Karma Kids Yoga is a yoga studio for people of all ages,located on West 23rd street. Karma Kids Yoga offers yoga classes that are not only relaxing but offer the opportunity for people to stay active while having fun. Karma Kids Yoga has a class for children with special needs, which is my group’s social justice topic so we scheduled a fieldwork to go there and participate in a 30 minute yoga class with a boy named Kingston.

Kingston is eight years old and has autism. Autism is a disease that causes a malfunction in the brain’s development and sometimes affects the control a person has over his or her body, verbal communication, and other mental and physical issues. Autism, however, doesn’t affect Kingston’s’ personality.

When we came into the building Kingston greeted us with a warm smile and kept laughing throughout our session. Kingston couldn’t communicate with us verbally, so he mostly pointed when he wanted something or wanted to express something. After working with him for several months, Laura, the teacher of the yoga class, understood when Kingston wanted to play music or do a certain yoga position.

We did certain activities that one may not see in a “typical” yoga class. We did a block challenge where we had to squeeze a block between our legs and try to keep it there without it falling out. For Victor, Alexa and I this was a simple task because our legs could easily squeeze together, however for Kingston keeping the block between his legs was a struggle. His legs kept breaking apart and the block would fall out. I continuously thought how hard it must be to have such little control over one’s body. How frustrating and embarrassing it must be not to be able to keep a piece of cardboard between one’s legs. In spite of this, Kingston didn’t show any irritation or embarrassed emotions, and when he finally got the strength to hold the block between his legs, he started smiling and throwing his hands in the air. Kingston is a warrior.

We learned many different yoga positions from Laura that were demonstrated by Kingston. Some positions for Kingston required more effort than others. For example, we did a downward dog at one point, and he was shaking and trying to keep his stomach in the air. He fought through the challenge and was able to keep his body in a plank position until Laura told us we could drop to the floor again.

During our game of freeze dance, Kingston pointed to the music player to request a song. Laura would name a song she knew Kingston liked and he would nod his head if she said the correct one. His favorites consisted of “Me Too” and “No”, both songs by Megan Trainor. When his song came on he would move his arms back and forth, flailing from side to side with little control over which direction they moved. He smiled so widely that I started smiling too.

He was so content and positive the entire class, that it inspired me to be more happy about life too. Although, he is a young child who cannot  communicate well with friends and has a life that is so different from many people, he still appreciates and lives life with gusto and love.

After the visit, I tried not to feel sorry for him because he doesn’t appear to feel sorry for himself. He is living life with joy and has a foundation of supportive family and people who are there to help him. I couldn’t help but think about what it would like to be in his situation, and how I would react. I don’t think I would be able to do it with as much poise as Kingston shows.

Having had this experience I wonder what it’s like for Kingston’s family to live with a child who does not function like others.Do they wish they had a “healthy” child or do they love Kingston so much that they wouldn’t want anyone else? Is it hard for them? Do they get comments and looks all the time about their son? It would be really interesting to find out what it’s like for families who live with someone who is labled “disabled.”

It was an honor to work with Kingston. Karma Kids Yoga is a special organization that does more than an amazing job.