By Jomana Krupinski
It is said that children are natural scientists. If that is true, then they must also be natural Yogis. Yoga, like science, fosters curiosity, awareness, observation, experimentation, self-discipline, and focus. In reality, Yoga is a science in itself. Its study provides a path to self-discovery and unity between body and intuition, between mind and something greater than the mind. As the great Yogi B.K.S. Iyengar once said, “Yoga is for everyone.” But it is this author’s opinion that Yoga is especially for children.
Children in the United States today are more likely to be raised in broken homes, single-parent homes, and extended or blended-family homes more frequently than during any other time in our culture’s history. They are more likely to feel the stresses and rigors of academic life and the many extracurricular activities in which they are involved. Today’s economy brings more parents to the workforce, resulting in more children leading very structured lives in childcare facilities as early as the age of one year old. Not all of this is particularly bad, as it teaches children to be adaptable and social, as well as shows children how to be successful team players in preparation for adulthood.
However, just as adults feel stress in their jobs and often succumb to performance anxiety, children suffer many of the same feelings. Unfortunately, many of them do not know how to handle or articulate these feelings – and they shouldn’t be expected to, as they have probably never been taught. This is where Yoga comes in.
Because Yoga is so adaptable, and because it employs a combination of physical activity, breathing techniques, and relaxation methods, it is tailor-made for children. It teaches connection with nature and the inner self. When they practice Yoga, they imitate the movements and sounds of animals and nature. They exercise, play, and ground themselves. But, as YogaKids founder Marsha Wenig says, the greatest gift of Yoga is its ability to foster cooperation and compassion – instead of opposition.
These statements are not just conjecture – they have recently been supported by a 2003 Gaiam-funded study that showed a 20 percent increase in the number of students who felt good about themselves, a six percent increase in classroom discipline scores, and a “statistically significant” link between regular Yoga practice and better grades. A December 2004 article in Education Weekly explained that students with health issues are not as capable of learning as are their healthy counterparts. Combine that with the fact that nine million American children (fifteen percent of kids and teenagers) are obese, and Yoga becomes not just a necessity for children’s improved health, but could very well be integral to the future success of our society as a whole.
Just as no two adults are the same, nor is their Yoga practice the same, we must remember that this also goes for children. As their caretakers, adults often forget that children are diverse and unique (and oftentimes, a child’s age-mate is not necessarily his or her peer, depending on maturity levels and life experience). By keeping this in mind, Yoga teachers can identify children’s individual needs and consequently work to provide a deeper experience for each child. Most importantly, though, a yoga practice for children should be fun. One of my favorite expressions by acclaimed yoga teacher Sara Ivanhoe is, “If it isn’t fun, do something different.” This is a great rule to apply for children.
In addition, all children can benefit from the teachings and practice of Yoga, and children with special needs are no exception. With today’s rampant increase in diagnoses of children’s disorders, such as autism, ADD/ADHD, and juvenile diabetes, it seems an alarm has been sounded. Something is wrong, and we need to give it our closest attention. But how can Yoga help?
In the case of autism, some children have difficulty with sensory integration – the ability to interpret and organize what stimuli is received from the senses. Yoga can aid these children by helping them learn body awareness and movement awareness. This, in turn, assists in the development of motor skills and will likely help their brains learn to interpret sensory stimuli.
In children with ADD or ADHD, there is often an inability to concentrate or practice self-control. While medication can, in some cases, be beneficial for these children, there is much debate as to the real effectiveness of current prescriptions. It seems that an alternative solution might be to include not only therapy and dietary treatments in their regimen, but also a Yoga practice that encourages learning how to control their symptoms and relieving emotional and physical stress.
No one is certain what has caused the recent prevalence in juvenile diabetes, but some scholars believe that the imbalances in modern civilized society are a contributing factor. What has been elucidated, however, is that Yoga practice actually does benefit children with diabetes. Dr. Swami Karmananda Saraswati claimed that regular Yoga therapy and dietary adjustments helped awaken pancreatic insulin response and bring blood sugar levels under control in children he worked with. With the practice of asanas that stretch and twist the organs, there is an increase in blood supply, which allows for more oxygen and better functioning of all organs. This helps to regulate the endocrine system, control blood pressure, and manage weight – all of which benefit children with diabetes.
Physical health benefits aside, children can gain much from a Yoga practice, including inner peace and a well-adjusted mind – necessary assets in today’s society. Children are taught to compete from an early age, and many of them grow up believing wholeheartedly that achievement is based on winning. With the “hurried child” syndrome that we seem to be seeing so much, our children grow up with very little time to really sit inside their own heads, to really think about what they want from life. Instead, they are often told what they should want from life, and they are told that they need to hone as many skills as possible so that they can bulk up their resumes in order to win competitive scholarships (because hardly anyone can afford college anymore). Of course, this is not all bad, and teaching children to recognize and use their skills is pivotal in their success and happiness in life. However, the message must be crafted very carefully, because children are likely to take lessons from adults in the most literal sense possible.
As Yoga becomes more mainstream and more accepted as a way to gain both spiritual and physical health, it will inevitably become more widely recognized as a beneficial addition to current health protocols for children. Health reform is currently all over the news media, but reform doesn’t just have to apply to the politics of health – it should also apply to our own personal health, using our own intuitive natures to decide what is best for our bodies and for our children. Reform begins with the individual, and in this case, with children who grow up devoted to a regular Yoga practice.
Therefore, one of the greatest things Yoga can offer to children is refuge, both for their physical selves and their emotional selves. In a group environment, yoga provides a place for children to gather, socialize, and relax, all with no pressure and no strings attached. Individually, with a parent or teacher, it provides a place to reflect or open up to an adult in a non-intimidating setting. But most importantly, yoga is always a place where it is okay not to compete – where it is okay for children to think for themselves. Yoga is unconditional acceptance. Eventually, this grows inside them and becomes a place they know they can take with them wherever they go. They learn that they will always have access to Yoga, to the teacher within themselves. There can be no better gift than this knowing – this empowerment that the answers can always be found inside, if they only take the time to look.
References:
Calhoun, Matthew and Yael. Create a Yoga Practice for Kids. Santa Fe: Sunstone Press, 2006.
Gaiam online: http://life.gaiam.com
Saraswati, Swami Karmananda. “Yoga Benefits Juvenile Diabetes.” Yoga Magazine online. http://www.yogamag.net
Wenig, Marsha. “Yoga for Kids.” Yoga Journal online. http://www.yogajournal.com