Yoga Kids

Today, I helped teach yoga to 24 excited, inquisitive, and uberflexible eight year olds. I was so happy to be asked to assist and as expected, I learned something about teaching - never underestimate kids. When I found myself standing on my mat, in the middle of a huge circle of the loud and fidgety bunch, I thought it was going to be a pretty big challenge to grab and HOLD their attention. But from the first pose, they followed our directions, asking for adjustments, and even breathing in unison. Don't get me wrong, there were a few goof ball boy moments. Thank goodness for their teacher, who could get a kid back in line with only a few whispered words, who was also 8 months pregnant, mind you. But in general, I was wowed by the kids' ability to focus and take direction. And the comments were great. One funny comment was from a brown eyed girl in purple pants. After being warned about the dangers of trying to force yourself into a pose and the possibility of pulling a muscle, she yelled, "It's ok if I pull a muscle today. I do it all the time and my Mom doesn't care." I only have one month left of teacher training. I have learned soooo much. For the few people that read my blog, you may be wondering....well, what? I have to admit, I have shied away from posting about my own personal philosophy on yoga. I think it's because I am still in the process of discovering it. What I will say is that I am grateful for yoga. With all the things I've learned through reading, studying, meditating, and hours of practicing, I have learned the most valuable lessons about myself - what I'm made of, who I am, and what kind of yoga teacher I want to be. One more month and I will teach my first class...wow...time flies.