Today in class: from rowdy to dhyana

This morning's class was raucous. We laughed a lot, and at each other and oneself. And from start to finish it was very rowdy. But that is a beginner's class and is allowed this madness and fun:)

Today's evening class was deeply and intensely meditative.  Petros, a doctor by profession,  is leaving India shortly (to return by summer he assures), so he requested a meditative class. We did the 12 Sivananda poses. Held the poses long. We rested for long between poses in the shavasana.  I marked the entry and exit into the poses with an Om. It was, for me, very lovely. A meditative class is deeply challenging, and intensely satisfying. For me, it is the ultimate to be allowed to do that as an instructor:)

 For me, however, both types of classes are equal, and to be able to either is the thing. Rowdy or meditative. I myself prefer a meditative class. Though I keep poking fun at my Mon-Wed-Fri class as a `grim' and `serious' class I also try not to mix up groups of different temperaments...  So, if one day I am doing a serious class, the next day I am called upon to do a `rowdy' one.


 The real challenge, however, for me, has been to take rowdiness to a meditative class or seriousness to a rowdy one.  That...