Monday, October 11, 2010

SASHA THE TEACHER



Meet our live-in teacher, Sasha.  She instructs us by meaningful behavior and congruent non-verbals.  She gets her basic needs met through polite, but persistent requests for help--showing us effective ways to ask for help. Her most effective subject is unconditional love, perhaps because she has no opinions, no judgmentalism, makes no demands (except at 7 a.m. and 5: p.m).  All she needs from us is almost constant attention and loads of affection.  She even makes that easy for us by positioning herself where we can hold or support her with little effort on our part.  She teaches us the art of simplicity as she lives in the “now,” meaning she holds no grudges or unrealistic expectations.  She shows us the virtue of patience, waiting hours some days in the window for us to return home. She reminds us to exercise, eager to take us on our walks and encouraging us to pick up the pace.  This morning I was doing a little yoga-- my version of downward-facing dog.  I opened my eyes and Sasha was facing me , two inches from my face, looking perplexed.  I must not have been doing the dog part right.  She growled softly and I gave up.  I will learn and, as I said, she is patient with us.

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