by Don Wenig
Last spring I started a new adventure as a beekeeper. I’ve been cultivating a native wildflower garden for the past several years and who better to enjoy the flowers but the bees? Perhaps in return we’ll enjoy some of the honey they produce.
This has been such a learning adventure. Because of my lack of experience and understanding of how the hive works, my bees rans out of space to expand and — without consulting me –decided to swarm.
They just took off! Moved on in search of a new place. Oh no…no honey! Of all the nerve! The bees left in search of greener pastures with absolutely no regard to my bruised ego.
It seemed to me that all was lost. No queen, no eggs, a significantly reduced bee population, what had I done? Had I failed the bees? Had the bees failed me? Had I jumped into something I had no business attempting? Ok…breathe. I’m a novice and have a lot to learn. It’s ok.
To get help in this unknown territory I reached out to a gentleman I had recently bee-friended. An experienced bee keeper named Bill. Bill is a lanky 72 year old vet with a twinkle in his eyes. He loves bees, is knowledgeable, has unquestionable faith that things are just as they should be.
He suggested I slow down and trust in the bees. If the hive was supposed to survive it would…or maybe it wouldn’t. The hive has a collective consciousness and will do it’s best to find a new balance. Thanks guru Bill.
While I sat on pins and needles the worker bees made a new queen…something, I learned, they do. While I wasn’t looking the new queen hatched, flew out, mated, came back and started fulfilling her sole purpose of laying eggs. The hive took care of business. Restored balance. They’re back and better than ever. Trust in nature.
All of life is a learning adventure. What if that’s all we’re really here for? Isn’t that natural curiosity and daring what we love about our kids? What they thrive on? To try new things, to learn from everything around them and from one another? A big YogaKids YES!
The bees are teaching me about patience, trust, ease and awareness. To be gentle and compassionate towards myself. Like Bill…simply be present to what is. Whether it’s the hive that swarms or life presenting the infinite surprises that it does, take joy in it all, love it all, be kind, celebrate and bee happy.
YOGAKIDS POSES TO DO WITH YOUR KIDS!
Beezing: Begin in Child’s Pose. Reach back and interlace your fingers behind you. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift your arm wings up. Move your head, upper body and wings back and forth as you fly like a bee. Bring your tongue to the roof of your mouth. Hum and buzz like a bee. Land on a flower and practice straw sipping as you sip the tasty nectar from the flowers.
Electric Circle: This pose is done with at least three people. Sit cross-legged with your hands on your knees. The left hand rests palm up, and the right hand rests palm-down. Breathe deeply into your heart space at the center of your chest. Feel the breath move across your chest, flow down your arms and into the hands that you are holding. You might feel or hear tingling. Whenever you feel this electricity, gently squeeze the hands you are holding. That is the signal to let each other know that the circuit has been made and the current is flowing. With your lips closed and your tongue curled upward to touch the roof of your mouth, start humming or buzzing to imitate the sound of electricity. Get louder and louder, then break the circuit by letting go of each other’s hands. Sit quiet and listen to the silence.