Day 17 - Meditation for Kids

We are at Day 17 of our amazing Meditation Journey, and many of you have reached out to me asking how to make this practice accessible for your kids.  Meditation is a great practice for kids, it helps to bring a sense of calm, focus, relaxation and happiness.  It is important to understand and respect that children have a lot of energy, so allow kids the chance to embrace the practice of meditation with positive encouragement.  Assure them it will only be for a short time, and it will help them to focus in school and life.  You can even tell them about some amazing super heroes or princesses who practice meditation

Three Simple Ideas to use with Kids:

1. Singing Bowl/Bell - Have kids sit up straight, play a Tibetan singing bowl and guide them to listen to the sound, imagine the sound in their body, and breathe deep.
2. Visualization - Take kids on a guided journey on a beach, or in a forest, or surrounded by their loved ones and friends.  Have them breathe in happy thoughts.
3. Yoga Nidra - Have kids relax into savasana with guided relaxation.  You can use images of rainbows and have them connect with the tingling sensations in the tips of their fingers and rest of their body.
   

The best part of Meditation with Kids is to ask them how they feel after.  Since kids are so connected to positive vibration they usually have amazing experiences and will share some profound stories.  Encourage them to share, and always thank them for sharing with positive comments.

Kids Yoga Camp with Hamilton Malayalees

While kids are back to school and routines, I am reminded of the amazing summer that flashed before our eyes.  This summer after exploring months of teaching and travels in India, LA, and NYC I was invited to do yoga for the Hamilton Malayalee Samajam Kids Camp.  The Hamilton Malayalee Samjam is the association that joined South Indian families to celebrate traditions and socialize when I was growing up, and it is still going strong today.  It was a few days of awesome fun to share yoga with this group of kids.  The kids ranged in age from 5-10, so I had to make the yoga fun, engaging and inspirational.  We explored Sun Salutations, Warrior Poses, Tree Pose, Partner Yoga, Yoga Games, Yoga Stories, Meditation, and much more.  I have always loved teaching yoga to kids. For me Kids are our greatest teachers, as they have a zest for life, optimism that most adults can learn from, and humility.

Thank you HMS for inviting me to share some yoga with you.

Story Time with Karma Kids

Today was Story Time with Karma Kids....The Yoga Adventures of Priya & Pooch was introduced to an amazing group of adorable little Yogis. I am so grateful to Shari from Karma Kids for inviting me to share my book, some of my music and Yoga with the lovely kids. Despite the Rain we had an amazing turn out of little kiddies!!! They spread out all over the room, slowly crawled towards me, and at the end crowded around for photos! As we progressed more Kids entered into the Karma Kids Studio and joined us for the fun adventure!!!

We began with the Karma Kids Om Song, and as The book is filled with many yoga poses we did the poses from each page, occasionally did a musical number to coincide with the Story, and at the end I played my guitar and led them in a few more of my Yoga Tunes. With Elephants, Monkeys, Butterflies, Tigers, Camels, Trees and many more poses to explore, these kids maintained the most inspirational level of energy!!! Kids have the most sincere way to inspire people to Yoga. When we were on the floor rolling like Caterpillars, one gorgeous little yogini pointed out how her Caterpillar was growing! When asking the kids to count or name the animals, the enthusiasm & excited responses were awesome. Many of the kids come to Karma Kids, and are familiar with the practice of Yoga from the incredible guidance of Karma Kids Yogis.

5 YOGI Lessons we can learn from Kids:

1. When the music plays they shake and sing with all their hearts

2. When they fall, they get back up with a Giant Smile

3. When they practice yoga....the approach is with tremendous JOY

4. When someone else knocks them over....they laugh and get back up as well.....and most often go and play with the person who accidentally knock them down without any memory of the fall

5. Tree Pose is really not that serious.

Thanks Shari for inviting me to your amazing Studio, and helping in demonstrating the Yoga Poses during the Story and Songs, YOU ROCK!!! Thank you to all the amazing kids, parents and nannies who particpated....You are all amazing!!!

