That shift in consciousness followed me to the courtroom. I see that people often need the same thing that I need on the mat: no punishment, but space. Defendants need space to be heard and room not to be seen as a problem, but as a person. Restoring rights are nowadays a popular term, but for me as a judge Restorative Living came first. This is not another legal philosophy; It is a practice of presence. I brought myself a herkalibration and then to my role as a right in my courtroom.
In one case in my courtroom, a young man with several quotes for possession of drug parafenalia came for me. In the past I might have spoken quickly, imposed a fine and went on. But that day I delayed. I listened. I asked him what was going on. We spoke about his mother’s disease, his fallen university plans and his fear. I referred him to a distraction program, but more than that, I offered him dignity. I cannot say that recovering yoga gave me a legal answer; However, it gave me the opportunity to hold space and respond from a deeper place. I felt more grounded while I listened to the young man.
Judging is not just about applying the law. It is concerned with discernment. A judge must know the difference between check and care. My goal as a judge is to ensure that the defendants do not return to my court or another court. How I achieve this can often arise in the silence of the present moment with listening to me. The ability to see how ensure that the “success” of criminal law can achieve versus controlling punishment does not come from books. It comes from practice and space. I have to sit in silence every day and create wisdom, as it does in the long silence of a supported recovering yoga -pose.
Restorative yoga is about supporting the nervous system. It offers us what we need to reset and return to balance. Our legal system could use more of that. We could do that too.
Sometimes the most difficult pose is silence. Silence often teaches us how we can really understand others. For me, silence enables me to ensure that the defendants will stay out of the criminal justice system in the future.
I still believe in justice, but now I know it starts with recovery: not only from others, but also from ourselves. When I am back on the mat, eyes closed, I will not escape the world. I am preparing to return to it: more stable and more complete for the people who appear before me.
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