Why

My daughter is now 3 years old. It is a beautifully sweet time and we are totally enjoying each other. She is most definitely awake to the world and it is brilliant! With the awakening comes the desire to know know know about everything around her. Her appetite for knowledge and understanding is astounding.

And so we are crossing over into WHY world. Why is the stump black? Why is the sky moving? Why do we see the moon in the daytime sometimes? Why do we not see the stars in the daytime? Why? Why? Why? It is relentless and at times trying. At other times, precious and sweet and quite quite funny.

I am reminded of the teaching technique of giving what Todd calls Benefit Statements. This being with her reminds me that I have to tell my students WHY we are doing things. That I have to be the saleswoman for Tops of the Thighs Back and for Open to Grace.

Amy Ippoliti calls doing this the Why Mantra. She says I can instruct any action, like spread your pinky toe -- and then tell why to do it so many times that the students feel like they're going to save the world with their pinky toes.

I've been reintroducing the Why Mantra and Benefit Statements with great success. And so I'm thinking I must remind myself to treat the students in some ways like the most curious of 3 year olds. When I feed them with the Why of the practice they are excited, inspired, and they move deeper. The practice moves from gymnastics into yoga. Beautiful!