At the Crawler & Toddler class Friday (Yoga Yoga North Fridays 9:30) there were 13 adults and 13 kiddos - so there was a lot of kid action going on during class. Toward the end of class the adults did a meditation and the kids hung out with each other. As we settled into the practice (a meditation to develop patience) inhaling, exhaling..... one really cute social little girl stood in the center of the room saying 'BA' and then laughing at herself. It was ADORABLE. Soon another little girl toddled over ..... there they were in the center of the room ba-ing back and forth until a third little girl joined in. The laughter after the 'BA's was almost impossible to ignore.
I was sitting in front of the class encouraging the adults to keep the eyes 9/10 of the way closed focus on the tip of the nose & to let their attention come within themselves as much as possible. How was I supposed to compete with the live entertainment in the center of the room - those kids were funny and cute. Some of the Moms were chuckling after the laughter bubbled up in the middle of the room. We went about 5 minutes with the meditation; after which we all laughed and commented on the antics that had gone on during our practice.
So the joy of this is found in our ability to let our attention settle within ourselves. It isn't ALWAYS a negative or troubling event that draws our attention away from our inner Guru - sometimes it is an impossibly cute kid, a hilarious happening....whatever. And I am not suggesting ignoring your kids. What I am suggesting is you practice letting your attention live deeply within yourself, allowing your center to be within instead of outside of yourself. Parents sometimes find themselves so depleted they feel they cannot go on - they have allowed their center to leave their bodies so to speak (the 10 bodies are a Kundalini concept). Living outside of yourself leads to all kinds of problems - fatigue, anger, resentment. When we lose touch with the inner Guru (Guru Dev Namo) we are fortunate to have experiences such these to guide us home.
Yoga gives us the opportunity to find your way back to ourselves. When we are fed, strong, settled, living from that deep place of knowing (the inner Guru) we serve those around us from a foundation of grace.
'Ba' hehehe is the beginning to the path within - vibrate with your inner Guru. Find your peace.
Then let the laughter begin!
