Photo : http://aurora.anandayogastudios.com/

Playing on a Saturday Afternoon

Today through my work, I was able to play with some 9, 10, and 11 year olds.  They were taking risks (one of the best elements of true play), and reaping the benefits!  Inspirational!  Recently, I attended an Arm Balancing Workshop by Sergey Tsatsura at the Ananda Studio Aurora.  At first all we attendees were dutifully lined up on our mats, very hushed and serious.  After an hour or so, we were all playing.  Playing with our bodies, playing with balance, strength, and laughter.  This is what I love about yoga, it takes pretty serious adults back to children playing on the grass on summer’s day.  “Hey, can you do this?”  “I dunno.  Let me try.”  And if you fall on your face, you just try again.  “Well how about this?”  

I was inspired to take this workshop for two reasons, the first reason is that upper body strength is not my forté and I wanted to challenge myself.  The second reason, is that at most family gatherings now, my 10 year-old niece ends up challenging the grown-ups to her latest “trick”. She says, “Aunt Terry watch this!”, and in the spirit of play and over-fifty pride (not very yogi!) I say, “Oh, yeah.  Let me try.” My amazing little niece can do a one-arm handstand against a wall.  I cannot . . . yet.

Some other family members often get into the act as well. Good times.  

 

The exploration of this topic wouldn’t be complete without remembering adventures of my youth which included backpacking around Europe, meeting up with plenty of Aussies.  One of whom taught me to drink beer standing on my head.  So I was practicing for being a yogi, long before I knew much more about eastern philosophy than Jai Guru Deva. Om as sung by the Beatles in Across the Universe. 

 

Beer Yoga at the Pink Palace on Paradise Beach - Thanks Jude!

 

Words are flowing out like
Endless rain into a paper cup
They slither wildly as they slip away across the universe.
Pools of sorrow waves of joy
Are drifting through my opened mind
Possessing and caressing me.

Jai Guru Deva. Om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world

Images of broken light, which
Dance before me like a million eyes,
They call me on and on across the universe.
Thoughts meander like a
Restless wind inside a letter box
They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe.

Jai Guru Deva. Om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world

Sounds of laughter, shades of life
Are ringing through my opened ears
Inciting and inviting me.
Limitless undying love, which
Shines around me like a million suns,
It calls me on and on across the universe

Jai Guru Deva.
Jai Guru Deva.
Jai Guru Deva.
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world

Namaste, John Lennon