Feeling Alive

The afternoon was bright in mid-July.  Warm sunshine dripped through the holes between the clouds.  It was like the sky was a cracked blue and white bowl trickling with golden honey.  As I walked with my yoga bag toward the pavilion at Camp Champion, I looked up and caught myself noticing the vastness above me.  “Spectacular,” I thought, “I’m so glad I looked up.”  I wondered about all the miracles I miss every day.    

It was my third week teaching yoga at the camp.  Like every week, we start class by introducing ourselves and adding how we feel.  Half the class was new to yoga, the others I’ve seen at least once before.  As we went around most of the 9-13 year-olds expressed their usual feelings - happy, tired, curious, excited….etc.  Then it was Lindsey’s turn - the bright-eyed girl who took class every week.  She was the one who was always engaged, raising her hand, demonstrating postures, trying anything.  Confidently she answered, “I’m Lindsey. I’m nine years old and I feel Alive.”

Happiness ran though me with an electric shock that left me stunned.  Impressed by her ability to put depth into words, I quickly realized she named my previous experience.  Glancing up at the cloud-speckled sky, I was completely aware of the present moment, the present experience, and yes!  I felt ALIVE.   Awake and conscious, glimpsing life in its fullness by noticing, sensing and feeling – experiencing a heightened awareness that transcends thinking.  “Yes!” I gasped.  “You feel alive Lindsey?! That’s an amazing sensation.  It’s like feeling and noticing everything beautiful all at once.” 

A child’s innocence gives rise to profound wisdom.  The intuitive insight and creative expression hasn’t had the chance to hide behind society’s expectations or the veils of self-judgment.  This leaves

room for raw and uninhibited truth.  Placing restrictions on our children’s self-expression is one of the worst things we can do as parents.  Telling our children, “That’s silly, Johnny. That could never happen,” or “Impossible, Katie, that’s not for you,” or “You’re not good at math, it would be too hard to be a scientist,” only shrinks their world and gives them permission to stay small. Instead we need to encourage the fullness of their potential by empowering them with the knowledge that their voice is important.  Not only is it important but necessary - for their growth and our own and for the future of our world. 

Run with them and all their outrageous ideas, cultivate outside-the-box thinking and offer them the safety to SHINE. 

Every day I’m humbled with lessons my two daughters and students offer.  When I take the opportunity to notice, the world opens to serve my growth.  Lindsey reminded me of what gets lost when we’re trapped in the narrow confines of our thinking minds.  Retreating beneath our thoughts, the essence of existence gets smothered, missing the experience of truly living.

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”  - Howard Thurman

I asked myself what makes me come alive.  After sitting with this question for a while the answer revealed itself. When I lose myself in thought, I only exist from the neck up – solely in my head, missing the wholeness of life.  Stepping out of the narrow confines of my thinking mind, my essence bares itself and the world shines with radiance.  When I’m in this space, my passions magnify and I experience their joy to the fullest: Motherhood, family, friends, teaching, writing, yoga….and so much more. 

In this space, the simple act of looking up becomes a blessing. 

Ask yourself: What makes you come alive?

Once you've discovered the answer for yourself initiate an interesting conversation with your child and ask what makes him feel alive. You may be surprised at the answer. Many kids will respond without even thinking, some will raise an eyebrow in confusion. If that’s the case ask: “what do you think it feels like to feel alive?” You can give your own explanation to help guide the discussion:  “When I feel alive I feel very calm and peaceful and everything looks beautiful.  That’s how we feel naturally.  When we’re not overloaded with too many thoughts and feelings all jumbled together we can see clearly and feel happy and relaxed.  I feel alive when I’m alone in nature, or when I’m snuggling with you or…..”  

Discovering how your child interprets the notion of 'feeling alive' can offer deep perspective. Keep the door to discovery open by encouraging innovative thinking. How often do we ask such open ended questions?  Questions that leave room for interpretation allow for great opportunity.  

I’d love to know how your child(ren) respond to this question (and I’m sure all the readers would enjoy it as well). It would be fun to read all the brilliant ways our little teachers respond. J 

Note: Please include the age of the child when leaving the comment.