• Table of Contents
  • Gods My only Kin by Swami Veda Bharati
  • 30 Years - Himalayan Institute Germany by Wolfgang Bischoff
  • "Something Swamiji Said" by Lalita Arya
  • Pain-Teacher by Veena Haasl-Blilie
  • Marching Onwards by Dian Singh
  • To Give People a Daily Practice by Giancarlo Colombo
  • Surya Namaskar by Lori Beron
  • Biofeedback and Beyond by Daniel Hertz
  • Untying Emotional Knots on the Way to Joy by Randall Krause
  • Self Awareness – The Core of Yoga by Florentina Hausknotz
  • You Should Teach your Children through Example by Swami Rama
  • Swami Veda Recommends Two Books
  • 2013: Are You Coming?
  • 2011 Events and Beyond
  • Full Moon Meditation Dates
  • Location of our SRSG ashram
• AHYMSIN Newsletter Archive

Marching Onwards

by Dian Singh

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In early 2008, I received a call, “Dian, I heard from your mom that you teach yoga. Will you come to teach Yoga to our senior citizens in the TTARP senior citizens activities center at Jasmine Avenue, Edingburg , Chaguanas. Trinidad?” I was caught by surprise before I could think of any lame excuses. The voice on the other end continued to convince me as though I was ordained to do this. Admittedly, I reluctantly agreed, as it was to be a morning class. Set on  a Wednesday morning at 9am, nothing prepared me for the group of vibrant, well meaning, dedicated individuals I was about to meet.

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Word started spreading rapidly, so much so that the studio space had outgrown too quickly. With new persons coming on a weekly basis and the earlier folks developing strength so quickly, I was faced with a dilemma. What to do about the new folks who needed breath work urgently? What must be done about those who needed to move on? The best solution therefore was to get another yoga teacher, who will take those who were now prepared for a little more advance work in the studio. Having searched and found Mr. Smith, a qualified senior hatha instructor who was willing to conduct this class, he has been doing this class ever since and enjoys it tremendously. I opted to stay in the garage shed; a lawn adjoins that area, which we could also use as a backup plan. This entire space was larger to accommodate all new persons. Ah, this too proves inadequate to date.

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The members are active, full of life, very dedicated and committed to their class. Often I wonder aloud, “Why is this class called a senior citizens class? You all are not seniors at all.” A loud approval is sounded, “Yes, it should be called the retirees class.” We have a lot of fun and laugh quite often.

I observed my TTP training in 2002; Minneapolis paid off wisely as I employed a sense of gentle hatha, actually mostly Joints and Glands exercises, a lot of breath training through makarasana and shavasana and talks on yama, niyamas and holistic health. I repeatedly stress the importance of diaphragmatic breathing to such an extent that I’m sure a few can repeat me word for word.  It’s a class I fully enjoy instructing. The continuous dedication of improving themselves is highly encouraged. 

Soon some were saying pain disappeared from their necks, backs, feet, knees etc.

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One lady said she did not want to be bed ridden like her mom and have her kids caring for her; with her regular practice she threw away her blood pressure tablets.

I recalled a woman coming to class with her face twisted (due to an accident); after several months, suddenly, one day in class I realized her face had straightened out a lot. When I enquired, she said joyfully, “yes, only this week my friend was remarking how well my face looks”, she said, “I don’t make joke, daily in front of my mirror I’m doing facial exercises.”

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Others have praises for how much diaphragmatic breathing has assisted them, particularly those previously fearful and agitated ones.

A few people came with strokes; with them being encouraged to practice daily, huge improvements are seen in their movements.

Soon I discovered that this class brought a lot of public recognition to me, the Ministry of Social Development (Division of Ageing) was doing a series of television programmes on public awareness, showing what was available to the ageing population on methods that could assist them. A popular TV host came and interviewed me along with the group also doing various hatha exercises. We all became popular following this programme, many strange people would look at me and ask if I am the “Yoga Lady” in Community Development Television Programme.

These classes have taught me that we are only instruments on the path, and that these classes do not belong to us. They are given to us to help us grow in various ways, and to help us pay our Guru debt. Surrender is absolutely necessary to Guru, if the people you are instructing are to gain any benefits at all. This must be clear in mind at all times. “This is Not my Class, this is your class only. You have placed me here therefore, please teach through me. Make me an instrument so your words I May speak.”

As a result, the class continues to grow and become a source of fulfillment to all of us.

Editor’s Note:

Dian has written of these classes: “Yoga Meditation Society of T & T Senior Citizen Yoga Class. This class features mainly Joints and Glands exercises and learning to breathe correctly. There are none younger than 50 years of age or some as old as 75 years old and perhaps older. After they have learnt to breathe correctly and become a little stronger and flexible, they move on to the beginners 2 class.”

The Yoga and Meditation Center of Trinidad and Tobago is an AHYMSIN Affiliate Center.  They have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/47318728604/. 

More photos of the class can be seen at Facebook at this link https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2110401971691.113676.1594873401