My expierence assisting yoga for people with special needs

I wanted to write a little bit about my experience this past Monday because I think it is important to reflect on these kinds of experiences.

God's special children, as we have referred to them in my family, or people of special needs, have always had a special place in my heart and a strong presence in my life. I have grown up with family members who have a wide variety of needs; and as a teacher I have encountered students in my classes and homeroom. I truly admire their enthusiasm for life and the intense love that they offer, and this past Monday was no exception. I observed some of the most beautiful yogi's while assisting Gabriel Halpurn in a class for Sertoma Centre students.

Sertoma Centre students range on the scale of mobility and verbal skills; and this yoga class was designed to help them stretch since most of their days are spent seated. Each SC student was placed with one or two assistants. When we first arrived we set up a plethora of props- sandbags, eye pillows, straps, eventually moving to this mummy looking rack deal and chairs. One Monday a month Iyengar trained yoga teacher, Gabriel Halpern, leads this class instructing us where and how to use the props, how to help stretch the student, and interjects his cheesy yet perfect zinger jokes.

 I loved how we used the props:
Sandbags on the palms to help open their shoulders
Bolsters under the knees to help ground the sacrum
Chairs for them to sit on so that they could do Utitta Parsvokonasana and Trikonasana
Strap to pull their foot in.

I want to take a minute to brag on my student-- I am not even sure she really needed me, she always new what was coming next, the proper alignment, and then bam she hit the pose with precision, flexibility, and mindfulness. She regularly comes to this class and even admitted to me that she practices at home. She was giggly, happy, and loved to tickle us as we held her in position.

We helped them get further into poses and aided them in helping themselves as well. We opened hips, worked abs, stretched hamstrings and hip flexors, lengthen side body, did back bends, and then they got a face massage and a super juicy supported svasana.

I am hoping to assist in this class once a month because I think there is so much to learn from these students and so much love in that room. It makes one remember that yoga isn't about being the most flexible or the best but about honoring your own body and using yoga to serve your body, mind, and being.