Guest guest Posted June 1, 2003 Report Share Posted June 1, 2003 I've been teaching yoga to children for several years including children with ADD and other behavioral disorders. I'm in the process of completing my book: "Ashtanga for All Ages" which provides a gradual introduction to Ashtanga to kids as young as six years old. Bottom line: It's never too early to start educating little ones about the 8-limbs and the importance of the mind/ movement connection. Some suggestions: -no matter the age of the child, always begin with pranayama -the importance of breath and how it can help us control our reactions to unanticipated events and improve our physical agility -Introduce asansas more quickly than one would for an adult -children have a very short attention span and will welcome the challenge of difficult postures (particularly inversions) more readily than adults (this will keep them interested) -Create a game (not a competition) for the child by measuring the length (# of breaths) he/she can hold an asansa -Be sure to provide practical examples of how yoga can help the child cope with success, loss, happiness, jealousy, etc. If you'd like a copy of my book, I'll drop you an e-mail once it is published. It will be available via Amazon and Borders. Namaste, Maureen --- erm9466nycap <erm9466 wrote: > Looking for suggestions on how to begin teaching > children yogic > philosophy & the 8 limbed path? > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2003 Report Share Posted June 1, 2003 Namaste Maureen, Thank You. I am an elementary teacher of special needs children for 14 years and a soon to be graduate from Marsha Wenig's YogaKids. I am interested in yoga for all ages and my heart of course is with my little ones who do have extra challenges. The ability to teach children is a gift and learning to bring them yoga is a joy. I appreciate the opportunity to share ideas and experience. Your book will be a wonderful resource. Love & Light Peace & Joy Elicia - Maureen Bolton ashtanga yoga Sunday, June 01, 2003 12:51 PM Re: ashtanga yoga teaching children I've been teaching yoga to children for several years including children with ADD and other behavioral disorders. I'm in the process of completing my book: "Ashtanga for All Ages" which provides a gradual introduction to Ashtanga to kids as young as six years old. Bottom line: It's never too early to start educating little ones about the 8-limbs and the importance of the mind/ movement connection. Some suggestions: -no matter the age of the child, always begin with pranayama -the importance of breath and how it can help us control our reactions to unanticipated events and improve our physical agility -Introduce asansas more quickly than one would for an adult -children have a very short attention span and will welcome the challenge of difficult postures (particularly inversions) more readily than adults (this will keep them interested) -Create a game (not a competition) for the child by measuring the length (# of breaths) he/she can hold an asansa -Be sure to provide practical examples of how yoga can help the child cope with success, loss, happiness, jealousy, etc. If you'd like a copy of my book, I'll drop you an e-mail once it is published. It will be available via Amazon and Borders. Namaste, Maureen --- erm9466nycap <erm9466 wrote: > Looking for suggestions on how to begin teaching > children yogic > philosophy & the 8 limbed path? > > > Sponsor ashtanga yoga Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2003 Report Share Posted June 1, 2003 However, if you follow the advice of Pattabhi Jois which I would assume anyone doing Ashtanga Yoga would want to do, children should only be experimenting with yoga poses until the age of twelve. Guruji is quite adamant about not teaching asana discipline to kids younger than that. He says "only experiementing until at least twelve years old." FBL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 Actually, Pattabhi Jois is teaching ashtanga primary to a young boy of 10 years old, the son of one of his long term students. This boy has asana practice each afternoon in the shala after school. Maybe what he meant by "only experiementing before 12" is that he does not pust the children into postures very deeply. funkybadlady <no_reply> ashtanga yoga ashtanga yoga Re: ashtanga yoga teaching children Mon, 02 Jun 2003 01:07:26 -0000 However, if you follow the advice of Pattabhi Jois which I would assume anyone doing Ashtanga Yoga would want to do, children should only be experimenting with yoga poses until the age of twelve. Guruji is quite adamant about not teaching asana discipline to kids younger than that. He says "only experiementing until at least twelve years old." FBL _______________ Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 Why is that? funkybadlady <no_reply> ashtanga yoga ashtanga yoga Re: ashtanga yoga teaching children Mon, 02 Jun 2003 01:07:26 -0000 However, if you follow the advice of Pattabhi Jois which I would assume anyone doing Ashtanga Yoga would want to do, children should only be experimenting with yoga poses until the age of twelve. Guruji is quite adamant about not teaching asana discipline to kids younger than that. He says "only experiementing until at least twelve years old." FBL _______________ The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 I would like to second FunkyBadLady's comments. I am pretty alarmed to hear someone is teaching or wants to teach Ashtanga to 6-year olds. Ashtanga has a profoundly transformative effect on the the body as well as the mind, and young bodies, up till the age of 12 or 13, are still in the process of being formed in the first place. Yoga for kids is great, but Ashtanga is not the appropriate practice for them at all. At the very least, I hope that when whoever is teaching inversions to kids, you don't mean headstand, and if you are including headstand, please hold each and every one of them suspended by the feet during their headstand, as they shouldn't be bearing weight on their heads for any length of time until the plates are fully formed (age 12 or 13). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 No. What he means is "only experimenting before twelve." I don't know anything about this ten year old boy, but if it is true, then I am sure that this boy must be ready in some way - physical maturity and or emotional maturity levels... Otherwise I am sure Guruji would not do this. However, I know nothing about this situation so I cannot say. I only know that Guruji believes that children should only play and experiment and not begin a regular disciplined practice until they are older. When I spoke to him, he told me twelve was the age that most kids are ready to begin a serious practice. I think it is safe to say that Guruji generally means what he says. FBL ashtanga yoga, "Linda Munro" < munro_linda@h...> wrote: > Actually, Pattabhi Jois is teaching ashtanga primary to a young boy of 10 > years old, the son of one of his long term students. This boy has asana > practice each afternoon in the shala after school. Maybe what he meant by > "only experiementing before 12" is that he does not pust the children into > postures very deeply. > > > funkybadlady <no_reply> > ashtanga yoga > ashtanga yoga > Re: ashtanga yoga teaching children > Mon, 02 Jun 2003 01:07:26 -0000 > > > > However, if you follow the advice of Pattabhi Jois which I would > assume anyone doing Ashtanga Yoga would want to do, > children should only be experimenting with yoga poses until the > age of twelve. Guruji is quite adamant about not teaching asana > discipline to kids younger than that. He says "only > experiementing until at least twelve years old." > > FBL > > _______________ > Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. > http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 3, 2003 Report Share Posted June 3, 2003 Pamela Hollander in out of Encinatas California. I have seen her web awesome website and also noticed her teacher training for children's yoga. Another program is YogaKids with Marsha Wenig (the program I am completing soon)- she does trainings internationally. You fcould check out the website to see if that interests you/if any trainings are scheduled in Austrailia. Travel safely - cayetanar2002 ashtanga yoga Monday, June 02, 2003 10:36 PM ashtanga yoga teaching children Does anybody knows Pamela Hollander?? she has a web page www.indigoyoga.com and she's specialised in teaching yoga to children and she has workshops for teachers all over U.S.A...I'd love to do them but i'm in Australia... Anyway if somebody knows about her I'd like you to let me know. Many thanks& Namaste Sponsor ashtanga yoga Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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