This morning, I went to my yoga class because......well, because I enjoy it and I know it is good for me. The instructor, Erika, is patient, knowledgeable, and willing to work with any body, at any stage. The names of the yoga poses are of particular fascination to me. Some, like the cobra, make perfect sense because I can imagine the head of the cobra coming up, just as my head comes up. Others, such as the half pigeon are senseless to me. The position is a comfortable one for my body and gives a great stretch for my gluts and hamstrings, but what the position has to do with a pigeon is beyond my ken. The rag doll is a position that gives a great stretch - perhaps all over when I think about it. It feels really good to hang from my waist. I called it perversely comfortable. And, I can mostly imagine why the position resembles a rag doll.
It was while we were in our extended rag doll positions that Erika announced to us that this position was good for resolving conflict. "Hmmm", I thought to myself, "And how is this?"
She proceeded to explain to us that if we were having a disagreement with our spouses or SOs, we should stand, back-to-back, and each go into a rag doll position. (This now puts you behind-to-behind.) Because your feet are a shoulder-width apart, you can see the other person's face - between your legs - only upside down. You then can continue the disagreeable conversation with the other person.
I can see why this would be useful in conflict resolution. Imagine trying to remain angry or upset with another human when you are looking at his or her face - upside down- and behind-to-behind. I'm quite certain I would end up laughing hysterically and completely forget why I was angry in the first place.
I'm just picturing a corporate board room.......or a Presidential Cabinet meeting.......or a church council meeting.
Could be very interesting. I think that Erika is on to something! Do you want to be the first to suggest it or should I?
Ancora imparo
