βFor real change to take place, the body needs to learn that the danger has passed and to live in the reality of the present.β -Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D. from The Body Keeps the Score The basic elements of a yoga practice (movement, breath work, and meditation) help...
Swami Vidyananda said breath control is "your most portable form of stress management." In a yoga practice, the art of controlling your breath is known as pranayama. "Prana" is your energy and life force. "Ayama" simply means control. So Prana +Ayama = controlling our...
Admit it β there are days when your kids are wild with energy. Maybe theyβve been stuck inside, hiding from nasty weather. Or, they spent their entire school day having to sit still. And all you want them to do is calm down before they destroy your house! Tap into...
What is love?Β Donβt worry, no one can see you dancing to the familiar tune (now playing in your head) βWhat is Loveβ from the 1998 film Night at the Roxbury. InΒ February the worldβs attention turns to hearts, cupids, flowers, and gifts or ways to show our love for...
We all know that a yoga practice builds strength, flexibility, and co-ordination. Did you know you can also use the ancient practice to build literacy skills for even our youngest yogis? Yoga teaches sequential thinking and planning: Listening to and following...
When I taught 4th grade, common refrains in the classroom were, βPay attention!β and, βFocus on what youβre doing!β And then it hit me β of course the kidsβ attention was scattered everywhere. With 20 other kids fidgeting and making noise, shenanigans in the hallway,...
According to Dr. Roger Sperry, 1981 Nobel prize winner for brain research, β90% of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain is generated by the movement of the spine.β If this is the case, why in the world are we making kids sit still to learn? To that end, Iβve...
The first time your child rolls out her mat in a yoga class, she is exposed to many new words, which shouldnβt be surprising, really. The practice of yoga is from ancient times, for many of us it is from a foreign culture, and utilizes an unfamiliar language...
We've all been there. Lying in the dark, desperately trying to go to sleep, but growing more agitated and alert instead. It's bad enough when adults suffer from insomnia, but when kids do? ThenΒ the whole family suffers the consequences. Avoid that with a few bedtime...
When my two children were little, they loved nothing more than to βhelpβ me do chores around the house. Of course, to them, chores included pulling all the books off the shelves, banging pots and hiding under the laundry basket. As the saying goes, "If you canβt beat...
*Today's blog article was written by Whitney, a third year student at Elon University and lifelong yogi's kid* My mom has practiced yoga for as long as I can remember. When my brother and I were very young, my parents would sneak off to yoga class, leaving us in the...
Imagine this job description: Large institution looking for workers able to stay focused and still for long periods of time. Proper penmanship, reading skills and math knowledge are required, as are excellent listening skills and the ability to work well in a group of...
Letβs start with the bad news. Teens spend an average of 30 hours per week in front of screens. Television, computers, smart phones, and video games are changing teenagersβ bodies, their visions, and their minds. All this time being sedentary with a screen glowing...
Iβve been practicing yoga for nearly 15 years. Iβve been a yoga instructor for 12 years now. Iβve read about chakras and nadis. Patanjali and Iyengar populate my bookshelves. Iβve lost track of how many mats Iβve used (and lost). But nothing, no teacher, no book, no...
Breathing is the bridge between our mind and body. It is a very powerful force to heal and to be more aware. In yoga, we call breathing practices pranayama and it is a big part of a yoga practice.Β In Sanskrit pranaΒ means breath or vital energy and yamaΒ is the control...
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Watch at your leisure!
