatre to give lessons to the staff and street kids. WOW if people could see what I saw it would blow their minds beyond anything on CNN news - amazing scenes and it was so great meeting with my bad boys crew. We have been jumping up and down into handstands to the sounds of 50cent. Very exciting and deeply satisfying taking street fighters into Yogabeats. I send you all a big love! Sent May 1st - Just entered the West Bank through the Kalandia Gate next to the entrance to Ramala - on the last leg of my Palestinian tour. First stop will be Jericho where I have two gigs (if I survive the amount of food Rawan's (Groof) mother usually cooks). And then on to Jenin tomorrow for another three days with my favourite hoodies, the Bad Boys of the Freedom Theatre. Sent May 2nd - Awoke at 4:30 am. The whole of Jericho awoke to the sound of Immams calling their haunting songs to the approaching dawn. Giant stars hung in the blackest sky (this is period of the dark moon - a time for reflection) reminding of the same overt spiritual awareness for life I had witnessed in India - a reminder that every day is sacred and not just another day. I stood and witnessed this devotional panorama with tears in my eyes. Later after breakfasting on Labane (cream cheese), olives, spicy salad, pita and fresh Zattar (Middle Eastern spice) with Rowan's family we hurtled by cab south through the dramatic landscape of the West Bank. Two and half hours later entering the dusty bustling city of Jenin. I hugged so many people as I entered the Freedom Theatre, all the staff and the Bad Boys. I am always overwhelmed with the affection and how much I am missed. Juliano Mer, the Director translated the class that night. the Bad Boys had remembered so much from the earlier classes and I really cranked up the rhythms as the excitement mounted with each sequence - and again led them into the Whirring Dervish dance. Juliano said the energy was electric as everyone spun off the daily stress of life in the Refugee Camp. Again everyone ended up completely relaxed and smiling on their backs. Later Juliano told me that one of the young girls present (she was the one who could not stop spinning while everyone was out on their backs) had survived and witnessed the death of her family and had become totally traumatised - and it had blown his mind to see her like this so free grinning from ear to ear. Sent May 3rd - Had two Yogabeats sessions in Jericho - both with traditionally dressed Palestinian women, their heads wrapped in cloth - neither groups had floor mats, in fact the first group had to remove the curtains from the windows to sit on! Neither groups have ever practiced Yoga - but ended up hysterically laughing as they wiggled on all fours and attempted to move their backs in Rolling Dog pose. When we all performed the Whirling Dervish dance I felt the ancient roots of this transformational Sufi dance - and I saw around me these traditional Muslim women turning faster and faster like black spinning tops screaming their heads off with sheer exhilaration and ending up in Savasana on their back with smiles on their lips . Later that evening Rawan's mother laid on a banquet of the most delicious Palestinian food on the planet - then I knew that. Heaven is right here on Earth Sent May 4th - In Jenin. Didn't sleep last night as shots from Israeli special under cover troops rang out through the long night across Jenin. Morning broke to screams and people running in the streets below our apartment as the Palestinian Authorities rampaged through the population on a 'clean up' operation. As we walked through the streets to the Freedom Theatre, where my first class was due, we passed ominous large groups of heavily armed troops. By the time we reached the theatre the gunfire began again. The class has had to be delayed and even as I write this shots continue - but what I find so inspiring is how everyone here is joking and laughing in the face of all this oppression as if it is nothing - and how they treat me as their own - in me I know everything is good and in 10 minutes we will be cranking and pumping up the rhythms and my crew, the bad boys, in the Yogabeats session. The class kicked off with gun fire, screams and shouting ringing out on the streets outside the Freedom Theatre. Tensions were running high - instinctively I began 'cranking' up the music/beats and the pace of the Yoga - the session just took over - it was like we could still hear the chaos outside but the practice become total and we became completely absorbed in it. Hip Hop rhythms driving the Yogabeats fast flow section while the conflict all the time raged outside on the streets! We ended the session spinning like tops in a wild Whirling Dervish dance throwing any last remnant of fear.... and finally we gathered in a circle in which we blessed and asked for protection for everyone's family caught in the conflict in Jenin, then the whole of the West Bank, and then all the countries East and West of the West Bank - and then the whole of the world. All of this seesion was filmed and will soon appear on You tube Sent May 4th - Sitting here with a big grin in Tel Aviv having completed a film about my work in the refugee camp in Jenin and a Yogabeats second session with the Bad Boys. Had a minor problem earlier on on the Jenin border when they tried to stop us filming - then drove through five further border checkpoints to get back into Israel where I am now chilling - just me and a giant Mocha coffee YEAH! David through the fresh chill I felt the warmth of the sun on my face and I liken this to your spirit and what you are achieving with the students in the Middle East. You are the ray of energy in the mire of lost souls. - Michael Gordon REPORT AND PICTURES OF THE FIRST UNION OF ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN WOMEN IN JERUSALEM This first historic meeting took place on 18th October 2006 with David Sye of Yogabeats™ in a room kindly sponsored and donated by the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem. It was not easy to arrange. Permission had to be obtained by Adva Rada (Israeli)and Rawan Ghroof (Palestinian), from the Israeli Army to get special permits for the women to come out of Palestine and into Israel. At first they were refused. However with help from the Peres Peace Foundation and humanitarian staff at the border crossing they were finally given permission. The joy on the faces of both sides was very special to see. The energy was amazing. These were the women who had taken part in the firt class in Jericho last May. Everyone was smiling and chatting away together. David took them through a wonderful meditation with this unique community - proving the possibilities for humanity beyond politics. That Yoga can create this amazed David and how God can use any situation. He felt very blessed. In the near future, with God's help, the first ever Yoga class will take place involving these two groups. Weakness from fasting during Ramadan prevented it from taking place this time. So watch this space........
REPORT ON OUR VISIT TO JERICHO, MAY 2006 "War is not the opposite of peace - it is the absence of peace" - David Sye I was honoured by my friends and Shelley Hermon organising the very first Yogabeats™ class to a select group of traditional Palestinian women in Jericho. I must admit to having been somewhat nervous in giving the class as I wasn't sure how the women would take to some of the unorthodox, spontaneous action that is so much a part of Yogabeats.
I have never been in such a surreal situation in my life. But the women were wonderful and would not let me go after the class. They wanted to purchase the Egyptian music and Rawan, who was in charge of the whole event, took us and our dear friend Suliman (who is a leading figure in the organisation Combatants for Peace) to her home for food and refreshments. Needless to say we will making Jericho a regular event on our Yogabeats™ schedule as it gave such relief and joy in a political situation which is creating tremendous tension and anger.
I would like to pay tribute to these wonderful ladies, whose only previous knowledge of Yoga was of a picture of a person from India sitting cross legged, and who bravely attended and showed such a sense of adventure in something so new to them. They have touched and changed my life with their grace, generosity and unbounded human spirit. A Haiku Poem (Written on the road from Bethlehem to Ramallah)
Across the hot stoney ground David Sye This letter is produced exactly as we received it - It is broken English but we felt it should be printed exactly as it was sent "i
would like to thank you by all the participants name, and really it
was exciting and we where all interested, becouse you make it so.
i dont know a lot about youga, even one of the girls told me ( i thought
we will set on the floor and make our back straight , and put our hands
on our nees, and thats it for may be an hour, becouse this is all we
know about youga , but with you it was 100% defferent. |
The
group with David, Adva and Rawan in the warm Israeli
sunshine outside the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem.
Israeli
and Palestinian - Muslim (Rawan) and Jew (Efrat) - side by side
in meditation. 
So
the class began slowly with Egyptian music that I had bought with me
from Dahab filtering over the grassy lawn and children running in and
out of the women. As the pace of the increased I realised that the women
were laughing and giggling and finally howling with laughter as they
rolled backwards with their legs up in the air, whilst at the same time
the Imam at the Jericho Mosque was calling the faithful to prayer! 
As
I said at the Israeli Teachers Association this year Yoga has a sociological
duty and I believe must play a part in the solution of the Middle East
crisis, otherwise it is part of the problem and can no longer just remain
a middle class form of recreation. Yoga is the experience of peace and
it takes peace away from ideas thoughts and politics which are all conceptual
and transforms into being experiential. So students comprehend peace
experientially and innately and this has much deeper consequences than
mere political votes.