You Can't Take the Ganesha Out...

A little over a year ago I began teaching yoga at a local studio that offers varying
healthy options to living: massage therapy, bellydance, reiki, life coaching, etc...all the
yummy stuff.  But coming into this space, I quickly realised I wasn't going to start class with a lot Sanskrit chanting or delve into the spiritual side immediately.  Part of this has been personal, selective growth and part of this is learning about the people who come to this studio.  Well--on the other side of immediately--is this year later when I comfortably begin and end with OM and share small stories of the practice.  I understand this to be more about my comfort at this point, not wanting to scare off students, afraid if I delve too deeply they're not going to come back to this space.  Even as I write that, I think it's smartly silly.


This past Thursday, at the end of class, a student came to me and said she had a question.
She continued by asking if I had any good books about Hindu gods or goddesses.  I
told her I didn't, but when I have questions about them, I either go to the library or online.  She then continued to tell me that when she is in savasana she gets images of "elephant people."  

I smiled.


Oh Ganesha.


I asked if she knew about Ganesha.  Had she heard the name?  The story?


No. And No.


I gave the small bits I knew and realised it's ok to share what I know, even if it's not complete.  People have the choice to go further in exploring their minds.  


And then she talked about seeing a "monkey face."


I smiled again.


Oh Hunaman.






She was full of this open space--recalling the past.  We spoke of reincarnation and spirituality.  It was a conversational gift.


That evening in the beginners class I shared the word Sri and the meaning.   This student was/is connected in with this divine sense, yummy sense of her spirituality.  So, even as I try to lightly cover the spiritual side of yoga, there are going to be those it resonates with and those it won't.  I don't need to necessarily water down my words, my stories...they sit where they need to...and Ganesha, removes the obstacles--placing success...where we open ourselves to.