Building a Carin with Yogi Beans

For weeks I have had the privilege to teach Kids Yoga with an amazing, high energy, brother duo at the Yogi Beans Studio . Like many boys, it is not always appealing to color mandalas, sing songs, and do yoga poses as it may not always captivate their attention as much as it would for young girls. Often times even the regular education system takes for granted that boys have more energy than girls, and often times think in a more mathematical way. These two boys have inspired me to find new ways to make meditation, yoga poses and breath work fun for them. I love to watch them progress and encourage each other every week. They truly bring joy to my every Sunday. While I want to do yoga exercises that are catered to their physical needs as well as emotional desires, I want them to embrace a sense of calm and mediation. This Sunday we had a meditation breakthrough!!!! I decided to pull out the Block Pile or Carin. A Carin is also known as a man made pile of blocks. These blocks are cut in various jagged ways, and kids are required to focus as they slowly create a pile with these oddly shaped blocks. This activity improves and spotlights a child's spatial reasoning. So far any kids I have worked with never get the pile higher than 3 or 4 blocks, and it usually wobbles the entire time. This Amazing Brother duo had me in total amazement as they piled up all the blocks with ease, humility and precision. They even described why they would position each block where it was. In all honesty, I don't know many adults who would be able to get the pile passed 3 blocks, let alone build the entire pile....And these boys did it repeatedly!!! WOW! While I know I am drawing many comparisons it is only to highlight how we are all unique and gifted in our own ways. While some of us have talents in arts, some may have talents in math or science etc. These two boys had joyful focus like nothing I have seen. Paul & William you are the engineers of the future. Thanks for making my Valentine's morning so thrilling!!!