June 21, 2015
Yoga is a 5,000-year-old physical, mental and spiritual discipline. It has its origin in India and is one of the longest surviving practices of holistic health care in the world.
On December 11 in 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21st as the International Day of Yoga. Yoga is now practiced worldwide by all cultures and religions.
Scientific research has confirmed that yoga is good for the body, mind, and soul.
“When we do yoga we develop mental and physical focus, strength, balance, flexibility and overall health. We become more self-aware and we increase our ability to self-regulate. In this improved state of balance we are better able to tap into our innate joy, love, and peace -for ourselves, others and the world as a whole. It is this state of connectedness, from de the inside out that is the essence of yoga” Yoga for Children by Lisa Flynn.
I started practicing Yoga here in Austin when I was six months pregnant. Prenatal Yoga promoted my flexibility and strength, and it was so supportive during this exciting but new and challenging stage of my life. I continued my practice until two days before I had my baby. I felt full of energy!
After three months I started my Postnatal Classes but this time with my baby girl. A whole new world started the day that she was born. During our yoga routine, I used to feel more relaxed, more connected to my daughter and I learned helpful strategies to feel less overwhelmed with this great challenge of motherhood.
Now she is almost two, and I’m seven months pregnant, and we enjoy our Crawlers and Toddlers class together. Moms and dads can practice some exercise while they are exploring and playing by themselves. After this first part of the class, the kids have the chance to practice some yoga poses with us. It is so fun! You can take a look to your yoga center and get some information about the programs.
BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR KIDS
Here some recognized benefits that yoga can provide for children:
It is an easy way to reset the mind and the body system to a calm, focused and connected state.
Yoga strengthens the child’s entire body! With regular practice, his/her muscles, bones and joints will lengthen and strengthen and she/he will be more flexible.
It is a fun and creative way to nurture his/her self-confidence and emotional well-being.
It offers a chance to breathe, play, relax and enjoy their childhood without stress.
It teaches them tools for a balanced and harmonious life (whatever life brings!)