A little bit of unadulterated playfulness in anticipation of the weekend:
Tag-Archive for » yoga for kids «
Category: Blog, gratitude, green, Spirit
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Jan
18
Time spent in meditation is, by far, one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves.
Many of us as parents, even those of us who appreciate meditation in our own lives, are hesitant to introduce it to our children.
We are intimidated by the prospect, knowing how difficult it is ourselves to find that often illusive place of quiet. ’If I struggle in quieting my own monkey mind, how can I possibly help my child do it?’
In truth, it can actually be easier. Consider how rapt your child is during story time. In that spirit, children are remarkably receptive to sitting in quiet and in peaceful attention. The perfect beginning.
Through guided meditation to start with, the child is better able to connect with that peaceful place within, losing themselves in the comfort of your voice or that of a recording, and the urgings of gentle instruction.
The benefits of meditation are immeasurable. As with adults, meditation is shown to reduce stress while enhancing self-esteem. It also offers a healthy means of relaxation during doctor’s visits, exams and in preparation for various sports events and performances.
According to Sarah Wood, a facilitator in child meditation, and author of the book Sensational Meditation for Children, teachers who build meditation into lesson plans report their classroom environments being more peaceful and attribute this to their students’ ability to express compassion to each other.
To help you get started with your own child, have a listen: childrengettingstarted
While it may take several sessions, any practitioner of meditation will agree that there can be no down-side to offering a child such an experience and the knowledge of how to acheive it themselves. Any time, any where. There is such valuable power in that.
For more ideas and resources, please visit Children’s Meditation.
For more information, read more at Suite101: The Benefits of Child Meditation: Giving Children Tools to Nurture Their Bodies, Minds and Spirits http://www.suite101.com/content/the-benefits-of-child-meditation-a22687#ixzz1BOorGkMd
Category: gratitude, health, instruction, Kids, Meditation, Spirit, strength, surrender
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Nov
09
Look… there’s very little else I can say to encourage those who haven’t yet made their way onto the mat, and until now, I wouldn’t have thought of this one, but if a chicken can freaking do it then, really…
As you’ve probably guessed, this won’t be your yogi’s yoga manual.
In this clever and fowl take on the practice, not only has Lynn Brunelle, one of the creative minds behind the TV show Bill Nye the Science Guy and the board game, Cranium, offered yoga from one of the most unique perspectives in print, she’s provided just that little extra encouragement in the form of an eagerly game, albeit slightly harried, model to guide you through the poses.
Written and illustrated by the talented Brunelle, Yoga for Chickens is geared to “lead you along the poultry path of self-awareness” and if you are interested- and who wouldn’t be- ponder along with you, your “being and chickenness.”
There is practical instruction, though brief, introducing readers to poses they might not be familiar with, such as “Wingstand,” “Rooster’s Sunrise Salutation,” and “Boneless Chicken Pose” (more commonly known as Corpse Pose). But what is most charming about the book is the tidbits of wisdom, the things we likely have already heard, but could use perhaps another reminder, in a unique and memorable way.
As you might rightly assume, your average chicken is probably a little ruffled trying yoga for the first time. But, as with anything, if a chicken can transcend her fears and give it a go… what are you waiting for?
Category: health, instruction, Just Crazy... In A Good Way, Postures, Practice, reading, yoga
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Mar
24
Finally… a school district that has actually taken on the “higher” in higher learning!
A British Columbia school district has approved, among other courses such as Musical Theatre and Outdoor Pursuits, yoga in an effort to address kids’ interest and demand.
According to Superintendent Jan Unwin, “the wide variety of courses is intended to keep kids in school by offering them something they will be interested in.”
This marks a new era in education (finally!?) as those interests that were once considered ‘alternative’, particularly given the spiritual component to something like yoga, are now seen as so positive and constructive as to be considered part of a public school curriculum.
Yoga has proven benefits in the areas of self-esteem and healthy body image, two critical aspects of children’s development, particularly for girls.
Introducing adolescents to the power and beauty of yoga really only introduces and reinforces the power and beauty in themselves…
which is something everyone needs!
Good on School District No. 42 for recognizing it!
Dec
09
Lovely, lovely… and, despite the exertion involved a nice relief from the previous posture, Dekasana- airplane.
The support of one, or two hands if you wish, certainly helps. The support of the arms provides leverage, allowing for greater extension through the lifted leg, with that foot active and energized.
With a last inhale in airplane, getting a little bit more from the slight backbend, heart reaching forward and up, maintain straight back and exhale, hinging at the hip, draw the torso forward down the long line of the thigh.
Be conscious of the line, making sure to keep the trunk turned to lay against the supporting leg. With the forward bending motion, the extended leg reaches, long and upwards, the toes eager and active towards the ceiling or up the wall to the rear.
