Calm, Connected, Stable and Strong Sharing the Practice of Yoga with Children “Children come into this world very pure. It is up to the adults to help them stay bright, strong and healthy." - H. H. Sri Swami Satchidananda Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 3 The Power of OM in a Child’s Yoga Practice ................................................................................... 4 Yoga for Kids: Let the Body Breathe ............................................................................................... 7 Balloon Breath ............................................................................................................................. 9 Breath of Joy ................................................................................................................................ 9 Hands Flower Breath ................................................................................................................. 10 Mudras – Mini Yoga Poses for Little Yogis and Yoginis ................................................................ 11 Let the Sun Shine! Sun Salutations for Children ........................................................................... 13 For The Youngest ....................................................................................................................... 14 Five To Seven ............................................................................................................................. 14 Eight To Eleven .......................................................................................................................... 14 Teens ......................................................................................................................................... 14 Families ...................................................................................................................................... 15 Kids Love Arm Balances! ............................................................................................................... 16 Wiggly Kids Relax .......................................................................................................................... 18 So Hum Meditation for Children ................................................................................................... 20 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 22 About Global Family Yoga ............................................................................................................. 23 Copyright© 2015 Global Family Yoga™. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any 2 means without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Introduction Global Family Yoga has developed a signature system for facilitating a fun, safe and effective yoga class for children. There are several key components. We have gathered key articles (from among more than 50) that explain the most important techniques to use in a children’s yoga class, along with the order in which to use them. In this free e-book, you will find the heart of our “Signature System.” Each article was written by our Director of Training - Mira Binzen, E-RYT, RCYT - for Yoga Chicago Magazine. All these articles and more are available on our website - and published in Yoga Chicago [reproduced with permission]. Copyright© 2015 Global Family Yoga™. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any 3 means without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. The Power of OM in a Child’s Yoga Practice “Om is a simple sound,” I tell the children in class, “but it contains all the sounds in the universe–distant stars, airplanes flying overhead, children laughing, your tummy grumbling, even sounds we can’t hear–like the sound of a blade of grass growing. When we make this sound, it helps us connect to all that is. It attunes us to the teachings and to ourselves.” We use this sound to both begin and end a yoga practice. To introduce Om to a group of children, I ring a pair of tingshas (Tibetan symbols) I call my “magic listening bells.” I invite the children to not only hear the sound, but feel the sound in the body. We listen for the sound to end and then I say, “We can make a similar sound using our own voice. This is the sound of Om.” As with the bells, we can hear the sound, and we can also experience the vibration as felt sensation in the body. This is a key facet of practicing yoga– tuning in to your own experience. Swami Satchidananda has said, “When you repeat Om, you hear your own sound.” Om is made up of four sounds: A – U – M and the silence that follows. It is in this silence where we can start to hear our own sound. The three sounds before the silence take us through the complete cycle of life–creation, maintenance, and dissolution. Each time we chant Om, we are moving through this complete cycle, connecting with all that is. Yoga is a practice of integrating all aspects of ourselves and balancing with the world around us. While this is a deep notion to consider, the sound of Om can bring us into direct contact with this in a simple way. When sharing yoga in schools and other public institutions, there may be some hesitancy in using the sacred sound of Om. There is a belief that this sound is related to religious practice. It is for some. One young yoga student, who is Indian and raised in the Hari Krishna tradition, Copyright© 2015 Global Family Yoga™. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any 4 means without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. The Power of OM in a Child’s Yoga Practice boldly proclaimed to the class that “Om is God.” This is what he has been taught about the sound of Om. It touches on this beautiful, nebulous, unapproachable, and ultimately futile attempt to name or describe that which is unfathomable. Someone from another religion would have a different way to describe what cannot be described. When teaching adults how to share the practice of yoga with children, I offer the definition given at the opening of this article as a simple, accessible, and authentic way to describe this sound, which is respectful of personal beliefs and practices. An even simpler way to talk about this sound is to say that it is the sound of life. Oftentimes with children, less is more. There is no need for complicated explanations. Experiencing the sound will reveal its meaning. To sidestep any concern about Om, some suggest using a sound such as a vowel–a, e, i, o, or u– or an English word such as “peace” to emulate this tuning in with Om. This may be a way to avoid concerns about religious connotation, but it doesn’t result in the same beneficial effect. A study conducted at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience in Bangalore, India, and published in the International Journal of Yoga in 2011 showed that chanting the sound “Om” was more effective in relieving depression than no sound or using the sound “sssss.”* Much illness today, both physical and mental, arises from a sense of isolation or separation. According to principles of yoga therapy, physical illnesses that may be caused or exacerbated by feelings of isolation include asthma, allergies, arthritis, psoriasis, high blood pressure, heart disease, lupus, diabetes, and a whole host of chronic conditions. Om, along with the rest of the practice of yoga, gives us a felt sense of connection. Like Hugo says in the movie of the same name, “I’d imagine the whole world was one big machine. Machines never come with any extra parts, you know. They always come with the exact amount they need. So I figured if the entire world was one big machine, I couldn’t be an extra part. I had to be here for some reason. And that means you have to be here for some reason too.” Om helps us experience this for ourselves. In addition to opening and closing a practice with Om, we use Om to bring students out of a posture and out of final rest. After this quiet time, the first sound heard is the sound Om. I also use Om to count. Being from Minneapolis, I grew up saying, “One Mississippi, Two Mississippi.” to count out a full second. Now when I’m teaching, I count the number of breaths or time in a posture with “Om one, Om two, Om three.” Both kids and adults have told me that they like this. Copyright© 2015 Global Family Yoga™. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any 5 means without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. The Power of OM in a Child’s Yoga Practice When debunking beliefs about Om and its religious connotations, I encourage teachers to feel confident in its use and meaning. I personally haven’t had anyone question my using Om in any setting. When I use it, I am steeped in its meaning, confident of its benefit, and joyful in its delivery. “Om” rhymes with “home” and chanting this sacred sound to begin and end a yoga practice can help a child feel at home in his or her own body and in the world. *Read the research article here. Copyright© 2015 Global Family Yoga™. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any 6 means without the prior written permission of the copyright