The benefits of yoga are infinite. By introducing the practice at a young age, children will begin to set a foundation that will support them physically, mentally and spiritually. Yoga for kids: builds confidence and self-esteem; improves concentration; helps develop balance, flexibility, coordination, and strength; promotes creativity and imagination; encourages calmness; and most importantly, helps kids cope with stress and their emotions.
I can still visualize my tiny body, laying helplessly on my nonna's bathroom floor, on the first day of school. I had convinced myself that I was too ill to attend school. By the time 9:30 rolled around, I was perfectly fine! The physical pain I experienced earlier, was very real! I didn't know then that the pain was brought on by mental noise, aka - anxiety. Too bad phys ed didn't include breathing techniques in grade 1.
Having experienced anxiety so early in my life, I refuse to see other children live through such unnecessary emotional disruption. Yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises have enabled me to reinforce my foundation, find mental clarity and spiritual awakening. If children are the future, then they deserve to reap the benefits of a balanced lifestyle. Somewhere between walking on the moon and the launch of the iphone, we missed out on living the totality of our true self.
As I grow and learn, I realize that love is the most powerful healing force, and that our relationship with our self and others provides the greatest teachings. So as a yoga kids teacher, my goal is go beyond introducing the benefits of yoga. Instead I choose to teach kids to lead with their heart in all that they do. Who knows, may be Apple will develop a self-love app that encourages acts of loving kindness. How's that for a prosperous future?!
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| Our Future |
