“What is the difference between
response, and reaction?” the Yoga teacher asked. Hmm...this is easy I thought. Reaction
is an impulsive reply without taking a moment to think, where a response is an
answer given after thinking. “Notice”, she continued…”Do you rush into the pose
before I finish my sentence? Do you rush out of the pose before being asked to?
Do you react, or respond?”
Have you ever taken a moment to think how many times you respond, and how many times you react during the day?
I was thrilled to transfer this lesson off the Yoga mat, and bring it home to my kids. For years, all the motivation talks that we had felt too heavy. This time, I pulled them aside separately and asked them what was the difference between response and reaction. After clarifying these terms, and giving examples, I encouraged them to notice the difference in their behavioral patterns. “But what if I can’t control it?” one of them asked. This is where the power of breathing comes in…
How often do we take a deep breath when we’re stressed out? How many times do we notice that we hold our breath when we’re overwhelmed, or confused? How often do we take the time to take a deep inhale, and exhale completely before we respond?
“Well”, I said, “try taking a deep breath (just like in Yoga practice) as many as you need. Try to throw all your negative feelings into the ocean and clear your mind…. then respond. Make sure you communicate your response in a reasonable manner and not out of anger.”
Controlling our actions by checking our emotions can be a challenging proposition for adults as well as children. The more this technic is practiced, the less challenging it becomes.
Start with noticing when you respond and when you react.
I was wondering for weeks how could I bring the wisdom behind Yoga into the lives of children. For me, the practice of Yoga is a million times better when it offers something to think about.
Today I decided to bring these ideas to you “off mat”, hopefully you will enjoy the wisdom of Yoga as well.
Namaste
Have you ever taken a moment to think how many times you respond, and how many times you react during the day?
I was thrilled to transfer this lesson off the Yoga mat, and bring it home to my kids. For years, all the motivation talks that we had felt too heavy. This time, I pulled them aside separately and asked them what was the difference between response and reaction. After clarifying these terms, and giving examples, I encouraged them to notice the difference in their behavioral patterns. “But what if I can’t control it?” one of them asked. This is where the power of breathing comes in…
How often do we take a deep breath when we’re stressed out? How many times do we notice that we hold our breath when we’re overwhelmed, or confused? How often do we take the time to take a deep inhale, and exhale completely before we respond?
“Well”, I said, “try taking a deep breath (just like in Yoga practice) as many as you need. Try to throw all your negative feelings into the ocean and clear your mind…. then respond. Make sure you communicate your response in a reasonable manner and not out of anger.”
Controlling our actions by checking our emotions can be a challenging proposition for adults as well as children. The more this technic is practiced, the less challenging it becomes.
Start with noticing when you respond and when you react.
I was wondering for weeks how could I bring the wisdom behind Yoga into the lives of children. For me, the practice of Yoga is a million times better when it offers something to think about.
Today I decided to bring these ideas to you “off mat”, hopefully you will enjoy the wisdom of Yoga as well.
Namaste
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