YOGABEATS CONFLICT IN THE COMMUNITY
DAVID SYE, YOGA ELDER, LENDS SUPPORT TO REGENERATION IN EASTERHOUSE, GLASGOW
Not content with teaching his Yogabeats classes all over the world and training up the next generation of instructors, Yoga Elder David Sye is on a mission to have Yoga recognised – and used – as a tool for social change.
Sye, one of the UK’s most esteemed teachers, has successfully piloted Yogabeats programmes aimed at resolving conflict within communities ranging from Easterhouse to the middle East. This not-for-profit work is supported by his holiness the Dhalai Lama.
Sye explains: ‘Yoga comes from the sanskrit language, meaning to join or unite. Today Yoga is often, mistakenly, perceived as a celebrity fad or a chic workout for the white middle classes. For over 5,000 years Yoga has been a means to achieve ‘self realisation’ and the only difference today is the form and multitude of barriers [to achieving true happiness] that our society faces.
‘Whether this means drugs, crime or war, Yoga is 100% effective in empowering and transforming life’s and circumstances into joy and happiness. Collectively this is the only way that we can achieve change that lasts within our communities.’
Easterhouse, Glasgow the story so far…
Sye’s father, the legendary performer Frankie Vaughn, undertook a mission to tackle street crime issues over 40 years ago; building a community centre in Easterhouse [which he single handedly financed through his music concerts in Glasgow] so that the youth of that time could live to realise their full potentiality.
Now Yogabeats is supporting local charity Phoenix Development Ltd’s appeal for funding [£2 million] to recreate a community hub for an estate which is often held up as an example of broken urban society.
A temporary base is being created at the Shandwick library until a purpose built facility – The Phoenix Community & Opportunity Centre – can be afforded on Vaughn’s original site [the local government and council have not committed any spending to date].
1,500 local kids and their families will be able to hang out, take part in clubs, classes and workshops (football, art, music & dance as well as Yoga) and receive advice. The centre will be at the heart of the effort to regenerate a community through re-connecting its people – the power and importance of which is often ignored by modern planning.
Changing perceptions through Yoga
And this is where Yogabeats comes in….Sye has already been bringing youths from rival gangs together through a shared passion for – perhaps surprisingly – Yoga. That’s not to say classes are only for the young and fit. With the establishment of the new centre Yogabeats will be open to the entire community.
His workshops which consist of breathing, meditation, dynamic ‘asana’ postures and tons of hilarity (a hall-mark of all Yogabeats classes) incorporate modern music like hip hop and dance beats to loosen inhibitions and focus the practioners’ minds on the joy that arises in the class, rather than niggling thoughts and feelings.
David makes Yoga relevant in order to pass on its deeper message and many benefits. He has inspired these young people to stay away from trouble. Without a community centre and the attached activities like Yogabeats, they have nowhere to go and no sense of purpose – and of course this impacts on their families, friends, neighbours.’
Pheonix Development Ltd’s work is backed by local and international artists such as David Mackie and Karen Whitener. If successful, Sye and McShane believe Easterhouse can be used as a blueprint for other disadvantaged communities in the UK and beyond.
Other Yogabeats community initiatives
Bosnia – working with British troops in 1994 Sye found that music could be used to focus the soldiers minds on the session and block out the incessant background noise of war enabling them to feels the benefit of Yoga in alleviating the symptoms of stress.
Israel – since 2004 Sye has been working with women’s and youth groups using Yogabeats as a means to break down barriers and change perceptions regarding the Palestinian conflict.
Southend-on-sea – David has been involved with Youth at Risk for over 2 years, using Yogabeats to re-engage youngsters in education and combat severe behavioural problems. ‘Many who struggle to engage in activity for more than a few minutes spent a significant amount of time completely absorbed in the session…this can lead to quite radical changes in behaviour.’ says Youth at Risk of the project.
Brixton, London – In 2004 Yogabeats supported the 409 Project, fighting knife crime on the streets of South London.
Teacher training – All students taking the Yogabeats Post Grad certificate must initiate and run a grass roots project tackling a specific issue or conflict in their local area to receive accreditation.
"The Yoga Beats Conflict Project is dedicated to my master teacher the late Clara Buck" - David Sye
