So many families are busy busy busy...running from one activity to the next with their kids. I often hear the question - why should I bring my kids to yoga?
As we move through this fast paced life we live it is inevitable we suffer the consequences of doing too much. Coming to yoga is an opportunity to slow down, to let the body rejuvenate itself, to pay attention to ourselves.
This same is true for kids. When they learn pranayama (breath awareness) they stop...all their focus is on the breath - whether we are blowing out our 'finger' candles, blowing up our balloons, or watching a feather move from our breath. They are still - for a brief moment.
We all can benefit from stillness. And with what we know about kids that they are sponges absorbing everything around them...we have the responsibility of role modeling a healthy lifestyle for them. That includes slowing down and noticing the breath.
(http://slowfamilyliving.com/family-mission-statement/)
There are many other benefits to yoga - body awareness, building muscle strength, coordination, balance, fun!! Better digestion, easier sleeping patterns, stress relief, and creativity.
None of us practice yoga for what we do on the mat - we practice yoga to create a resonance in our lives from what we do on our mats. When we balance in tree pose we create a place in ourselves that is rooted and yet flexible so the next time an aggravating situation presents itself we can stay grounded and flexible in our response. We take our kids to yoga to share this gift with them. To give them every tool we can to meet the challenges of life with grace, beauty, and a secure sense of themselves.
When we do yoga with our kids we create a bond between the student of life and the teacher of life. Question is - which one are we?
