On May 28, the RYK Community had the privilege of hosting a meditation with lunch at the Shannon West Homeless Youth Center in Downtown Las Vegas. Through Help of Southern Nevada, RYK has been working with the shelter for the last three years.

Each year is a new experience and we intuitively try to plan a class that will both excite the young adults and possibly give them an outlet for the stressors that affect them in their day-to-day lives. Our goal is to be able to show the residents of Shannon West that there is a very easy, natural way to gain focus and perspective – enabling them to live life healthy and happy, regardless of their situation.

Our event this year was exceptional. From the moment our students and teachers arrived, we were getting asked if we were “the yoga people” and requests to not start class without them as they all made their way from their dorm rooms. They greeted us with open arms and made us feel welcome in their space, inviting us in to teach and allowed us to be taught in return.

Sat Amrit Kaur led a wonderful circle, beginning with a few Kundalini warm up movements, breathing exercises, and a meditation. She had the residents and our volunteers in the circle color a picture of what they felt during their experience and allowed them to share. We all listened in awe to some of the profound art and explanations that were presented, then supported one another further as Sat Amrit asked us to also share one thing that we loved about ourselves. We finished class with a drum circle and dancing – allowing us all to let loose a little and enjoy each other’s presence.

Afterwards, the volunteers of RYK Yoga & Meditation served a pot luck lunch to the roughly 25 attendees. We ate everything from pizza and lasagna to quinoa salad – speaking to the residents about their journeys and what led them to the Shannon West Homeless Youth Center. It was a spiritually fulfilling day for us all.

Help of Southern Nevada has just recently finished a brand-new housing facility for the Shannon West Homeless Youth Center. It is a state of the art, beautiful space that will most definitely allow the residents to feel like they have a home during their transitional time. We cannot wait to spend time with them again on a more regular basis.

A huge thank you to all our volunteers that helped the event run smoothly, who donated meals to feed the entire 65 kids in residency at the Center, and who donated their time and energy on the day of the event. Thank you to everyone that brought items for our donation drive prior to our visit. Your donations were able to fill up an entire vehicle and provide comfort and necessities to the young adults that need them. Lastly, thank you to Sat Amrit Kaur for leading the class and holding space for the entire group – making them feel comfortable enough to share a little of themselves and have an open mind for the teachings.

We are always looking to plan Seva events for the studio, allowing us and our students give back to the Las Vegas Community. If you have a favorite charity or know of an organization that could use our services, please reach out to marketing@rykyoga.com . Look out for announcements of upcoming volunteer events in the coming months and join us!