Kids Yoga - One of my greatest Joys

One of my biggest joys of my Yoga journey, is teaching to kids. For me yoga was first introduced to me by my mom, and while it was fun and silly time, I enjoyed it! Kids in so many ways have the yoga practice that should inspire all adults. They have no ego. It is about having fun, supporting each other, learning to breathe deep, singing and having FUN! When I was teaching grade 1 & 4 in the Public School system, I used Yoga to help calm down the energy, and also to have students aware of their body-mind connection. It was a great tool for fourth graders before State Testing time. Since then I have been blessed to go on to teach and share Kids Yoga with Little flower, Yogi Beans, Bamboomoves, Harmony By Karate, and soon Karma Kids. A huge passion of mine has been to bring Yoga to children with special needs. Working with kids on various areas of the Autistic Spectrum, with Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, ADHD, Sensory Integration and even Williams Syndrome....thank you Yogi Beans for giving me such cherished opportunities! Regardless of what level of learning a child is at, they all relate to yoga. They love to move their bodies, love to chant, love the breathing, and they love to show adults how to have fun with the practice. Falling out of Tree pose is so much more Joyful after years working with Kids Yoga. Whether it's working with Girl Scouts, at a Yoga Studio, at the Rebecca School or in an after school Program, Kids yoga is an AMAZING experience! A recent Yoga Journal Post was brought to my attention highlighting the top 5 reasons Yoga should be in schools:

1. To manage Stress
2. To beat obesity
3. To maintain focus
4. Resistance to bullying
5. To improve behavior overall

While I am grateful for all the opportunities, I wanted to take a minute to highlight some of the companies that are really making the movement of Kids Yoga have an enormous and beautiful impact on the community (in no specific order):

1. Yogi Beans - An Awesome Kids Yoga Experience. Lauren loves the kids! -AMAZING!
2. Karma Kids - The first Yoga Studio for Kids in NYC- Shari loves the kids! - AMAZING!
3. Little Flower - Jennifer gives AMAZING workshops and programs! AMAZING
4. Radiant Child - Shakta's song Fly Like A Butterfly is AMAZING!
5. Bent on Learning - Working with Inner City Schools - AMAZING!
6. Sonia Sumar - She trains Teachers to work with Children with Special Needs AMAZING!
7. Itsy Bitsy Yoga - the name says it all - AMAZING!

It is important for us to spread the awareness of this amazing practice, and share in the quest to bring Mind-Body-Peace to all. In my experience, teaching Kids Yoga has showed me who my greatest teachers are.....Kids! Thank you to all the kids who practice with me....Love you all!

Joy with Kids Yoga

When you love Yoga as much as I do, you cannot help but feel a tremendous amount of gratitude for every experience both teaching and taking classes. Yoga is an amazing practice with incredible power to change lives by harmonizing the Mind-Body & Spirit. While I am so grateful to teach adults both private and group, kids Yoga, and Pre/Post Natal classes, teaching Children with special needs brings joy to my heart like nothing else.

I always say that these children are truly God's Angels. The past few weeks for me have been incredibly challenging, and it is the special angels that I work with that brought joy to my heart.

This year has brought so many blessings, and learning lessons, and amidst a challenging week, I had the opportunity to teach my regular amazing Kids Yoga classes for Kids with Special Needs at the Rebecca School in Manhattan through Yogi Beans. I am so thankful to have been part of Yogi Beans from the start with the amazing Lauren. Lauren had a vision to bring Yoga to kids, and she has done and incredible job. In my opinion Yogi Beans provides the Best Kids Yoga Program because Lauren is a Yogi herself, and a big kid at heart, and took the time to craft a program that inspires confidence, creativity, concentration, sense of calm, and increased strength & flexibility in kids, all while having fun!!! Lauren also welcomes Instructors to bring their own creativity to classes also, which I love.

