LAUGHING & THINKING DURING YOGA -- HORRORS ! (& 23 DAYS)

Over the past 36 hours, I've read several Facebook and blog entries (and comments) regarding laughter during yoga classes, as well as thinking.  As in, some students are aghast at a class where laughter is accepted, and/or they simply want to be led through a series of movements as if they had a ring through their nose (pardon me - I have strong feelings here.)

I must have come into the world of yoga from another door, because yoga without laughter and without thinking - for me - is not yoga, it doesn't make me feel good, and it doesn't challenge me to look further than the surface, past the movement. 

Why laugh?  I'm not saying the whole class has to be a stand-up comedy act for me to enjoy it, but a teacher who can't utter a funny comment once in a while, or tolerate a bit of laughter from the group is (in my book) limited.  Here's an example of the power of laughter:  in a training in Tucson -- I think, I do know it was with John Friend.  He said something, or perhaps a student demo'ing for him said something, that was a bit goofy and a few people started to giggle.  The giggling soon expanded to a roomful of laughter.  It died down after about a minute or so. 

Then, out of the center of the room, came one individual round of laughter which caused the entire room to erupt again.  This happened 3-4 times.  John laughed along, tolerating perhaps the last round, then put us back to work.  We had been working hard before this lapse of laughter, and we continued to work hard after; that period of uninhibited laughter took the edge off our work; for me, it took me back to my reasons for being there -- to learn, to enjoy, to NOT over-effort (kind of like letting the steam out of the pressure cooker).

Why think?  Not sure about you, but I feel like the instructor doesn't think I have a brain when each and every move is spelled out and explained to me.  I enjoy the sense of empowerment I get when I have to think.  Thinking begins with listening.  Listening is hard work, in itself.  Then carrying out the instruction, while thinking "did I get it; do I understand?", makes me feel good.  I also enjoy figuring things out -- like, if I do this, my knee hurts; if I change it in this way, the knee doesn't hurt - voila!  Empowering my students to do a bit of thinking for themselves gives them confidence; I see growth in their poses because they're listening to me, embracing what I've said, and carrying it out in their poses.  Good for them, good for me. 

Just 23 days - the wisdom of six (6) decades staring me in the face. 

Have a great Friday and laugh about something today -- even if it's to laugh at yourself,