Shoulder Stand and Other Joys of Yoga

Shoulder Stand and Other Joys of Yoga…..

Rewind, back to my teacher training. My yoga instructor Mike, always reminded me never to turn my head during shoulder stand. We were in a modified shoulder stand using the wall for support and he said something to another student. I immediately turned my head thinking he was talking to me. Of course he wasn’t, and I heard a pop in my neck. I came out of the pose and was fine, a little sore, but fine. Shoulder stand is now on my list of poses I don’t enjoy.

Fast Forward, to Saturday. I taught a free class as part of the Pottstown First Saturday Series. The class was gently underway and coming up the stairs I heard kid’s voices. The door opens and in to the class enters my friend Anne along with 3 of her 4 kids. A moment of panic set in…. I was thinking, I teach kid yoga and I teach adult yoga, but I’ve never taught them together! How am I going to do this to make it graceful and fun for everyone?

The kids got on to their mat, and began to immediately settle into the practice. This was a class designed for adults and not at all like the kids classes I teach with frog pose, superman pose and lively upbeat music. I was impressed! The youngest yogi age 4 struggled getting into twists so just like any other student, I found a pose that could work for her. Rock Pose. As the practice winds down, I like to give students a choice of bridge, plow or shoulder stand. While demonstrating shoulder stand I heard “yes!” whispered from all three kids with great enthusiasm and looking toward the back of the room they were happily reaching their feet to the ceiling supporting their torso and loving it!!!

Those three little yogis taught me a lot yesterday morning. They reminded me about doing a pose for the love and fun of the practice. They reminded me about expectations for the students I teach and importantly how I parent my children and the expectations I have for them. Thanks for the lessons little yogis.

Namaste’