The lotus has long been a symbol of purity; as a flower that grows in muddy water, it is an example of how a living thing can maintain a pure, beautiful state even in a dirty place. In yogic tradition, it is also a posture that has been claimed as the best seated pose...
There has been plenty of research over the years on the benefits of brain breaks for children. Whether it is in a traditional classroom, a homeschool classroom, or just recognizing that your child needs to change gears to calm down, refocus, or release anxiety within...
When we help kids deal with anxiety in yoga class, there are two main methods we can use: 1) releasing the tension of anxiety, and 2) redirecting their efforts and attention in a positive way. Below are some ideas on how to help kids explore their minds and bodily...
“Meditation takes FOREVER”. “I don’t have time to meditate.” “I just can’t remember to do my meditations”. Does this sound like you? (It does ME!). Meditation is that really tricky part of a yoga practice that a lot of us like to pretend doesn’t exist. It’s...
Ever since I was a young girl, going for a daily walk has been part of my life. I remember as a child, after eating dinner, my parents would announce to my brother and me: “Time to go for a walk!!”. On our walks through our busy neighborhood and city streets, we...
It seems lately that all of our days, weeks, and months fly by. We have the same routine day after day: We wake up, eat breakfast, brush teeth, get dressed, and go to school or work. Then we drive to practices, and other after school activities, come home, do...
Want to grab any kid's attention? Just say the word "snack" and BOOM. Use this to your advantage with a food theme in your next yoga class: Yummy Yoga: Kidding Around Yoga has written a wonderfully creative song called Yummy Yoga. In it, you fly around the world...
“Caterpillar sheds his skin to find a butterfly within,caterpillar sheds his skin to find a butterfly within.” -Donovan, “There is a Mountain” Butterflies can infuse a kids yoga class with themes on spring, change and hidden beauty. Of course, like butterflies in a...
I’ve recently gotten interested in the benefits of essential oils. It hasn’t happened overnight and I’ve only slowly started to use them. The problem is the wealth of information out there concerning these oils can be really overwhelming. I hope this blog helps to...
To a small-town Colorado girl, the Ryoanji Temple Zen rock garden in Kyoto, Japan, was one of the strangest sites I had come across as a high school exchange student – and that’s quite a feat, since my entire trip to Japan had been filled with sights and tastes I had...
Need a theme for your kids' Yoga class? How about using the month of March as your theme? "In like a lion, out like a lamb" is a familiar saying that invites our imaginations to pair the fierce weather of winter to be like a lion with the hope that a gentle lamb-like...
At the end of each of my kids' Yoga classes I say, “May the world be filled with love and light and lots of peaceful children.” But in today’s chaotic world, how do we help children experience peacefulness? How do we help kids live and internalize the lessons and...
You do yoga, you meditate, you smile and put on that calm face; but life isn’t always rainbows and kittens. Sometimes the sticky parts of life sneak up on us, and take over our normally calm demeanor. We all have those moments, someone cuts you off while driving, your...
I am an accidental Yogi. I wasn’t born in an ashram. My parents weren’t hippies. I was never (and still am not very) flexible. There’s junk food, beer, and meat in my refrigerator. In school I was more competitive than the average kids – both physically and...
We have often heard that establishing a bedtime routine can help our children to settle down for bed and can help end bedtime battles. Bedtime routines can vary and often change depending on the child’s age. Some work well; others do not. Yoga can help calm the mind...
Watch at your leisure!
Watch at your leisure!