The amazing Kids I am fortunate to work with at the Rebecca School amazed me this week! I am still getting to know these amazing kids, and like with any child, every day is a different experience. First off giving me the most loving hugs, with smiles that could light up the darkest room, and saying "hello Ambria" with excitement that was filled with heavens loving energy made my entire week. To top it off, these incredible kids sang along with my songs, did yoga poses and inspired me with their energy and enthusiasm!!! WOW! What a breakthrough, and what an amazing way to share energy! So thankful for Yogi Beans, and so thankful for all the amazing opportunities to teach Yoga.

Teaching Yoga to Girl Scouts

A few weeks ago I had the chance to Teach Yoga to an amazing troop of Girl Scouts. With the assistance of the amazing Yogi Denise, we both instructed a huge group of Girl Scouts in a yoga class. We did Pranayama, Sun Salutations, Warrior Poses, Flying Warriors in Formation, Tree Pose, Downward Dog Tunnels and more. I had the chance to squeeze my but under the ladies in the last round of the Dog Tunnels, and WOW was that a challenge!! We had tons of fun with this lovely group of Young Ladies. The energy of a child is inspiration to everyone who is embarking on a Yoga practice, because Kids know how to have fun and be joyful. Doing the most challenging asana pose with an angry expression on your face tells a lot about how you approach your life beyond the mat. Next time you take a Yoga class, laugh at yourself, smile while in your asana, and fill your heart with the humble gratitude you had when you were a child. Thank you Girl Scouts for sharing your afternoon with me, for teaching me so much, and thank you Denise for helping teach these incredible young ladies! What a fun Yoga Class!!!

Yoga For Amazing Kids

The amazing thing about teaching yoga, is you can always learn and grow from your students. While taking classes is also inspiring, students can teach a teacher so much. Some of my greatest teachers, have been the kids who take yoga with me. Kids display so much kindness, energy, enthusiasm, and freedom of ego that I love to be around. Recently, I was asked to teach a group of amazing kids diagnosed with special needs. It was part of a family therarphy group. While the parents had time with a Therapist, I had the privilage to work with these amazing kids. The boys had various diagnosis from Aspergers, ADHD, and autism. The issue and complaint of their schools is that they lack focus. Here I am about to lead these boys in yoga, and without any regard to the clinical evaluation, I let yoga work its magic. These boys displayed tremendous focus, listened, moved their bodies, socialized with eachother, and as expected, had fun!!! We did various breathing exercises, yoga poses, yoga games, and more! They showed so much compassion for one another, encourgaed each other, and had a blast! After the session, one of the therapists, introduced an altnernative theraphy of Accupressure/Accupuncture. A tiny magnet was placed on all the boys ears, including myself and the parents to support the boys. The magnet was on a pressure point called Shen Men, meant to bring a sense of calm to the body. As a former NYS teacher, I can honestly say that the lack of arts, physical education, and the governments constant adjustments to the quality of education inspired me leave the field, and pursue teaching yoga full time. It's so easy to blame the kids, diagnos them, and blame the teachers or even the system. How about modelling the countries that seem to be excelling in education? How about acknowledging HUMAN NATURE? Kids have a lot of energy, they need to be stimulated, they need to move their bodies, especially little boys. We are so quick to diagnos a child with a "special need", or to suggest medication, but did schools ever take the time to analyze gender? Meaning, how about acknowledging the little boys have a lot more energy than little girls, are different hormonally , are stimulated differntly, and learn in a differnt way. Forcing a little boy to sit in a desk all day, color, and talk about their feelings, when you do not provide daily recess or physical education is ridiculous! This was the case for the one little boy diagnosed with ADHD. From my one experience with him, he displayed a wonderful amount of focus, listened well, and moved his body with energy that adults only dream of. This topic is one of frustration to me, because on a global scale, our kids in North America do not meet the standard, not even in ELA, when English is the primary language, and obesity rates are soaring. As I want my posts to inspire, and be positive, I want to encourage schools and teachers to take some time in the day to let kids move their bodies. Have kids do yoga, have them jump up and down, have them dance a little. The bad weather should not be an excuse. Kids are amazing teachers, provided we create a forum for them to grow. I am so grateful for this experience, and hope to watch and witness these boys grow and excell in all areas with their new found love for YOGA. ~ OM Shanti

The Best New Kids Book Ever!!!

