A Kids’ Class at the Iyengar Institute

As I sat on the winding staircase known as the studio-viewing “balcony,” kids and their parents streamed in. The kids played with the props.  One kid took advantage of the sirsasan ropes that are suspended from the ceiling (for rope headstand), and sat in it as a swing. Her mother pushed her until somebody came and put a stop to it. Eventually 100 kids or so and their parents congregated, and the teachers appeared.

Abijata, the beautiful granddaughter of Guruji, lead the class, assisted by 3 or 4 well built men. She sat the children down and began the prayers to Patanjali, and to the Guru. In call and response fashion, they payed homage to Patanjali, Guruji, Bramha, and Vishnu. We don’t call the invocation a “prayer” in the U.S. because that would freak too many people out. But here they don’t make any bones about it. After the invocation, Abijata pointed to the plinth (stature) of Patanjali, and explained that in the prayer we are giving thanks to him for his texts on Yoga.

After the prayers were done, Abijata laid the ground rules. This was, afterall, the first class of the new year. Every year the Institute closes in May, when Geeta travels and does conventions. The mats and blankets are washed; some of the staff go on holiday to distant countries like Austrailia.

The children were told that class began at 8am, ended at 9am. Some of the children would be leaving at 8:45, and she would let them know who they were later. Children were to come clean, dressed, and on time with an empty stomach. “You do not have to take a bath, but you must at least wash your face, hands, and feet. You are not to eat breakfast before yoga class. But you may have a glass of milk. Even that must be taken at least 30 minutes before class begins. And you are to use the toilet before you come to yoga class. For dress, you are to wear t-shirt and shorts. No pants. Do you see these pictures all around you of Guruji? We have to see your body so you must wear shorts. You are to be comfortable, so you must wear half-sleeves. Next she addressed the parents: “Today it is okay if you watch. But next time, you are to drop off your children and pick them up after class if they don’t come on their own. Because they do worse when you are here.”  As a teacher of kids in the HISD after school program, I couldn’t help but be impressed by the command she had of the kids, the parents, everyone. No parent was going to question her authority, or argue some nagging exception, or call some higher managerial authority. This tall, substantial, twenty-something woman with the long sleek black braid had told them the way it was. Of course, it helps to be Guruji’s granddaughter, and the likely heir apparent of the Directorship of the Yoga Institute.

So, what time you are to wake up??” She asked the kids. “5 am,” one eager little boy said.  ”Seven or seven-thirty, if you live close, no later,” she said. 

These kids are trained in right principles from the get-go. They are given yogic principles in simple form. Cleanliness, in fact comes from the Niyamas (fixed observances) in the yoga sutras. They are also taught the same principles of alignment adults are taught. The main difference in teaching the kids is that their verbal participation is sometimes evoked: (ARE YOU READY TO DO YOGA? meek “yes”, OH, SO TWO OR THREE OF YOU ARE READY? “YES,” they respond again. Also, they move faster. They jump, the jog, they go quickly from one pose to another. This is to awakent them and keep their attention. They do not hold postures as long as adults. They do not make endless adustments in poses. The directions are kept very simple. Prashant could never teach this class.

When the asanas (postures) began, I noticed that no one was using mats. I guess they figure mats are too complicated; or kids are tough enough. No props, either.  

Here is the Sequence

1. Tadasana, feet together stand tall, don’t move.  Lift chest, shoulders down and back. Don’t protrude the abdomen. “Stand tall and don’t move. Does a mountain move? You are not to move.”
2. Urdhva Badhangullyasana, (interlaced fingers, arms stretched overhead).
3. Urdhva Hastasana (arms stretched straight over head)
4. Jumping in place, high, to become alert. (The men on stage looked like they were on pogo sticks. Now I know why they were so athletic looking.)
5. Measure distance between each other by spreading arms sideways; then  Utthita Hasta Padasana (basic stance of spread arms and legs, feet facing straight ahead)
6. Jogging (first one leg up, then the other, then faster faster faster. Kids need to MOVE.)
7. Jump from Tadasana to Utthita Hasta Padasana.
8. Jump from UHP to Tadasana x 6 reps
9. Urdhva Hastasana to Uttanasana (forward bend with straight legs), quickly, X6 keeping legs and arms straight
10. Parsva Hasta Padasana (teaching heel to arch alignment), otherwise maintaining chest and arms of UHP. Demo first, then everyone. Here children are to learn the names.
11. Tadasan to UHP to PHP, asking the kids what is the name of this pose I’m doing? Arms straight, head up. 1, 2, 3, JUMP. Say UTTHITA “utthita”, HASTA, “hasta,” PADASANA “padasana”. PARSVA (parsva) HASTA (hasta) PADASANA (padasana), kids repeating.

