There was laughter in the air, as Rory and sister Tara Soden arched their backs to look at us upside down. “Yoga? I thought it would be complicated moves. But it was really easy.” Tara explained to me as they came down again. “But it made me sore at first.” Rory grinned. They had come in for a special session with Hiwa Sheeth and Touhiri Cook – 8 years old but going on 9 – to let me take some photos of them.

The children are part of a group that is now into the third week of a four week course. “It is a trial – if there is interest we may start regular kids’ classes and keep it going.” said Linda Power. And interest is bringing them from as far away as Awana, and Okupu, where Jesse lives, to attend the Saturday morning sessions.

The children’s yoga class was started as part of last April’s school holiday programme that Pauline Bellamy organized for the Youth Group. About 15 kids took part. It is the second time such a course has been held by Linda.

“Mum does yoga at home also, and I came along before. But kid’s classes are better because you do it with other kids.”

“With adults it makes you feel bad – it’s harder. With other kids is really cool, we get to do cool things, like headstands.”

In Auckland it is very hard to find yoga classes for kids – if you can find them at all. “It is going to change their lives.” explained Linda. They learn about breathing, managing stress, and will gain inner strength. “If you learn to breathe properly it gives the strength and courage of ten tigers.” had said Linda’s guruji, Sri BKS Iyengar.

“I was surprised I could actually do it!” The children were eager to tell me.

“Yeah, and how much it works your body! I was surprised how flexible I actually was!” “Now I can run faster!” “And I can play hackey really well!”

Children are not easy to teach, until they’ve been doing it for a while. Yoga is a discipline, so it also teaches kids discipline. Of Linda’s children, all three did it from age 8 on. And for all, yoga is still a regular part of life.

“I always get a buzz out of this!” Marge said, as she came down from the handstand. The adult class seemed no less enthusiastic than the kids who had shared their excitement with me in the youth class the day before.

Around the Tryphena Hall, the 8 participants that had turned up today were all demonstrating quite admirable positions. Judie uncurled from a back arch and murmured, “That’s ten years of coming to Yoga.”

Yoga becomes a way of life, Linda had told me. For the women sitting at the Cruisy Café over a coffee afterwards, it was clear that the twice weekly sessions were more than just a fitness class. According to Judie, yoga is a way of focussing your mind.

The others agreed. “When I am not having a good day, my children say to me: Go to yoga and you’ll feel better again. And they’re right.”

Laughter broke out. “And there is always lots of laughter in the classes. We have good laughs.”

“Because of Yoga I am much more in tune with what my body needs. I wish I had started earlier.” Sue said.

According to Ann that was thanks to Linda. “We are extremely lucky to have Linda here. She is the best yoga trainer I have worked with.”

“Yeah - She makes us work hard, but with balance. Every class is different - always offering to participants what is needed that day. After all this time, she knows each one of us well enough to respond to our needs.”

Linda has been doing yoga for 34 years. When a flatmate brought home a yoga book, she couldn’t put it down. Soon afterwards she started going to regular classes, and about a year later she ended up in India. There she studied with Iyengar, the would-be tiger tamer that we already met above. Ever since then yoga has been her way of life. She practices daily – and it gives her body awareness and breathing control which in turn helps control emotions, releases stress and focuses energy. And the benefits are many from going to bed at night for a good rest to waking up ready for energetic tasks. “It has so many positive effects. Even when you are working on a computer it helps you keep focused.”
Linda came to the island 27 years ago and is well known by many who have come to her classes that she started soon afterwards. The first class was held at the old Claris Club, which were the old army barracks that stood where the health centre is now. There were 8 people at that first class, Linda tried to remember: “Helen Hill, Rebecca Parks, .. Caroline de la Tour, and …”.

Linda had no doubt that she will continue for ever. “I feel like I am meant to be here to teach yoga, it is my destiny.”

This destiny has inspired many people on the island. “I find it very satisfying to see how people change – I notice improvements in posture, people talk of experiencing less stress, they are more active, or just feeling really good after arriving at class a little down.”

“And I often work with pregnant women – it helps with childbirth. Anybody can do yoga. You are never too old.”

 

920 words. Text and photos Rendt Gorter

 

 

BOX

 

Stand like a mountain

Do try this at home:

1. Stand straight. Join your feet. Keep your heels and big toes touching each other. Extend your arms downwards with your palms facing your thighs.

2. Tighten your knees and elbows. Broaden your chest. Draw your shoulders back. Look straight ahead. This is Tada-asana.

3. Stretch your arms overhead. Keep your palms facing each other. This is Urdhva Hasta-asana.

(Tada means mountain. The highest mountains are the Himalayas. Many Indians consider them sacred. )

 

DO

·       Be firm and tall as a mountain.

·       Stand with equal weight on both your feet.

DON’T

·       Don’t protrude your buttocks.

·       Don’t hold your breath.

BENEFITS

·       Teaches you to stand correctly.

·       Makes the back straight and strong.

·       Makes the mind alert.