Children
today are under a lot of stress. Homework, pressure to compete
with other children, endless after-school activities, over-scheduling
-- it all adds up. And just like their parents, kids today are
turning to Yoga to help them relax.
Teaching
Yoga to children, I've seen how Yoga helps them develop better
body awareness, self-control, flexibility and coordination. I've
also seen how they can carry these skills beyond class and into
their daily routines. For example, one of my students, Liza, a
10 year old, asked me what to do when she gets frustrated, like
when her computer doesn't work properly. First, I asked her what
she thought would help.
"Sometimes
I do the child's pose when I've had a bad day" she said. I told
her that was an excellent idea. We then talked about breathing
exercises, such as the three-part breath, that could help her
stay centered and calm in difficult situations throughout the
day.
Yoga
has also been shown to help the hyperactive and attention-deficit
child. These children crave movement and sensory/motor stimulus.
Yoga helps channel these impulses in a positive way. Yoga poses
that seem to work especially well are the warrior pose and tree
pose. They help instill calm, confidence and balance. The trick
is to get beyond just "doing" the posture. I try to get them to
think about what the postures mean, to become like the postures
-- strong and confident like a warrior.
I
use partner poses to develop trust. Working with each other on
poses, the children develop team skills. It also fosters bonding.
When
it comes to relaxation, some children have a difficult time closing
their eyes while others can't get enough. I once had a 10-year-old
boy ask me if we could have an extra long relaxation session as
he wanted more time to relax. One
technique that encourages relaxation is visualization. At first
I may have them focus on belly breathing and listening to relaxing
music. Then I may ask them to imagine that they are at the beach,
playing their favorite sport, or doing some other activity that
they like. At the end of the relaxation exercise, I encourage
the children to share their own experiences.
Another
approach is to create a guided visualization or story with a calming
theme of some kind. For example, I may ask them to imagine themselves
walking in a green pasture. "Notice the beautiful trees and the
butterflies flying over head," I may say. "Smell the fresh air.
Listen to the bluejays calling for their mates." The idea is to
instill a sense of peace and feeling of oneness with nature.
In
class, I also try to encourage input from the children. Most importantly,
their ideas and questions are easily addressed to allow learning
to take place
It
is my wish that more and more Yoga teachers will choose to offer
Yoga classes to young children. It is our dharma to teach children
the meaning of union of mind, body and spirit. There is such a
wealth of knowledge we can offer our children with the practice
of Yoga. The simple chanting of OM makes their faces light up
and smile.
Lisa Orkin , is a certified Kripalu
Yoga instructor, Yoga Therapist and occupational therapist who
has studied Yoga Therapy at the Vivekananda Kendra Yoga Research
Foundation in Bangalore, India. She has been teaching Yoga to
children ages 4 - 10 years old for over two years at various community
centers, after-school programs and private schools in the Boston
area. You may visit her website at http://www.lotusblossomyoga.com/ for more information
about the Yoga for Youngster Programs.
