Love in the Room

Any tiny doubt I had about getting back on the plane and spending the next eight out of nine days teaching has now been thoroughly dispelled by the first morning of teaching in Hangzhou. There are simply fewer things more pleasurable to me in this life than to witness the release of the adult’s locked-away child-self in pure, unadulterated play. (Perfect adjective that—unadulterated). The sheer joy of mature, responsible, grownups playing variations of a rock-scissors-paper game, creating fun and fanciful circle dances, creating musical conversations from the first sounds of one’s name, mixed with the intelligent and articulate pedagogy behind it all, clearly and eloquently expressed by my half-century-plus of reflection alongside practice— well, it doesn’t get any better than that. At the end of the morning, I asked the group, “Is it fun? Is it interesting? Is it useful? Are you ready for lunch?” and each one answered without hesitation with an exuberant “YES!”

 

My last course proved that I can still teach at my highest power even when there is a negative vibe in the room, but that doesn’t mean it was easy or I would ever choose to do it again. Working alongside my friend and translator whose company I have effortlessly enjoyed for the 23 years we’ve known each other is such a welcome contrast. There is nothing but love in the room and that’s how it should be. 

 

Still cut off from the outer world by an uncooperative Wifi but re-connected to an inner world that is more important and meaningful. An hour left in the lunch break and the daring risk to lie down for a bit. A glorious afternoon awaits—I have no doubt about that. Don’t know how much more grateful I can be that my vision and my life are still joined at the hip, but if there was room for more gratitude, I gladly give it.