Are you looking for the perfect gift for a child, or a child at heart? Look no further! I have written and illustrated a soon to be NY times Best Seller, "The Yoga Adventures of Priya and Pooch ~ Indian Treasure". It is a story about a little girl and her puppy who go to India in search of treasure, explore yoga, eat healthy snacks, and learn. The book has brightly colored illustrations, pages with interactive yoga poses, and potential for discussion topics. Possible discussion topics or activities include: Special life moments, body movement, adventures, animals, counting, breathing, healthy eating, treasures, geography and much more!!! In the times where we are living, with obesity rates growing rapidly, and physical education cuts being made to the school system, it is important for us all to join together to inspire health to the younger generation. As a former NY State Teacher, with experience in the grade 1 and 4 classroom, once upon a time, I was disappointed with how the Education system has phased out Physical Education classes, Arts classes, and Especially music classes, but rather than complain, I decided to "Be the Change I wish to See in the World" as Gandhi asked us to do. It is my passion to inspire young and old to take the best care of their bodies, minds and spirits. Yoga and Music provide both, and improve our vibrational frequency, which translates into improving our ability to be attuned to the gifts of this Universe! It is a wonderful tool for parents or educators to inspire health and wellness, literacy, and fun in kids, as well as deepen bonds! I have tested the book out with Kids from ages 3 to 10 and the kids at heart from 20 to 70 and the unanimous consensus is, WE LOVE THIS BOOK!!!! I also have found from my experience teaching kids yoga with children diagnosed with special needs like Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Sensory Integration and ADHD that this book helps them to focus their energy, and they LOVE THIS BOOK!!!! This book is the first in my darling series of Yoga Adventure books starring Priya and Pooch, the books will have companion music that promises to be fun and engaging. The original music is part of my roster of music that I use with my kids yoga classes, and even adults start to sing along after one time through. Be part of the movement, and inspire wellness with me. If you would like to order books, they can be purchased online at blurb.com ($15.95) or purchased at Bamboomoves, BX $10, and soon to be in various NYC Yoga Studios. You can also email me at zogayoga@yahoo.com if you would like to order bulk orders for your yoga studio. This book is more than an amazing Holiday Gift, it is a Lifestyle of health, wellness and JOY! Thank you to all who have already purchased the books! ~ Namaste

Kids Yoga fun at Bamboomoves

The Kids yoga class at Bamboomoves has had tons of fun this year. With learning new poses, yoga games, Halloween yoga, and even a special veggie tasting day, these kids have come a long way. One of our favorite games is the butterfly game, where kids flap their wings and use their memories to recite names, names of healthy foods or colors without repeating one that was said before. It's a great game to help improve their memories, and also stretch out tight muscles in the thighs/groin. For Halloween some kids came to class in their costumes, and we did Halloween inspired games and poses (Downward Wolf, Spooky Tree and much more). Yoga is an amazing way to teach kids about the Mind, Body, Spirit connection. With Childhood obesity rates growing, childhood diabetes and various other sicknesses related to lack of good nutrition and fitness, yoga is a great way to introduce children to a healthy lifestyle.

Halloween pic: (Tragedy Anne, Major Flirt, Black Cat. Lady Bug, and Elmo!)

Glow in the Dark Mini Golf Kids Yoga Trip

Every month at Bamboomoves, the Yogi of the month chooses a trip for us to go on. Usually it is a movie, but this month it was Glow in the Dark Mini Golf! This was Veronica's choice. While these kids enjoy their yoga practice three times a week, and get excited about the trips, not every kid is always available on the specific event nights. Nonetheless, we had a lot of fun putting around the 18 hole course. Special Thanks to Anthony and Doris for chaperoning and driving us to New Roc. The kids were really good at mini golf, and had tons of fun! It was great how our clothes would glow in the dark under the black lights.

