My thoughts.
When I started to study to become a Yoga Teacher I wanted to help children, and the parents of children, with Special Needs. After all my starting point or my ‘’aha’’ moment that led me on this path was seeing children with ‘’special needs’’ and how they adored both Forest School and Yoga at the Nursery I worked in....
Now.. the term: Special Needs. That encompasses quite an umbrella doesn’t it? As we are all individuals. So what does this label ‘Special Needs’ mean.... Well, to me, in a nutshell, it’s typical of a child/individual that doesn’t fit into a ‘’box’’.
The ‘’norm’’ i.e. that which is deemed as ‘’normal by Society’s standards’’.
But who in the world today has the authority to advise what is ‘’the norm’’? Is it Doctors? Doctors of what exactly?
Putting it another way.
At school we learn.
At school we are moulded.
At school we are taught what Society wants to teach us.
At School we are taught in the environment that the majority seem comfortable.
At school we are taught to think. Not to think for ourselves, but how Society wants us to think.
At school we are encouraged to think of working hard, studying, going to College/University/etc, to get a good job, to earn a good wage, and to get married and have that house with 3 children, and pay our taxes.
We are encouraged to think that achieving the above will make us ‘happy’.
Isn’t it what everybody wants????
At no point are we encouraged to be ‘individuals’ and to question our teachings.
But Society has placed us all under an umbrella of ‘normal’.
If we don’t fit in that ‘box’ of normality then we are classed as Special Needs and/or difficult, or some other such venicular/”label”.
What if we don’t tick all the boxes and reach all of our milestones?
What if we can’t learn in the environment that we are placed?
What if we can’t sit still?
What if we don’t understand social cues?
What if we ask too many questions?
What if we are very sensitive to light, sound, or touch?
What if we don’t ‘’see’’ or ‘’feel’’ like other ‘normal’ people?
What if we speak they speak the truth – without any sugar coating so as to avoid hurting people’s feelings?
What if we can’t explain a simple sentence but can identify all the flags of the world?
What if we can’t add up simple sums but can recite poetry, or play back music identically after having just listened to it once?
To me these are not children/people with special needs. Indeed, they are quite the opposite.
These are gifted individuals.
They should be encouraged to embrace who they are.
They should be encouraged to embrace their uniqueness.
They should be taught in an environment where their skills excel.
Above all, they should be encouraged to be happy in their own skin.
To embrace and celebrate their uniqueness.
If they can do that, the chances are they will be happy with whoever they are.
In a modern world we are too often reminded of any shortfalls – whether it’s weight, intelligence, income, relationship status, etc etc. There is a push for people to be ‘perfect’.....
Being forced to ‘live in a box’ can cause huge amounts of stress and anxiety for a person, a friend, a parent, or a child.
Embrace yourself. Be happy and content with who you are.
Be more love. Be more loving.
Embrace Emotional Freedom Technique to help with the anxiety and stress of living in today’s challenging world.
Namaste xxx
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