Wahe guru mantra;school

[Guest guest]

Hi Gian,

 

Neutral doesn't mean having to stand in there and take it. Neutral

can also mean able to walk away from it and feel ok, that you did

the right thing for you, you know neutral.

 

Please don't think I'm trying to advise you what to do on your job,

understand this: for myself I finally figured out when work

relationships, or situations were just 'not right' or there was

constant friction with someone, that was God's way of telling me I

wasn't in the right place.

 

The school you work in sounds pathetic, it must be a public school.

Just curious are these 'at risk' kids or what? What grade/age?

 

You'll make the right decision.

 

Blessings

 

 

Brad

[Guest guest]

Gian-

Do you mind my asking which neighborhood in Pittsburgh you teach? I

lived their for 8 years. (although that was about 7 years ago). My

first guess would be the hill district.

 

> I realized that I was only deciding to continue public school

teaching

> because I saw it as a test of character and training for a stronger

> character. Unfortunately, this kind of teaching (to large groups of

> rebellious teenagers) is not my strong suit. So as of June 20th, I

am going

> to concentrate only on teaching yoga, doing shiatsu and writing.

 

I was going ask you if, after all that you go through at that school,

you felt that is was rewarding to you on some level. But it appears

you've answered my question already. Sometimes ego gets in the way of

what is really the best for us. I know I've been guilty of that many

times myself. It sounds like you've stepped back and assessed what is

and is not important to you. I hope that you find teaching yoga to

very rewarding and fulfilling. That's the most important thing.

 

Christa

[Guest guest]

Ellen,

 

Hi. "our experiences?" Who's experiences? I believe that we get so caught

up in

experiences that we let them define who we are, we BECOME our experiences.

Generally people live that way. Thats where meditation and the

neutral mind comes

in. I really believe these kids need a drill sargent type teacher. The longer

we stay

in situations we are comfortable with the more garbage we collect in regards to

the experience, 'I'm a bad teacher', 'I get no respect', 'I'm in

a battle every day at work',. It becomes a self-created drama. (which BTW we

love)

 

"For some reason, I am too lenient or at least ambivalent in my judgment of

student behavior. So I don't come across as the ideal teacher who

is clear and communicative. I am going to have to meditate on the background

for that tendency." -

So now you are 'lenient person' because of what's been happening at work. Or

you are not 'teacher who is clear and communicative', no you're

Gian.

 

I don't meditate for anything, I just meditate. My ego has less and less to do

with

defining 'me' every day. Don't get me wrong, I still react and get 'caught up'

from time to time. But when I learned to observe/label on a daily

basis, and that comes from meditation, thats when I started feeling more 'at

home' as self.

 

"Of course, the problems that I brought to the middle school teaching job will

follow me to teaching yoga." - These 'problems' seem to be taking

on a life of their own.

I'm visualizing ugly looking, mean, furry things with legs.

I really sense you are a fine yoga teacher, and will probably be a better one

from your recent classroom experience. It sounds like your ego has

already started to sabotage your yoga teaching and you haven't even started yet.

Remember what Ram Dass said "Don't live in the past, don't live in the future,

just BE HERE NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

Psst Gian, thats where meditation can help you. Neutrality takes away all that

garbage. So stay with it.

 

Ok I'm off my soapbox now.

 

Have fun with the yoga and Shiatsu! :-)

 

Blessings

 

Brad