Saturday, September 15, 2012

Namaste Song Comes Alive




This is a beautiful example of if you do good things, good things will come back to you! 
How thrilled and honored was I to receive this awesome illustration of me on my Facebook page by my talented friend Cheryl Liz whose daughter came to one of my yoga classes!

The Namaste Song comes alive!  Do yoga every day for the good in you and the good in me, and the world will live in harmony! 


Friday, September 14, 2012

Enchanted Yogis Tibetan Buddhist-Style


MY TASK:  teach a yoga class to young kids that introduces them to yoga and the culture and fundamentals of Tibetan Buddhism.

The tricky part, aside from striving to be authentic to the teachings while simplifying, was to create a class that was fun, inspiring, yet was able speak to kids on their level. I ended up teaching two classes, ages 3-5 and 6-12.

It wasn't easy. But I did it.

The calls of "can we do it again", egged me on. The echos of laughter made my spirit shine even more. Looking out around the floor seeing the 10 kids sitting on their mats, eyes bright, ready and waiting for more (even after 45 minutes) made me realize: yes, kids are open and ready for this.    

Balloon breath warm up: start in a crouch then inhale pretending
to blow up a balloon. Raise arms overhead and hold  for 5 counts.
POP goes the balloon deflating to the ground.

Balloon breath game: same as above, only the teacher goes around
 to point at the kids to blow up and then to  pop.

Snippet from the Balloon Breath game


Finding our centers again after all our breathing warm ups.


Mountain pose with Tibetan Buddhist-style lotus hands (holding a precious
jewel in our palms).


Three-legged-doggies as part of the sun salutations.


Donkey Kicks as part of the sun salutations.


A little game of mindful walking


Teaching on Wisdom and Compassion

To teach the kids about what the Buddhist and yoga path is about, we looked at WISDOM and COMPASSION. We create yoga poses to represent each, and talked about what they mean. Then we put the concepts into play with the flip slide: DESIRE & IGNORANCE.


Playing out desire vs wisdom with yoga


The above video is a great example of listening to your students ideas, empowering them with acting on their suggestion. We had done two scenarios prior to this video clip, and one of the students wanted to do it again with his suggestion. I was happy to oblige!

Story Time!

Story time! I suggested they get comfortable and rest on their bellies while
they listen to a story from Tibet.

To give the students a little rest, work on their imagination, and to help illustrate the culture of Tibetan Buddhism, I transported them to a time long in a place where the tallest mountains in our world live - the Himalayas. In the mountains was a lake where a very old Tibetan Buddhist teacher riding in a boat. The teacher saw a small island up ahead that looked untouched by man except for a little hut. Read the full story here. After we did the yoga poses associated with the story (also here).

Beyond introducing Tibetan Buddhist culture, including the mantra om mani padme hung, this story helps to illustrate how strong you can become if you commit yourself to something with your full concentration and put your heart into it.

Relaxation and Integration




Get Your Craft On!

A little art project is just the thing to help the kids process the class and have something tangible to remember the good times.


Today we created our own prayer flags. I had five blank rectangles cut out and placed on a string. They were told to draw images of things they want more of in their life, or that make them happy. There were lots of flowers, hearts, but my favorite was a birthday cake!



One of the participants flags.
From left to right – a puppy, a flower, Mommy, the letter “A”, and a happy face.


At the end of the day, I was pleased to see everyone walk out of class with a smile, and even more buzzing with life. Plus, the class lit my spirit in a way it hasn't been since I last practiced with my sangha and teacher back at  Riwoche Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Toronto.

I dedicate all the merit from my class to all beings in all directions.

Namaste & tashi delak 




Tuesday, September 4, 2012

A Tibetan Buddhist Story with Yoga Poses


Children laying on their bellies ready to hear the Tibetan Buddhist Story


In the kids yoga class I recently taught at the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center, I told them a simple version of this story below. It was a great way to let the kids rest, and help them use their imagination. Also, a great way to introduce a little Tibetan Buddhist culture.

I took the bare bones of this story told by Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Lillian Too's The Mantra Book, and embellished it with details and images that children could place into their consciousness.

***

In a time long ago, in a place where the tallest mountains in our world live - a place called the Himalayas - there was a crystal blue lake surrounded by snowy mountains. In this lake was a boat carrying a very old Tibetan Buddhist teacher, called a Lama. The Lama wore burgandy-colored robes - the traditional clothing of a Tibetan Buddhist monk. He wore a warm burgundy colored hat to keep his shaved head warm.

The teacher saw a small island up ahead that looked untouched by man except for a little hut that held up several lines of  Tibetan prayer flags which were flapping in the wind. The once colorful flags were faded and weathered.

The teacher parked his boat on the shore and walked onto the island. There he met a man with hair down to his hips and a long beard. The man's clothes looked warn, but his smile was so bright it seemed to light up the sky. Upon seeing the Lama, the man put his hands together placing them on the top of his head, then touched them to his forehead, throat and heart. Then he launched his body to the ground, stretching his arms out in front of him, with his whole body touching the ground, including his nose! Then he got up and repeated this series of movements - called full prostrations -  three times.

"How long have you been alone on this island," asked the Lama.

"For three years," says the man. "I am on retreat, here to practicing my mantra. I have been repeating it constantly out load or in my head for three years now.  I have been saying it while I stare at onto the horizon, watching the sun set or the sun rise, I have been saying it while I bathe, while I make dinner, while I go to the bathroom. When I drift off to sleep it is the last thing I say, and when I wake up it is the first thought in my head. Sometimes I even say it in my dreams."

"What is this mantra you are saying," asked the Lama.

"The mantra of the great Buddha of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara," says the student. And he proceeds to repeat the mantra out load, "Om mani padme hum, om mani padme hum, om mani padme hum..."

The Lama listens to the student for some time, and with utmost compassion the Lama finally says,"I can see that you have pure devotion and pure motivation. But I hear that your pronunciation of the this mantra is a little off."

"Really," says the student, "I have been saying it wrong for all these years?"

"Yes" says the Lama and proceeds to demonstrates how to say it correctly.

The student humbly bows this head to the wise and compassionate Lama, saying, "Thank you for helping me. I will try it like that from now on."

Some time later, as the sun sets, the Lama returns to his boat and sets off across the water. He hears a strange noise off to the side and turns his head to see the student calling his name walking beside the boat ONTOP of the water. The student calls out, "I think I have the hang of the pronunciation now, is this how you say it? Om mani padme hum. Om mani padme hum...."

The Lama then laughs, drops his head and gives a half bow saying, "it looks like you were saying it right all this time after all."

***

For the younger kids, you may want to point out that because the student was saying the mantra with such a pure heart, and with such great intentions, and devotions, the power of the mantra had awakened his inner powers. Perfecting the way to say it wasn't as important.


ADDING THE YOGA 




The Storytime Yoga method, developed by my teacher Sydney Solis then encourages the reenactment the story using yoga poses to help the kids put the symbols of the story into their hearts and minds.

For this story, you could use the following poses to retell the story:

Mountain pose - for the Himalayas

Boat/navasana - for the boat

Warrior II (hero pose) - for the Lama

Camel pose - Island with a hut

Humble warrior - Student

Prostration/Bow - show them how to do a full prostration

Practice saying the mantra - om mani padme hung

Humble half bow - stand in mountain, with hands in namaste Tibetan Buddhist-style (pretend you are holding a precious jewel between your palms). Then do a half bow, with head down, to represent the humble bow when the teacher corrects him.

Navasana - teacher goes back in the boat.

Mindful walking - student walking on water

Humble half bow - as above.