Tag: namaste

Harmonizing the Om

Leigh, Yoga

I’m just going to go ahead and say it, and then we can dive into why.

I harmonized the “om” tonight in yoga class.

Quite honestly, I’ve considered it many times before. It just feels right to me. A group of people, all saying something together, kinda drawn out like you’re meant to sing it… it seems natural.

Now for those of you who practice yoga for its spiritual enlightenment and for whom the “om” is a vocal manifestation of all that is light and love, let me just say that I’m in no way trying to take that away from you. I’m trying to add to it.

I’ve been practicing yoga for a while now, and it’s becoming a big part of my fitness journey. I love the poses and the breath and it’s been a remarkable calming presence through some really turbulent times. And yet, the word I would use to describe my overall connection to yoga is playful. I like to make up poses. I like to do yoga with my dog, who really enjoys being on the mat and preferably, wherever I’m just about to put my body next. He’s very into the playful part of yoga also, and the part that makes me fall on my head so he can lick my face. I enjoy yoga outside, with the sun on my face, and I love trying arm balances and poses that are beyond my reach, so I can laugh at myself and make up my own modifications. Playful.

So when the end of class comes, and we all sit tall with our eyes closed and reflect on our intentions, I take a moment to reflect, be grateful, be honest with myself and with the reasons I am on this journey. I appreciate my body and my breath and all that it allows me to do.  And when the instructor says we’re going to “om” I take a moment before I come in. I listen to the other voices fill the room, and for most of them to find and match the teacher’s pitch. I let the outliers shift and lock on to the note, and then, when they’re all on “mmmm” – I take the third.

It’s not very loud and it’s not meant to draw attention. It’s just meant to be fun, and an understated note of beauty and appreciation for the moment. Tonight I was the only one, but I have hope for the others with a musical ear. Maybe some time soon one of them will join me with the fifth. And when I bow I will have a special nod just for them. The playfulness in me, recognizes and honors the playfulness in you. Namaste.

 

Snoring Pigeons and Barking Up Dogs

Leigh, Yoga

I taught yoga to a group of kids this weekend, and it was pretty hilarious.  If you have a chance to teach yoga to kids, or at least attend a yoga class taught to kids, I would strongly recommend it.
Here are some things I learned from my students:

Try it.

You should have seen these kids go for whatever pose I said we were going to do next. I had to slow them down because they wanted to jump into it. I’ve never seen such excited yogis. My class intention was to challenge themselves to try new things, since most had never tried yoga before, and they certainly followed that suggestion.

Be creative.

Some of their poses looked nothing like the pose I was demonstrating and describing. Who cares?! You prefer to do chair pose in a low squat? Go for it! Your up dog likes to bark as she shines her chest forward? Why not?!? As long as you’re not causing injury, do you.

Giggle.

I laughed through the entire class. So did they.

It’s okay to get teary.

One little girl of about four came in crying. I asked her what was wrong and she said she “didn’t know how to yoga.” I told her none of us did and we’d learn together.  She got into the first game and got on board.

Stray off course if it feels right.

When we got to pigeon pose, and then sleeping pigeon, some of them started fake snoring. That lead to talking about how we each sleep at night and they all demonstrated their sleeping poses for a minute before we moved on.

At the end of class, they did have a hard time staying still in savasana. I didn’t force it — even adults have a hard time letting everything go and not wiggling. I heard movement to my right and opened my eyes. A cute little yogi was face to face with me. “I lost a tooth,” she told me. “I left it for the tooth fairy and she gave me a receipt.”
Namaste, friends. Namaste.