This is an energetic posture and the torso extends long down the leg, pulling in the opposite direction of the reaching toes. Long, long… oh so long! The arms are engaged, with hands either on the floor, on the ankle or one of each, pulling offering assistance to the extension happening through both the torso andhttp://www.mommyom.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=761 leg. A block is absolutely encouraged to offer assistance in support with the hands, to keep the torso properly aligned, if the floor isn’t going to happen without it. That leverage is important in maximizing the benefit of this posture.
Regardless the height of the leg, the idea is length and energy… down into the floor through the supporting leg and foot and the hands and up through that long, extended leg into and beyond the toes.
Breathe, breathe… BREATHE!!
Feels good, don’t it?!
Category: Postures, strength, yoga
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Dec
08
I’d have cranked the heat… but it is Canada, after all!
In our neck o’ the woods we’ve seen celebrities of all stripes, most notably the whole Twi-hard phenomenon as they make their homes locally (roughly) to film the monster vampire franchise.
Anywho… a celebrity nearly as big, at least in his own mind, and certainly more interesting, recently graced our northern shores. With mouth, cocked and loaded, attitude and cash in abundance, the ‘bad boy’ founder of Bikram, Bikram Choudhury, did Vancouver.
“It takes six hours,” the Los Angeles-based yoga mogul said, before laughing: “And I buy all the junk. I love it, you know?”
Here to conduct a lecture as well as judge the Western Canadian Hatha Yoga Championships- who knew?!- Master Bikram, whose efforts and commitment have manifested in a veritable empire founded on heat, sweat and just plain balls(!), boasts more than 350 affiliated studios around the world and the devotion of millions. Without doubt, were it available to me and given my penchant for celebrity yogis, I’d probably be sitting sweaty and happy on the Bikram train as well.
The roots of Bikram’s methodology lie in a childhood devoted to hours of practice, where he became more and more aware of the positive effects of heat on his body and it’s response to yoga.
“When room is more hot, then I can sweat more, I can stretch more, I can push more, I can go more deeper and deeper and inside the body, it hurts less and you never get injury,” he said, recalling early days in India when he’d shut doors to keep in the heat.
“So I developed this with my own practice,” he said. “Years and years and years and years.”
Guru to any number of celebrities, Shirley McLain chief among them… oh, and Tiger Woods as well, along with the likes of Madonna, Elle Macpherson and the lovely George Clooney. Despite his roster of notable clientele, when it comes to giving them the celebrity treatment, Bikram states emphatically,
“This is the way I run my kingdom: my way or the highway,” he said in a tone that leaves little room for dispute. “I don’t listen to anybody. You need my help: Come to me, shut up, forget who you are. I will take care of you. And I do my job.”
For anyone perhaps considering taking Bikram to a more competetive level, take a peek… Here’s Mari Dickey, number one woman at the competition. A little inspiration:
Category: news, people, strength, Trends
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Dec
06
We’ve all known for ever the importance of a healthy breakfast to children’s learning, but one British primary school is also recognizing the benefits of incorporating yoga and meditation into education.
Riverside Primary in Rotherhithe
According to a recent article in The London Evening Standard, the children of Riverside Primary in Rotherhithe were provided with not only a proper breakfast heading into their primary SAT’s but also, under the guidance of a local yoga instructor, exercises in breathing and yoga.
The results astounded as the school, serving an area of considerable social disadvantage, found themselves ranked top of the Evening Standard’s league tables today, helping pupils soar more than a year ahead of their peers between the ages of seven and 11.
While the school made a concerted effort not to merely teach to the controversial tests, contributing to the remarkable results, the additional support in the form of healthy breakfast and relaxation exercises without doubt paid off this year.
Category: health, Kids, Meditation, Spirit, yoga
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Nov
25
I mean, some people swear they function best when they have to rifle through piles to find what they’re looking for… they even maintain that unless they are rifling through piles, they couldn’t possibly actually find what they’re looking for.
Really?! I’m always struck a tad incredulous with those claims… but hey, who am I to judge?
What I know for myself is that when my home, particularly those spaces in which I need to be productive… ie. kitchen, office, bedroom- ahem!… is tidy, clean and efficiently functional, I’m all the better for it. I’m more comfortable in these spaces and therefore enjoy spending more time in them. This is especially wonderful for me in my office… for my kids in the kitchen, and in the bedroom… well, I suppose hubby is the lucky beneficiary there!
Surely you’ve heard Oprah and her lovely Nate Berkus frequently wax poetic about your home “rising up to meet you…”; or her Australian guru of all things tidy and organized, Peter Walsh, making some mighty strong statements about the reflection the condition the home makes of one’s true state of mind and mental health. Then again, the people he’s dealing with are dealing with some pretty big issues beyond just some unruly piles of mail and magazines and general untidiness.
