It started with an itch….wait, now that is a truly ominous start.
It began with feeling of impatience. (Ok, that’s better.)
For the past couple of weeks, the kindergarten classroom that I was placed in got to embark upon their annual butterfly life cycle unit. From the very first day I watched them as they began in awe of a new living creature in the classroom. It was pretty sweet to watch as they drew hairy, oblong pictures in their science journals trying to capture the changes within the little plastic jar.
It’s funny how things happen out of sight.
After a couple of days impatiently drawing the same picture, the very next day we walked in to see that four of the seven caterpillars had wrapped themselves in their chrysallis’. The oohs and ahhs of excited young minds was captivating….-until they ceased, caught once again in the holding pattern of waiting. The lead teacher’s brow furrowed wondering and worrying that her class would be disappointed and that the caterpillars were dead.
She came up to me to ask what we should do and I said, ” We’ve given them everything that they need to thrive. Let’s trust even when we cannot see and understand that they are doing what needs to be done.”
Did I get a hairy eyeball thrown in my direction?
Yes.
I also got that after a full two years of challenge that all she wanted for these kiddos was for them to witness the beauty and tiny miracles that life holds.
Noted.
As we entered the classroom a few days later, there was a burst of energy. The caterpillars had broken free to emerge as butterflies. The children were glowing with energy and excitement coloring the colors and patterns that they saw. It was a golfball in the throat moment to feel that the wondering and waiting, impatient or not, had paid off.
When we lined up to go outside, the teacher up came to me and asked if I would help the class release them. As we unzipped the cage, the butterflies slowly made their way out and then flew away. After a few moments, we turned our attention back to what was left behind (the chrysallis). We saw that the once gauzy exterior had hardened into a shell filled with a prism of colors that changed when you turned it in light.
Our practices are much the same. We journey through the gamut of emotions as we dance with becoming intimate with, and estranged from presence. It is a practice of listening, observing, awakening, recalibrating and trusting that things will move and shift when they need to as we dutifully work in the wonder, the falling asleep, the becoming impatient, and then waking up over and over again with the experience of wonder at each new found step.
Our work here at TYC is to remind you at any point in your yogic cycle, of where you are right at present and to relish that as a gift. As we move into Summer, we are excited to offer you a variety of classes daily to spark you from the inside out.
Coming in June, we welcome celebrations to the spirit as we welcome mediumship, kirtan and sound bath to our workshop line up.
Embrace every part of your journey. Each step hold its lesson!
xoxo-
Sharon & Your friends at TYC