My leg is longer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Hey, yoga lady---my leg is longer!" Yelled one of the new boys to yoga class--"Seriously are you a magician or something?" The room fell silent as if I was going to reveal some ancient yoga secret to longer limbs--instead we switched legs and talked about how yoga and breathing stretch your muscles and seat your bones so that your body feels longer but really is settleing into the places that your bones should be. Their attention grew with each pose---these boys became so focused on their bodies and so intune to their muscles lengthening and their bones "growing" that the class flowed and their breathing became rythmic and they really felt each pose from the inside out. As we took Warrior 2 and I explained inner spiral and outer spiral, they focused even harder --- really paying attention to every detail. Note to self, bring out the anatomy book that I had such a hard time with in training and revisit and understand each pose and each muscle group--these boys are interested!!!!!

Some of my boys are getting out next week and won't be at yoga with me anymore and I find myself sad at their leaving our group but know that they will always be part of our kula of yogis. I am proud of them for finishing their time and send offerings for them to find a better way--We talked of how we can be the light that guides the way for others--one of the boys said, "it's hard if you don't have anyone to guide you when you need it." Another boy replied, "we need to be able to make our own decisions and not be resistant because we are afraid--like the yoga lady said. I don't want to be afraid of being happy and good anymore." Holding back the tears when these sweet boys find their true self and reveal their hearts has become much harder for me as I get to know these kids.

As John Friend states in the Anusara Teacher Training Manual--"By saying yes to the whole magical spectrum of life--It is willingness to be aware of all parts of ourselves--the light and the dark. It is simply to open our hearts with love to the present moment without clinging or pushing. Anusara is accepting the world and ourselves as we are, and then responding with love." These beautiful kids are open even though they have made a bad decision or had a bad home life--their hearts are still able to recieve and see the goodness that they posess--that is their brightness.

It's interesting to me because as an adult, and maybe it's that we let life circumstances dim our light or become afraid to show our light, we forget the goodness inside us. Yoga allows our hardened heart to begin to crack like and egg and small lights shine out until we begin to belive in our intrinsic goodness and then whammo there is the light that has always been shining brighter than ever. We truly celebrate our heart and begin to remember that we are essentially good and slowly begin to accept ourselves for who we are right now.