24.6.2008

Are men real fighters?

Our lovely John (Juan) has been unwell for sometime with some persistent bug in his system for the past 6 weeks and currently feeling poorly again. Just watching him so unwell and at the same time trying his best has made me think about men, and human beings in general really.

There seems to be a need to look stronger than we really are, a fight that really needs more surrendering and nurturing and yet we have the perception of not letting others down. I felt the similar emotions last week when I really wanted to cry in the class and yet had to hold myself together until John and Lucy left the room. Then I also thought about the number of times a teacher has pushed my limits, where I felt pain and yet never said anything. This doesn't necessarily just apply to yoga, but at work place, or with other parents. Are we trying to prove something to them? Isn't our culture becoming more about masking our weaknesses and pretending, blaging our way into jobs, into relationships? Who is the person we are trying to create?

In the end we spoke to John last night and he said he was happy for our little John to swap with someone to teach his 8am class because surely he didn't want someone unwell putting themselves through this either.

It feels like it comes down to our perceptions put on others, we often do things for others and neglect ourselves. It's been a real learning to realise sometimes surrendering to our weaknesses shows that we have more inner strength than we think.

As for men and women, I won't even begin to compare the genders. There is no point because everyone is so unique. I could already see how sensitive John Scott is, he definitely has more feminine side to him than even most of us women. Lucy made us laugh yesterday because some people have been wanting to attend their workshop in Singapore just to sit and observe as they are full. John has been saying yes, and Lucy has been saying no to people, so everyone needed to clarify the matter. Lucy's response was "yes, I guess those of you speaking to lovely John go a different answer and those of you speaking to me, the dragon, got a different answer". She's so funny the way she understands herself and makes fun of her certain attributes, something we lack sometimes because we just get offended. After all who wants to face their dark sides?