Balasana.
I go there every morning as I crawl onto my yoga mat at 6am.
I invite students to find comfort in balasana at the beginning of class,
often talking about ahimsa as they nestle down to their safe place.
So, last night at the end of beginners yoga, a new student asked me
about childs pose. She told me she couldn't get comfortable in it at all.
Too quickly I responded, I thought so. I told her it seemed from her heart
to her head it was too much. She nodded and said, "yeh."
She told me she felt "claustrophobic, it's all a mental thing."
She tried all the options I gave, but she didn't like it.
She wanted to know what she could do to find it more relaxing.
I told her that I would think about it and in next weeks class we could
try something else, but at least she knows what to work towards.
Sarcastically she said, "claustrophobia" and smiled--but I felt like a
less than adequate teacher at that moment.
And what made it worse (in my eyes) that she talked loudly about it in front of her friend, who was also new, that couldn't get comfortable in balasana either because of foot surgery she had years ago. She didn't talk to me about it in great detail, but when I saw her struggling to get her feet comfy and I quietly approached her, she explained she had scars that still hurt.
So here I had two new yogi's who didn't like to be in a position I've rarely considered
--ever. Blessings to them for bringing this into my mind, but goodness this is
something new.
I will step on my mat, huddle down and consider something other than
childs pose.
Om.
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.
