Earlier this week I was taking a wonderful yoga class at a studio called NYC Loves Yoga . The class was rather quiet as the teacher was guiding us through an intense sequence of asanas. Personally, I was focused on my body and tracking my breath. Yes, I can be a Yoga goodie two-shoes . The teacher let out a little chuckle and said, “Whew guys, you are all so quiet! Don’t be so sad!” She then continued to teach.
Her words were very familiar to me as I have thought the very same thing when teaching Yoga or other workshops. I am so trained to judge positivity with smiles and good cheer that perceived solemnity automatically registers in my mind as sad, disconnected, and discontent.
In one of my past weekly learning sessions there was one student who most of the time sat with a complete scowl on his face. I see his face and my mind says, “He hates this and he hates me.” Inevitably, he would pop out a question that showed he was closely listening, intrigued, and wanted more information. I had to train my brain to reinterpret his facial expression as concentrated, not angry.
Our sense of personal meaning and the meaning we ascribe to a particular moment can be deeply impacted by our perceptions of those around us. Next time you catch a glimpse of a situation and fling out a negative interpretation, ask your brain to slow down and offer another possibility. Especially with people we do not know well, or with forms of communication that are mostly limited (phone/emails), it is so easy to misinterpret the inner world of another individual. With practice we can learn to keep our judgments open and less harmful. Good luck!
Many blessings!
