August -September 2023 Greetings, Fostering Meditation Subscribers: Welcome to August and September's Newsletter recap! These past two months where I traveled through India studying meditation and yoga were truly revolutionary and to be honest, deeply challenging and at other times, just terrifying (more on this part later). However, I made it through all that I faced and am now back in NYC gearing up to continue my duty to spread meditation and yoga to our most vulnerable. Please read along to hear about my journey through India and to find out about a big announcement at the end! In Service, Demetrius T. Napolitano CEO / FOUNDER |
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I would be filled with remorse if I didn't start this blog post with the deepest thank you to everyone who supported my travels back to India. I would not have been able to sustain myself there had I not received an outpouring of support from my countless supporters. I was initially reluctant to create another GoFund Me because I had just created one a few months prior for meditation pillows, but I am so thankful to know my supporters are in my corner and ready to help when needed. So, from the bottom of my heart -- thank you! I pray God pours back into your cup as you have done for me, and please know your investment in me will serve my hundreds of children and students. |
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I started my two-month sabbatical completing 300 hours of intense yoga, where we practiced from 6:30 am until 6:30 pm. I ventured back to my same teacher, Azad, who taught me the practice four years ago when I first ventured to India given he lives and breathes the discipline rather than it only being his job. During the course, I was able to deepen my understanding of yoga as a means to transcend oneself through the vigorous process of purification using asanas or yoga poses. As someone who grew up as an orphan, my body was never respected but rather violated several times, so yoga has been a space where I have learned and am continuing to learn, to appreciate, respect, and honor my temple. During the course, I caught dengue fever and was on bed rest for nearly a week. Even then, I learned how to honor the needs of my body by resting, mindfully eating less, and being compassionate towards myself. After a month of practice, where I applied my mind, body, breath, and spirit, I completed my 300-hour course with my best smile! I'm planning to return to India in two years to complete my final 500 hours of practice and continue on my journey of becoming Harlem's best Yogi <3 |
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After my yoga retreat, I ventured into the foot of the Himalayan Mountains, at an altitude of 10,000 feet for my 10-day silent meditation retreat. I had completed my first 10-day course back in 2020 but this one was different given the altitude and the dryness of air so it made the journey that much more difficult. Every morning I woke up at 4 am and meditated in solitude until 9 pm, sitting in the lotus pose for over 10 hours each day being present with my pain, thoughts, sensations, emotions, mind, and breath. Besides the discomfort of sitting for such long periods and the fact of not having any writing, books, technology, or anyone to vent to, what made the meditation retreat challenging was how the memories of the past surfaced, as I'm already facing the excruciating agony of maintaining an erect spine, and I had to just be present with such memories, traumas, and fears. The entire premise of Vipassana is to remain aware and equanimous, or to keep one's calmness of mind knowing all will change so there's no need to react with craving or aversion, or else we risk being further held in bondage. The first three days for 10+ hours, all we did was focus on the sensation of the incoming and outgoing breath. The aim being to sharpen our ability to focus and to connect with the most subtle sensations while being present with the gross ones, such as back pain, knee discomfort, and distracting thoughts, but not reacting but keeping our equanimity and awareness. The following seven days we began the actual Vipassana technique which is basically a deep body scan from head to toe and then back from toe to head, scanning each part of the body and all its various sensations but endeavoring to remain aware and equanimous. This process, the Buddha experienced, was the way to liberation from our afflictions and sufferings by watching the changing nature of our sensations, irregardless of their pleasantness or unpleasantness, and staying present and calm knowing all that has arisen will pass away. Easier said than done, trust me, but the practice has helped me and is continuing to help me break free from detrimental habits I cultivated through my cravings and aversions. Below is part one of my Vipassana experience. Please feel free to watch it and then part two (also already on Youtube), where I explain in greater detail my experience before leading the practice of Vipassana for the last 20 minutes. I'm very transparent with my struggles so thank you for listening with an open and loving ear <3 |
