In peace building efforts it is important to go slow, not to expect immediate results or for a project to blast off immediately, and listen to the recipient’s feedback. Last year there was an “arab spring uprising”, in places such as Syria, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen. These did not happen overnight, nor did they happen without open ears and hearts. The planning for these uprisings took a lot more time than what we might have witnessed from the outside. There was much discussion and I know this, because a dear friend of mine was a key planner in the events that unfolded in Egypt.
I reminded parents this today. They should not worry if they cannot practice a lot with their child, or their child does not catch on immediately. Instead, it is important to listen, observe, and open our hearts to understanding the amazing beauty of children with special needs. Often living in worlds of their own, we try to pull them into ours, and they willingly comply to the best of their ability.
Today we practiced some of the same poses, and added new ones as well.
Mantras: OM; Sohum (for calming); Om Aim Vada Vada Vaak Vaadinyai Namaha (for speech and expressions
Seated: Butterfly; Windshield Wipers, Peace Pose, Knee Bounce; Ankle Circles; Child Pose; Seal Pose
Standing: Downdog; Hands up and down; Tree; Garland (Sqaut); Lion’s Breath
Lying: Boat; Alligator; Wind Release Pose; Happy Baby; Savasana
Pranayama: Close the mouth and breath through the nose.
It was a good class, and I could already see signs that children were improving. One little girl was able to stop crying for most of the 2nd half of the session, and during savasana, I played the Tibetan Singing Bowl and had pretty nearly a completely quiet session.
It’s important to celebrate the small successes– imagine if my friend never got excited about the progress of the years and years of planning for a revolution. The same way, parents, teachers, and students should feel joyous over the small improvements they notice in the children.
