Yoga for Kids: Building Self-Image, Part 2

There is plenty of competition to go around in this world. If you are a Yoga teacher, you should not encourage competition within a Kids Yoga class. This is not easily done. Each child wants praise, but this can be accomplished by making your Yoga class a nurturing event, where every child who participates, can feel a sense of self-worth.

This atmosphere, which is designed by the Yoga instructor, will develop a child?s character ?from the ground up.? Each child is unique and special in his or her own way. Children have to be taught to appreciate themselves as they are. Self-worth cannot be calculated by the skill of one single activity, and Yoga is the sum of many different activities, within a given class.

When I first started teaching Yoga to children, I began to integrate Vinyasa Yoga into the warm-ups of our children?s martial arts classes; some parents wondered why? Soon, some of the children, who had Attention Deficit Disorder, and other attention span problems, became more focused for the rest of the class. Still, other children, who regularly practiced Vinyasa Yoga warm-ups, started to develop a more pronounced muscular appearance. This may have been due to many factors, such as the cross training involved in practicing Vinyasa Yoga and martial arts, on a regular basis - while many other children, who attended these integrated classes, went home, did their homework, and slept better.

Eventually, we established a pure Kids Yoga class, and it was scheduled between two children?s martial arts classes. The children were enthusiastic and the parents were, and still are, very supportive. In the above-mentioned examples, different children gained different benefits from learning Yoga.

As children continue to learn Yoga, they should also be taught to refrain from comparing themselves to other children in the Yoga class. This is not easy for a Yoga teacher to do, but can be accomplished by teaching children to accept themselves as they are, and that trying their best is really good enough.

Regular attendance to Kids Yoga classes is the key to getting rid of emotional baggage. Children must be taught to appreciate themselves in a positive way, and the study of Yoga can give any child self-empowerment. When children gather and participate in Yoga instruction on a steady basis, they also make new friends. The parents who send their children to study Yoga sincerely care.

Therefore, any child who learns Yoga is surrounded by children of ?like-minded? parents. Yoga training for children is, in essence, a controlled atmosphere - even though the Yoga class setting is relaxed.

? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Beauty and Youthfulness

In all ages, the endeavor of man has been to remain beautiful and youthful. For this he spends all his income in housing, food and dress. However as he gains age, nothing helps him in his endeavor to remain beautiful and youthful, diseaseless and ageless. This is because of thousands of years of ignorance, prejudice encoded in the mind.

Body is just like a burning flame. A flame exists and gives light so long as oil or wax burns. Fresh oil is drawn up into the flame and burnt out oil leaves the flame into the atmosphere. Similarly food, water and air enters into the body and used up and toxic materials leaves the body in the form of sweating, urine and stool. The body remains as burning flame giving beauty and youthfulness.

However the difference is that oil in the body is inexhaustible. It is the life-force(prana) pervading all parts and all cells in the body. The source of this life-force is the soul(atman) within each living being. Soul and its life-force is eternal, unending and uncontaminated. Hence so long as this life-force exists in the body, the body should be beautiful, youthful and uncontaminated with disease and death.

Again if we view the body scientifically, the cells in the body are being regenerated continuously. After every seven years all old cells are replaced by newly created cells. So after every seven years we get a new body and never remain the same. Hence the body should always remain beautiful and youthful.

So long as we don’t realise our life-force(prana) and source of this life-force i.e. soul(atman) or true self, we cannot remain youthful. In order to realise true self one has to practice Yoga. Yoga is a method to control body and mind and finally the mind. We are nothing but a mind. What our mind thinks up it materialises. When we practice Yoga to remain youthful and beautiful it really happens. We rule over the body and mind and overcome disease and death. This is liberation and this may come right in this birth.

Contrary to this, religious leaders would declare that disease and death is truth. So pray for the mercy of God and after death one may enter into heaven. Hell, heaven and God are imaginary things which have remained as ignorance and prejudice for thousands of years. They have no real existence; they exists in the mind only. These things have been created by a few in order to rule over the majority. The real truth, the real divinity and the real bliss lies in soul, life and consciousness only.

So one should give up ignorance and prejudice at once and get liberated. One should search for real truth which only give peace, beauty and youthfulness. In order to hold the truth firmly one has to practice that Yoga which may drive out ignorance throgh the dawn of right knowledge.

For reading more about Yoga and spiritualism readers may go through the book ‘Quest for Truth: the spiritual and yogic way’ published with Thornton Publishing, Inc. Also readers may email to the Author for guidance.
http://www.bookstobelievein.com/questfortruth.php

premansu_chand@rediffmail.com

Slow Down and Increase Productivity

Have you ever thought about getting a gym membership but thought “I don’t have time”? Don’t worry. You’re not alone. What some of us don’t think about, is that when you work out at the gym on a regular basis, your energy level goes up, stress is reduced, thought process is refined, sleep pattern is regulated and you have more confidence.

In the long run, this will create more time in the day by allowing you to think faster, be more efficient, relaxed and happy, and trust that you are a together person.

Now, we know that your probably still going to put off going to the gym, but what if a similar effect could be achieved at home in a more relaxing atmosphere? Try this one:

Grab a yoga or Thai Chi tape and watch enough to learn three movements. Once you know these movements by heart, run a nice hot bath, take off your makeup and make a cup of tea. Light some candles around the tub (fresh flowers are a nice touch too) and put on some soothing music.

Repeat your three movements for five to ten minutes, making sure to concentrate on your breathing. Hop in the tub with your cup of tea and add your favourite smelly bath treat. Lie back in the bath and concentrate on your breathing again. Let the world melt from your mind for as long as you can.

Go to bed right after you get out and have a wonderful sleep. Wake up refreshed and ready to take on the world! You’ll be amazed at the difference.

Ivy Mills has been researching chemical sensitivity and natural alternatives for over five years and has brought her knowledge to the marketplace in her company, Valhalla Essences. Her personal experiences have fed a passion to help others with the same problem. Ivy welcomes others to share their stories and experiences on her blog, Peaceful Power.