Swami shows L.A. homies a path to inner peace

As part of his North American tour to spread the practice of meditation and yoga, Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda, better known as Swamiji, stopped by this week at Homeboy Industries, a nonprofit rehabilitation center for former gang members and at-risk youths. "Thank you for blessing us with your presence," said Father Gregory Boyle, the Roman Catholic priest who founded and oversees the center near Los Angeles' Chinatown. "I heard you were going to have a discussion with the homies."

The 63-year-old swami squinted, cocking his head slightly, and asked in English, filtered through his Indian accent: "The homies?"

"The homies are the people who work here," Boyle explained with a light smile.

"Ah, yes," the swami nodded, smiling back.

Swamiji's arrival prompted some double takes as he walked into the center at 3:08 p.m. Thursday, waving to young men and women bustling about in the lobby. It's not every day at Homeboy Industries that a man wanders in draped in flowing orange robes.

Swamiji was ushered quickly into Boyle's glass-door office.

"We are the gang capital of the United States," Boyle said, rattling off a few stats on how many gangs Los Angeles has and how Homeboy works to help young men and women leave the gang life behind.

The swami sat with legs crossed, his robes hiking up to reveal a hint of his brown athletic clogs, listening intently.

A group of homies then escorted the swami upstairs to a small classroom. About 30 homeboys and homegirls walked in.

The meeting, called "A Profound Discussion of Peace and Social Change," focused less on theory and more on practicality; the swami taught exercises on how to bring inner peace to the tumultuous environments many at Homeboy know.

He began by telling the homies, their shaved heads a contrast to his salt-and-pepper long hair and beard, that they were beautiful. He said they had inner talent. And then he asked them to please join in breathing exercises.

"Sit comfortably, close your eyes," the swami said. He then told everyone to pinch the tips of their thumbs and index fingers together, a familiar meditation pose. "Now rest your hands upright on your lap. Now for three times, let's deep inhale and exhale."

A few cellphones went off spouting hip-hop ringtones, and a boy and a girl in the back struggled to mask their giggles. But the swami stayed on task.