As I’m tidying and cleaning to prepare for this fast approaching holiday weekend and seeing piles disappear to whence they came- where they actually belong or the trash!- there’s a sense of calm and peace come over me that I usually only know after a cycle of sun salutations. There’s a feeling of all being right in that moment and I revel in each and every clutter-free space. Even the hallway downstairs where I’d been piling clothes to go to my sister’s kids, clothes to donate, seasonal items to be put away (yes, I have those infernal to-be-put-away piles that grow and grow until you have company coming to stay and finally PUT the stuff AWAY!!), ski suits to be tried on, car and boat batteries, the new light fixture for the dining room… I could go on….
Anyways, the feeling of satisfaction at having finally dealt with the various piles, the various messes, the general disorganization, is so worth the effort once the day is done. So, in honour of Thanksgiving… despite the stress that always accompanies these holidays, I wish everyone gratitude and peace of mind, whether it be from digging through your organized piles, or getting rid of them.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Category: Good Intentions, gratitude, health, Meditation, Spirit, surrender
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Nov
16
I’ve raved written in the past about this wonderful book of stories before.
In Jon M. Muth’s Zen Shorts, Stillwater, the serene and friendly Giant Panda of a neighbour to three children, siblings Karl, Michael and Addy, offers his own brand of Zen guidance and advice.
Through ancient stories infused with traditional Buddhist teachings, Stillwater provides solutions to the childen’s various individual conflicts.
These stories provide such tangible messages through simple yet engaging narrative along with wonderful artwork, moving between the full colour drawings of Stillwater and the children, and black & white sketches of the various ancient tales.
And while, yes, this is another plug gentle encouragement to give this book to your child, or your neighbour’s child, or your sister’s husband’s mother’s child… or yourself for that matter, it’s really one of the stories I’d like to specifically address here.
It’s the tale of an old farmer and his son. In short, and without infringing on copyright(!), the story has the farmer’s son buying a horse (good luck?), horse running away (bad luck?), horse returning with two other wild horses (good luck?), boy attempts to ride one of them and is thrown, breaking his leg (bad luck?), shortly thereafter visited by military recruiters who won’t accept him due to his injury (good luck?)….
And so it is. With each new circumstance the ever-sympathetic neighbours qualify it with either judgement, “such good luck” or conversely, “such bad luck”, to which the wise old farmer consistently and simply replies, “maybe’.
The message, as summed up by young Michael to the gentle Stillwater, “Maybe good luck and bad luck are all mixed up. You never know what will happen next.”
Hmmmmmm. Wonderful messages and a certain must read for any child… or adult….
Nov
13
We have been trying to implement a regular routine of meditation for the kids…
It’s short and sweet, don’t get me wrong.
While eleven year old sits and is definitely interested in ‘getting it’, the others are typical kids and do what they have to to endure the seemingling endless minutes. There’s a bit of fidgeting by seven-year-old. And five-year-old lone girl child feels the need to act out the scenes I describe to facilitate relaxation: eyes scrunched shut, turning her face upwards with an exaggerated smile towards a fictional sun or scratching and digging her toes into the floor as though it’s actually warm Caribbean sand.
Regardless the fidgeting and dramatic performance, it’s a practice. It’s a practice that will provide them with a personally valuable life skill. The ability of being able to still the mind, get quiet, calm down, gather. It’s a practice that will serve them well as they grow and mature and the anxieties and stresses of life intensify. They don’t understand that now, certainly. But I take heart in this being a gift I can give them that will provide them infinite rewards as they evolve into teens and adults.
However, as we- parents- make our way through our own transition right now, implementing new strategies to manage our stress and keep thinking positively, and as we enjoy the benefits of these strategies, it becomes clear that these few minutes early in the day are only part of the picture.
The practice extends beyond just a few minutes of focusing on good feelings for a few moments. It’s an exercise in looking for, recognizing, and even getting excited anticipating, good things throughout the day. Little things, sometimes really seemingly insignificant- inconsequential- things, but together add up to a wonderful day.
As homeschoolers we’re together most of the day. This lends itself to great quality time, but also to more opportunities for conflict and irritation.
So, we’ve begun making lists throughout the day… making a brief stop here and there to quickly consider and jot down those good things that happen, no matter how small. Say, really simply, ‘I had leftover pizza for lunch…” or “I got my language arts done in only one hour…” or “Sister helped me build my fort…”
These little things end up being pretty easy to identify (particularly for kids!) and what’s remarkable about this exercise -an introduction to appreciation and gratitude- is how fast the lists are compiled and how much fun it becomes!
There is no right or wrong in the lists, as long as they’re positive and that they please us to look back upon.
It brings colour to the day.
Of course, this practice doesn’t eliminate the bumps and challenges that can be part of our days, but it gives us a little precious perspective, balancing the conflicts, trials and frustrations with appreciation, fun and wonder.
Category: gratitude, health, Kids, Meditation, Spirit, strength, surrender
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