Today in class

Today in class, we had tiny Jia (Charmi's niece) attending . . She did not not want the mat half folded, to accomodate her, but stretched out full, like she was an adult. She tried to copy all our poses. Unfortunately, because of my knee I could not show her more fun things to do, on the mat, and had to stick to poses the others knew, since I could not demo new ones. U can see how she is copying. With a child, it is amazing, that u don't have to tell her to stand on her toes, or stretch her hands overhead, as u would to an adult. To an adult, esp shy ones, often u have to keep repeating instructions several times ... this is a marvel to me, because it seems something has come between the natural learning process (thru observation and imitation) and becoming adult. It is why teaching adults difficult poses, like the headstand is complicated... some sort of slush seems to float on what is otherwise a wise brain which a child has. I keep telling people yoga, by getting u into difficult poses, tries to reach that wisdom back, that childhood openness to learning back:)
I used to teach a bunch of kids in Kandivli... it is great fun though exhausting to teach children because they cannot hold poses long and need to be taught several things all at once. Also, u need to demo the poses as they do, so they will follow by watching (rather than listening): so a one-hour class could mean 20 poses or more!! But I used to tell them yoga stories, give them little stories on yoga moral (the two ang of yoga, yama and niyama) and the most wonderful thing was they were all so open to the idea of goodness, being moral etc.... It excited them...u could sense that.
Since today's class was lighthearted we dispensed with the nidra but I insisted on the prayer, and as we said Om, the tot sat down very seriously, scrunched her nose with great care, drawing a deep breath before chaniting Om with us. Even as we said the prayer, she kept this little ritual on, so cute and beautiful, and displaying again how children love religous, spiritual rituals:)