During this very active sequence, Abijata noticed that one boy had stopped jumping and looked sickly. ”What’s the matter here? What’s happening?” She asked, as she came off the stage and approached him. Putting an arm around him, she noted, “You are feeling sick? . . Come here. Sit down. (She put him on a bench next to the staircase where I was sitting. ”Sit here. Put your back against the wall. Open your chest. Keep your eyes open. Did you eat breakfast before class?  Did you use the toilet before class? (no). At this point Abi explained to everyone: “If you eat late at night, go to bed late, and do not use the toilet before class, then your digestive system is not clean. If your digestive system is not clean, then your muscles will not work properly, and you will get dizzy and feel sick.” She very gently attended to the boy by putting him in Savasana on a soft mat while the others continued class. Another kid dropped out for feeling dizzy and nauseated. He also rested in savasana with legs crossed.

At 8:45 am, there was a break in the action and the youngest children, ages 7-8, were released. Abijata gave a lecture about good habits as kids sit in Swastikasana  (simple crossed-legs) on the floor. She spoke about having an early dinner on Saturday night, getting to bed early, and waking up in time to use the toilet and wash before yoga class. “You have to develop these good habits,” she said, speaking directly to the children, parents listening in the back, “if you want to do yoga. “You see, you sit around like this (she slouches to show). Why are your chests collapsed? Because you sit like this when you are watching tv. You sit this way at the dinner table. And at school. It is a habit. Or, you are tired. Why are you tired? Because you went to bed late last night. You ate late, went to bed late, and didn’t use the toilet before coming to class. This gave her an opportunity to reiterate the principles of saucha ( prounounced show-cha) or cleanliness and purity. She also told them to sit straight while watching t.v. One of the older male teachers interjected, “We are not saying to watch t.v. But we know you do it.”  There were smiles. ”So sit straight.”  

“Stand up,” Abijata commanded, as she scooped her hand up. It was time for more asana.

1. Dandasana (hands behind, fingers pointing forward, use arms to lift buttocks off the floor. Sit straight, don’t lean back.
2. Swastikasana, now Urdhva Hastasana in Swastikasana.
3. Adho Mukha Swastikasana
4. Supta Swastikasana, arms straight back overhead on floor
5. Adho Mukha Swastikasana to Supta Swastikasana again
6. Tadasana
7. Urdhva Hastasana!
8. Finally, a review all postures from the day in quick succession.
   1. Uttanasana
   2. Dandasana
   3. A.M. Swastikasana, Supta Swastikasana
9. Last five minutes of class, Savasana: Legs together, Hands at sides of thighs; Head in the center. Not to the side.  Close your eyes and see if you can be still for one minute.  Turn to the side and get up.
10. Ending Prayers: Returning Students from last year invited to go to the stage to lead Invocation to Patanjali and Guru Brahma with many verses.
11. Reminder about proper dress for next time.

Then all students were  released except those who were returning students from last year. Abijata discusses their place in the class and the progression. “Do you want to do more advanced postures?” she asked YES! they replied. “Okay, but did you stand straight in Tadasana? Did you hold your arms straight in Urdhva Hastasana? Did you stretch even your fingers in Utthita Hasta Padasana? You must show us that you know these things in the first five minutes of class, and then you will be taken upstairs to do more advanced postures. But only if you show us.”

With that the most experienced bunch was released and the new year had begun.

 

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