I had a fantastic after school yoga class Monday, and I'm wondering if I've discovered something that helps kids focus. The theme of today's class was SLOWNESS. To slow our minds down and get in pace with our body.
We started with snack and checking in to see how kids did this week with practicing yoga at home. Some kids did the sun salutation at home, others breathing. I brought out Lalita to emphasize correct behavior, since last week we had a rather unruly class. Jean-Jacques the pirate puppet came out early this time to talk about stillness, finding time to SLLLLLOOOOOWWWW down. I drag my words out. I ask them where are they in between their thoughts? Using big pauses, in between the words. We did the kitty cat warm up, and the serpiente, serpiente, como estas warm up, as did we a sun salutation. I had one boy, who is usually the most difficult in terms of blurting out and having trouble controlling his body, lead the sun salutation. It was his request. He's in second grade, and he did it amazingly well. I praised him. As I've learned from a preschool director that only rewarding the well behaved kids sets up kids who have a really hard time behaving for failure. I find some exceptional improvement in all kids to reward their progress, no matter how diffiult the child. We did the breathing song standing in mountain pose, and SLOWLY, feeling our feet, feeling our hands, being here now. Breath was emphasised. I also did another slow warm up of just slowly lifting arms, stretching them overhead, connecting breath to body, doing arm circles slowly. Jean-Jacques came out again to tell the Jewish story of Standing Still. We talked again about how last week we had a Zen story and looked on a map of what countires practice Zen. We looked at Israel, the U.S. and Europe. And I also said that there is a Buddhist version of this story, so it doesn't even matter what you beleive, the truth is the same! We did the staff of brahm vinyasa, which is in my second book Storytime Yoga: The Treasure in Your Heart - Yoga and Stories for Peaceful Children. This slow vinyasa makes kids focus on their body and breath. Their minds glued to their actions. Kids were so attentive and quiet. I even had an observer and she was amazed. We focused on grounding ourselves and doing the poses slowly, with breath. Again, I engage children by always asking questions, telling them to feel their body, but their breath in their movements. We did Warrior I and into Warrior III, shooting rays of love to a person across from you. We did tree pose, finding balance within, finding stillness within. Even though we are moving, we can find a still point. My son was in class, so he wanted to show his favorite pose, locust pose. He can do the advanced version. All kids tried it, and I emphasized finding stillness in learning new things! We did crow as well, and found stillness in confronting difficulty. Kids who are normally wiggly were calm and attentive. Focused on the practice. I had children show their "favorite yoga pose" which picked up the pace a bit, and the energy, so I returned to talking slowly. then we had relaxation, just letting go and finding stillness in the body, in the earth. Afterwards kids talked about how they felt, good! And I retold the story, so that they can practice at home, remember stillness, and tell the story.

I've had many yoga teachers tell me they have trouble with their own kids in class. Mine were always not the best behaving. They haven't come to my after school classes, now that my son is in the 4th. I was surprised he wanted to come today. He did very well. I think there comes a time when they pick it up from their mother/teacher by osmosis, and as they grow older begin to appreciate it. Even my daughter came, who is in the second grade and is again, usually not very behavior oriented around me. She did well. Amazing class!

On the home front. I went to my first Bar Mitzvah Saturday for a friend's son. I thought every child should have this! There are so many people who are not religious that need ritual. Children especially. Joseph Campbell said that rights of manhood are so important, because it is a psychological experience for the child to become an adult. The ritual provides the experience that he will never be a child again, dependent on mother, etc. But not a responsible, self-sufficient adult. If there is no ritual to create this shift, children are still psychologically dependent on mother, and have a hard time moving forward and become neurotic. I think we see this in American boys today. Backwards caps, infantile behavior, not taking responsibiity for themselves. Of course our market-driving economy wants infnatile teens, because it's a $60 billion a year industry for music, teen stuff. 100 years ago, teens were adults. For an interesting article on this, see March 2007 issue of Psychology Today magazine. But this Bar Mitzvah celebrated the boy's life. He shared his passions and interests, (recycling, global warming) and used a variety of quotes from Buddhist to Native American. He chose the story of Noah's Ark, and I thought, global warming! It's in his consciousness. The dinner and dance for the teens and adults was another joyous event on focusing on what is really important in life -- love, children, family, community, celebrating life together.

My rattle gourds are almost ready for picking in the garden. One pumpkin was ripe, and is now on the front porch along with old corn stalks. We have a lot of racoons visiting us lately. They like the compost bin. Will have to cover it! The school's fall festival is on Friday. Again, another wonderful opportunity to be together. I'm so glad our school is in our neighborhood. Many people opt out because we have a high number of free and reduced lunch and ESL learners. They are missing out on the roots of life. The joy to walk down to your local school, eat with people and children in your own neighborhood. What a joy!

Let's all call our congressman to override Bush's veto of the SCHIP. Bush saves stemcells but vetos children's heath care! As always, visualize impeachment!

Namaste!