I think this is were teachers and care givers come into play in the greater human body. When this is my role, to do it well, I need to see that it is time for another part to get the attention so that the larger human body might become a little closer to its best and healthiest self. In your job, occupation, or as a parent/caregiver, does this seem to come into play for you? When does the focus shift to trying to aid someone whole heartedly with skills, talents, and or knowledge that are part of you and your uniqueness as a part of the larger human body? When I think about it I do a little of this everyday at various different times. Sharing a little bit of knowledge with a new co worker, helping my mother with the computer, sharing what I am interested in to those that want to listen, etc. I bet that you have many of these experiences of sharing your uniqueness too. How do you feel inside when you are taking time to share in this way? How do you go about connecting what you know in a way that could beneficially connect to another and where they are in their journey? How does what you offer enhance or help heal another fellow part in the body of humanity?
When I am teaching yoga at the Nursing home, it is a very special joy! It is not only the yoga knowledge and techniques that I am sharing, but my time and attention to a population that many times feels neglected by the younger generations. This is what I have come to experience, at least. There is little conversation that I see going on between the younger and the older generation, even though, there is a great deal of wisdom that could be shared if younger individuals would take the time to have a conversation and spend some time with an elder. Solutions and the pitfalls of a life well lived are all there to be revealed in the communication of the older and elderly.
At the nursing home older individuals very isolated from the mainstream, perhaps their bodies and minds worn out from life, it is now time for them to rest and relax, a lesson that the younger generation is in dire need of given the current rise in acts of violence to themselves and others, revealing their inability to relax and find ease withing themselves. Yes, I do teach the residence at the nursing home the physical spectrum of yoga; bending the wrists, turning the head, rotating the ankles, etc. However, they are in fact giving me a very special teaching in how and who they are as age has set in. As I learn how to communicate best to the nursing home residences, a new understanding of the value that is within the teachings of yoga reveals itself to me through their interactions to what I am teaching. The teaching is not complete without being able to tailor it to their needs. I teach to them in a chair and I speak loudly, yet in a gentle tone. I have to listen to their needs, keep my eyes open for ques that will tell me if they are benefiting from what I am sharing. I learn to draw my attention to their nature at this time of their life, and this leads me deeper into a sense of my own stillness and relaxation as I do my best to compliment theirs while adding some of what I have to offer as a younger individual who has knowledge of yoga. My ego dissolves away in those few moments when I am truly teaching and being taught and the dance of life that is shared between us is a harmony and balance that is enriching to us both.
Teaching at the rehab center is another great opportunity to teach as well as learn, to flow into the greater expanse of consciousness! I am truly blesses to have the opportunity to teach at a facility where the residence are usually very receptive of the teaching I can offer. That is another part of teaching and being taught, learning to provide the space that the residence need to be themselves even when they are not following the prescribed curriculum of recovery. In teaching yoga at the recovery center, I can offer the residence there a chance to be themselves even if it is a bit cut off from the mainstream movement of following the rule, “this is how you have to act in recovery, and this is what you need to do.” There are many residence that just watch, and there has been one that has out right just said, “yoga is not for me,” and then walked away. There are also many times when residence become distracted from others moving in and out of the space, making nose, etc. This is another great chance for me to try and understand what the residence need moment to moment, to try and direct them and myself back to the breath, movements of yoga, and sacred space that we all share.
It is a balance to work in harmony with disruption, unclear attention spans, and a very diverse population, but that is the beauty of teaching and being taught, of imparting something important I find dear, and being receptive to the gifts of others share in their presence. I find that I have to pay even closer attention in this environment to see if engagement is wavering, and this encourages me to be more active and attentive to the needs of those around me. Should we cut the time down in this pose or skip it all together? Is there a clearer or more interesting way I can describe this movement that will better engage the learner? Once I attempt to be more sensitive to the residence at the rehab center, I learn that this sensitivity has carried over into my own yoga and life practice. By allowing, accepting, and loving the differences in appearances and attitudes, it becomes clear that they are only conditional and finite aspects of my interactions with others. I begin to lose my little self deeper and deeper into the greater whole of all living beings, rather than caught up in something that is fading away. I learn to appreciate and love love much more fully! I am able to be thankful for this great opportunity and tell others about the wonderful mystery of life that makes it worth living! I learn to let go of fear and be more authentic to that sense of right action that flows through me when my hold on past trauma is released. Here the healing of myself and those that I serve truly happens!
What is your tipping point between love and fear? What situations put you under the pressure? Do you balance between joy of the mystery and what you can offer of yourself, or do you find yourself falling into frustration? I have seen my fare share of anger and falling deeper into despair from not knowing how to balance myself in these times. If what I have to do to balance is release my fears, and trust in what feels right within, I will do my best to follow this flow! How do you deal with these feelings and situations? What is your method for finding clarity, balance, and ease? May you find your solutions if you have not already, my friend! We are all in this together, and we all have a great inner teacher that shines a light on are answers if we but up ourselves up beyond fear! And if we have trouble seeing our inner light, that is what teachers are for! Peace, Love, and Blessings to you! Aaron :-)