Friday, February 7, 2014

the littlest yogis



Children always seemed  like a mystery to me - at least since whenever it was that I stopped thinking of myself as a child.   I was both fascinated and slightly afraid of them, never quite sure how to react to their frank lines of questioning and contextually absent statements.

Then I had one of my own, and the universe of children began to unfold upon me.  And, as a dedicated yogi, I decided that yoga should be a part of this universe.  Somehow.

So I read books and took classes.  Baby yoga was fun, though I often found myself doing more nursing than yoga postures.  I decided to practice baby-feeding as a form of devotional yoga (consequently I learned this is in fact true of all motherhood's responsibilities).

As my baby girl turned into a toddler, we tried all kinds of yoga classes and videos.   These sessions usually included me being climbed on a lot, my daughter doing all kinds of cute and laughable things, and a very wiggly savasana.  Sometimes I wondered if she was learning any yoga, or if I was doing any yoga.  Our joint practice was distracted and silly, sometimes frustrating, and we never looked like the photos in our toddler yoga books.  But we were having fun and bonding together, so I kept it up.

I have taught yoga to preschoolers for nearly 3 years now, and it is as playful and fun as ever.  Young children take naturally to the postures of yoga, their bodies still relaxed and flexible.  Practicing with their beloved adults gives them valuable bonding time and gently accustoms them to the dynamics of a group class.  Yoga teaches them, little by little, to be aware of themselves within and without.  As they grow and learn to focus, their yoga practice will follow.  And in the midst of the silliness, there are always moments of bliss - there are all kinds of sweet cuddles, kisses and "I love you" moments that happen on the mat.

My now-5-year-old takes yoga for granted in her life.  The effects of her playful practice are evident in her lovely posture, her ability to focus in her kindergarten class, and her keen self-awareness.  She will leave half a cookie uneaten because she "doesn't want to get a tummy ache", and sometimes asks to leave a party because she feels she " needs to rest a little bit".   I can't guarantee these results for all children, or presume that my daughter will not still struggle with balance in her life as she grows up.  I can say, with confidence, that yoga makes a difference in a child's life, just as it does in yours.

Be well, and practice on.

Om Tat Sat (You are the Divine)