10/10/08

Can a child do yoga? (Part 2)

In last issue we discussed how Yoga can be taught to Children who belong to Standards I & II (i.e. for the age group of 5 –6). Now let’s see how to approach Children from Standards III to V.

Children in standards III to V are bit grown up, both physically and psychologically. We can slowly introduce yogic principles without directly imposing upon the young minds. Since yogic practices are very static in nature, children do not take to asanas with great enthusiasm in the beginning. They should be prepared first for it. The following sequence of gradual progress is found very effective:

(a) right attentive mood
(b) loosening up exercises
(c) moderate activities
(d) yogic practices.

Setting the mood: Right attentive mood is the ground for any deep learning. As the yoga class starts, the children either sit quietly in any meditative posture or lie down in Shavasana for some time. This slows down the activities of the children. This creates space in the mind. Then, as a second step, the children are asked to listen, without straining themselves, to all kinds of sound coming from outside. This indirectly improves the quality of attention. Then they are asked to watch, observe and feel what is going on within them. This makes them more observant about themselves.

Loosening up exercises: After the children settle down to an attentive mood, they are put through different loosening up exercises which involve all kinds of movements. The speed of movement is slowly increased to the maximum, maintained for some time and then decreased to the minimum. After each exercise, they stand in a very relaxed way, drop all the voluntary motor activities and watch the disturbed bio-rhythm and the raised metabolic activities like raised heart-beat, hard breathing, rapid blood circulation, increased temperature and so on. They not only observe but also experience how the dis-turbed rhythm comes back to normal homeostatic state. This observation and experience intensify their aspiration to know about their inner world more deeply – how they work, how the stamina can be improved etc.

Moderate exercises: After the brisk exercises, a medium speed exercise like Surya Namaskar is taken up. Here the children not only watch the lowered speed in the movement but also experience the rhythmic sequential movements of Surya Namaskar, staying in each position for some time. They see the difficulty of maintaining a position and how it creates a conflict between two aspects of the personality, viz. (1) desire to stay in the position; and (2) inability of the particular organs and various parts of the body to stay still. This observation develops in them an understanding about the shortcomings of various parts of the body, the subtle conflicts in new adaptations and how to cope with them. This intermediate stage is a stepping stone for asanas.

Yogic practices / Asanas: Usually asanas are misunderstood as exercises. There are distinctive differences between Asanas and exercises. We will see them in next issue.
With Yogic fragrance
Sri Pattabhiram.

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