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After I finished my Vipassana retreat, I went back to the yoga school to see two good friends I had met there before I decided to head towards southern India for the last few days of my trip. One afternoon we decided to hang out by Mamma Ganga. If you know anything about this massive river that cuts through India, it is revered as a spiritual river that is extremely strong --especially during monsoon season. During my Vipassana retreat, I had started walking barefoot because my gladiator sandals had ripped and I didn't feel like putting on my sneakers every day, alongside the fact walking barefoot made me more present, so I just continued walking barefoot through India. So, as we're sitting on the ledge in the picture above with our feet towards the river, I had the bright idea to walk down the small but steep slope to wash my feet in the water. Mind you, it had just rained given it's monsoon season, so before I knew it, I had slipped into the river and within 5 seconds, I was approximately pulled about 15 feet away by the currents. As you can see in the picture, this part of the river is only a canal so the force of the current was stronger given its narrow nature, alongside the fact it's monsoon season so its currents were even stronger. Initially, my two friends, Gaurav and Mukun, started laughing because of my slip but once they saw the fear in my eyes, Gaurav, without hesitation, jumped into the river and quickly swam to the other side of me to try to slow my body down from the currents. I didn't panic when I first slipped, which I was so proud of, but within a few seconds after realizing not only was my feet not touching anything but I couldn't pull myself out of the river because the slope was too slimy for me to grab on anything and the currents were too strong for me to gather myself. It was then the thought "This is it, Demetrius" crossed my mind and my heart began to panic. Mukun screamed out "Stay calm, Demi!" as Gaurav was near me trying to help me grab unto something out before he realized that the current was too strong for the both of us. It was then that God intervened as there was a plant growing out of the river, that was also attached to the slope, and we were then able to hold on to its branches, as the mighty river continued trying to consume us. Patiently holding on, we we were then able to slowly pull ourselves out and unto dry ground. After profusely thanking them both, especially Gaurav, with tears in my eyes, I realized the power of Vipassana and the process I am learning to remain aware and equanimous. Had I panicked when I initially slipped, I may have not been quick enough on my feet (or in this case, within the river), to know the first thing I needed to do was stay as close to the slope as possible or else the currents would have pulled me to its middle and I may not be here to tell you the story today. Secondly, when you stay calm to the best of your ability, you can quickly think of solutions rather than be consumed by your fears and therefore succumb to their hold on you. I honestly feel that I've been given yet another chance at life that I do not take for granted but instead am endeavoring to live each day in continued gratitude and in my duty to service for it is evident God has me here for a purpose bigger than myself! |
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Yesterday was my first day back at my former elementary school, P.S. 108 School of Authors. I knew my kids and students missed me but I couldn't have imagined to what extent. When they saw me, from 1st to 8th graders, they ran up to me and hugged me with the most heart-filled love I have ever received. Even my fellow teachers opened their arms and showed me how much they missed my presence at our school. All of my kids, especially the younger ones, looked up at me with their puppy eyes and asked with joy: "when are we going to meditate with you" to which I responded I'm talking to all the teachers today about scheduling our classes, and they then looked at me with they eyes focused and exclaimed: "don't you forget!" What made these moments so special was the fact I was a student at 108 who had so much anger that I would explode and punch the windows, bang my head against the wall to self-sabotage, and fight anyone who dared to address me. Now, a decade-plus later, I am the man who returned and is teaching nearly 400 students, plus teachers and parents, how to nurture their wellness through yoga and meditation inside our peaceful wellness room! I'm super excited to begin teaching my newly founded knowledge to my 108 community, and I know they stand, yet again, ready to receive my teachings with open and loving arms <3 |
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As I was receiving all the love from my 108 community, I got an email from a grantor called World Connect stating that Fostering Meditation has received a $25,000 grant to design our second wellness room on the other side of P.S. 108, which will serve the small special needs school, P.S 138. I mentioned in a previous blogpost that I was convicted I would create a room for these neurological different children when one morning I saw a child having a crisis moment inside of the building and I watched as the teachers, who serve that school, struggled to help the child cope. It was at that moment God gave me the vision of creating a relaxation room for moments such as this where that young person would be able to go into their wellness space to re-center their spirit. I'm super excited to begin constructing FM's second wellness room this month for such a vulnerable population, as I then venture back and forth to my side of the school and continue to teach my students inside our wellness room. Stay tuned for updates on the construction of our next project, and if want to roll up your sleeves and help please reach out or please consider donating as every dollar will help make this next project the magical, space-themed room for our special needs children within P.S. 138 <3 |
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Supporting Fostering Meditation |
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FM is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, our EIN number is 13-2612524 Checks can be made payable to FM's fiscal sponsor: The Fund for the City of NY Attn: Dina Runcie, Fostering Meditation 121 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10013-1590 Thank you, in advance, for your support of our Revolutionary work! In Service, Demetrius T. Napolitano Fostering Meditation, Founder/CEO |
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"It is easier to build strong children, than repair broken men." -Frederick Douglass |
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