October 16

Experience at Maireaheu, first session

I arrived late. The whole drive I was praying: Niranjan: if yoga is to reach these woman, please help me to reach the school on time! GPS and the map showed different routes and it took me more than double time to get to the school

However, I was very positive.

I could see that I was speaking fluently.

I greeted every one. Three teachers & the Principal were ready. They said thank u, but I knew that I was going to learn from them and also nurture myself

One teacher said that fir the whole week she had been looking forward yoga. The same teacher said, would u be able to come daily?

I began the class with relaxation in shavasana.

Don't now how but I was able to incorporate  positive thoughts and positive images as I was givin instructions to asanas

I also managed to relate twice with the experience of children who I though yoga in previous school term.

I connected what children enjoyed with the experience of teachers and also connected images that were useful for children.

I had difficulty explaining Janu naman. At home I checked again the instruction.

I wish it had been more attentive to observing the students. I was immersed in giving the instruction but not fully observing to see needs, difficulties and strengths

I focused more on students in the center and to the left.

I could have looked at them at the eye.

What they need

What they want

Inspiration :

The chance to teach yoga in a Social Services Day Care Centre for people recovering from mental illness and living in the community fell to me some four years ago. It became a journey of self-discovery, of letting go of earlier images I held of myself as a yoga teacher and of learning new ways to be with people.

Swami Satyaprakash Saraswati (UK)

01/2002

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