A Cheerful Heart: Teaching a Private: Wailea, Hi: January 9, 2022

“A cheerful heart is good medicine” — Proverbs 17:2

In AA, it is said, “Wnen ever two or more more come together, this is a meeting”. The same can be said of yoga. No matter what kind of a practice happens, the sheer intention when you show up is itself yoga. And perhaps the most powerful of all.

Especially when you are in pain. The Sunday yogi has back mischief. We’ve missed a few classes, and today was our first endeavor back on the mat. My plans for apanasana, supine hamstring stretches, and such went out the window when he said it hurt to lay down on his back. So we did all our yoga standing.

Half of our time together, and perhaps the most healing of all, was playing in the yard with his son, sharing a yoga strap and pulling each other around. Big smiles and sincere belly laughs is better than any pose. “ A cheerful heart is good medicine”, it says in Proverts 17:22, and how wise this alignment of our heart is.

Then we watched the ocean waves for a while. It’s a gorgeous day in South Maui and the waves are unseasonably high. My work as a yoga teacher was done for the day, though the tables were turned because I was the student so far, having. played with his child and stood overlooking the ocean. But for good measure, because just a little moving and breathing is also good medicine, we did a few things just to keep the vibes high and happy.

here’s our sequence

Guitar hero
Shoulder openers using a strap

Uttkatasana dips

Warrior II dance
Warrior II with breath
Uttithatadasana
Peaceful warrior
Utkatasana dips

Namaste