Yoga for You and Your Child: The Step-By-Step Guide to Enjoying Yoga with Children of All Ages PDF
Preview Yoga for You and Your Child: The Step-By-Step Guide to Enjoying Yoga with Children of All Ages
YOGA FOR YOU & YOUR CHILD YOGA FOR YOU & YOUR CHILD THE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO ENJOYING YOGA WITH CHILDREN OF ALL AGES MARK SINGLETON “You are the infinite ocean, In whom all the things of the world Rise and fall like waves. Oh child, There is nothing to gain, Nothing to lose, You are already pure awareness.” Ashtavakra Gita, 15:11–12 contents foreword by tara fraser introduction how to use this book chapter 1: young, open, growing, aware growing up fit and strong building confidence and focus your inner yoga space getting started chapter 2: waking up and warming up checking in expressing emotion shavasana sandwich rocking the boat and dead bug rolling twist dynamic easy bridge rocking chair shaking it up tiptoe tree and windy tree helicopter puppet the growing seed greeting the sun the full sequence chapter 3: posture building blocks mountain tree triangle half moon arrow warrior sitting sandwich half butterfly sailing boat camel rocket topsy-turvy pose chapter 4: animal magic albatross cockerel pigeon king eagle lion kicking mule mouse cat snake mosquito little butterfly big butterfly spider chapter 5: activities, journeys and games sorting the rice stirring the porridge chopping the wood cradling the baby rowing the boat cycling building a bridge walking the dog toad walking crow walking bunny hops knee walking swamp monster crab walking swimming mirror, mirror on the wall asana tag stick in the web whodunnit yoga asana obstacle race chapter 6: journeying inward what is pranayama? pranayama exercises what is meditation? meditation exercises the sleeping yogi chapter 7: putting it all together wake me up calm me down pick me up a day in the life … chapter 8: yogis at school learning with confidence the gift of attention exams the yoga way conclusion bibliography and further reading index acknowledgments foreword As a small child I went to yoga classes with my mother. We did huge backbends and wobbly handstands; we also roared like lions, hissed like snakes and hummed like bees! There was no performance or competition in these classes, they were just fun. Although I wasn’t conscious of it, we were encouraged to be open to the present rather than to strive for a “goal”. There was no comparison with others in the class, you just did your own thing. It was my good fortune that these early experiences of yoga were so positive. I was a deeply unsporty child and this could have resulted in my avoiding any kind of physical activity at all. I loved yoga, though – it gave me a sense of joy in physical being and an appreciation of the power of mental focus without the competitive pressure of team games. The simple practices I learned as a child have stood me in good stead in later life. My son Milo, now aged four and showing signs of being very sporty, also enjoys yoga. When we practise together, he likes to “correct” me (you can see him doing this on page 31) and he loves animal poses. Despite the fact that I am a yoga teacher, our sessions often end chaotically, with us both rolling on the floor in fits of giggles. We are no more a perfect TV-advertising-style “yoga family” than anyone else! You and your child can do yoga just as well. It can happen right now in your living room, even if you haven’t vacuumed the carpet. Just clear a space in the toys and begin! Yoga provides a special time for both of you – the benefits are not all one way. So often children can remind us to just play and not to try to “learn” or “progress” through conscious effort. Many parents would love to do yoga with their children but are worried about getting it “right”. You could not have a better guide than Mark Singleton, an unusually accomplished yoga practitioner and a patient, intuitive teacher. This book is a really comprehensive guide to practising yoga safely and creatively with a child of any age from toddler to teenager. It includes all the essential dos and don’ts, traditional postures that you will recognize from your own yoga classes as well as lots of imaginative new ideas to encourage exploration and experimentation. Mark’s good-humoured and playful teaching style comes across on every page. The gentle and generous quality of his teaching is abundantly clear in his writing. It is always a challenge for yoga teachers successfully to integrate the philosophical concepts of yoga with the practice of postures and breathing exercises. Perhaps the greatest strength of this book is the seamless melding of philosophy with physical practice. The simple practices shown in this book can form a rock solid foundation from which a child can face the inevitable ups and downs of life. And, at the very least, you will have hours of fun roaring like a lion, hissing like a snake and humming like a bee!
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