Kids Yoga Party with Yogi Beans

On the weekend, I had the chance to lead a Kids Yoga Party with Yogi Beans. In the past, I have had the chance of doing Yoga Birthday Parties with both Yogi Beans and Bamboomoves, but this was just a Party. The lovely young girl won the party at a school auction, it was given as a donation from Yogi Beans, and she decided to invite 9 of her friends to enjoy a Yoga Party. I set up Yoga blankets and each girl paired up on the blankets as we did some yoga. We did sun salutations, pranayama (breathing exercises), Yogi Says, Asana (yoga poses), Toga, Yoga chat, and meditation, and it was so much FUN!!! This lovely group of girls were so attentive, polite, caring to each other, well behaved and a total delight to teach! They enjoyed some snacks afterward, made sure to say thank you and cleared out. Many of them gave me hugs and said "You're the best yoga teacher ever", "I had so much fun" and "I want to do yoga with you again Ambria". Thank you girls for making such a wonderful Yoga experience!

Flying Warriors at Bamboomoves

The ever popular Kids Yoga class at Bamboomoves is always a joy to instruct. While we do Sun Salutations, Warriors, and Yoga related games, the kids yoga practice has improved by leaps and bounds. While many of the kids are progressing into Sirsasana (Headstand) and various other challenging poses, the bottom line is always FUN! Throughout the practice we laugh, and enjoy! Kids have a brilliant way to maintain that joyful spirit. The kids have quickly learned my Warrior Song, which is how we do the sequence. Here we are doing our Flying Warrior or as they call it Vira 3.

Pictured: L-R: Kamilla, Jaleen, Milta, Veronica, Ambria, Emma, Olivia, Karla, Imergen

M & A's Movie Night

The kids yoga class at Bamboomoves is growing with budding enthusiastic yogis. As we spend time in class exploring poses, singing songs, playing yoga games, and learning about yoga, we acknowledge the positive contributions of fellow students with "YOGI of the Month". As Milta has had perfect attendance, displayed kindness to her classmates, and enthusiasm towards her yoga practice (she even had a one on one private session), she is The "YOGI of the Month" for April. While every kid that comes to Bamboo is a Yogi of the Month, we specially recognize one student each month, to inspire the group and also appreciate each others good efforts in class. From day one, Milta has been a delight to have in class.

As her reward, Milta had the chance to choose the movie for Kids Movie night. We went to see "Alice in Wonderland" in 3D. Saturday after a day of Yoga classes, we ate some pizza, and 5 of the kids from Bamboo ventured in the Excel van to watch the film. Since many kids had already seen the movie, we had only 5 join the highly anticipated event for the Kids. Special thanks to Joe for driving the van, and Julissa's Dad Anthony & Milta's Aunt Isabelle for being fabulous chaperone's.

Movie night was a success! On the way to the studio, we played "Yogi spies with my third eye". The kids were exceptionally well behaved. Congratulations to Milta for earning her orange belt early that day!

Kids Yoga Dog Tunnel @ Bamboomoves

Kids gain so much from a Yoga practice. They improve focus, flexibility, and HAVE FUN!!!! At Bamboomoves, Kids explore the Sun Salutation, Warrior Poses, Pranayama (breathing exercises), Meditation, Sing Yoga related songs, and play various yoga games. One of the favorites is the "Dog Tunnel" where we line up our mats, get into downward dog pose, and one by one crawl through, to the lovely sounds of our own dog barking. They especially love when I crawl though. On Halloween, we made our Down Dogs into Down Wolves, and howled.

LOVE at Bamboomoves

Recently the amazing kids yoga class at Bamboomoves has been working on Headstand (sirsasana), sometimes known as the King of all yoga poses, as well as Pigeon Pose (eka pada rajakapotasana). Both poses require focus. Last week our lovely veteran girls spelled out the word "love" using headstand variations and pigeon. Their eagerness to do new poses, and find joy in encouraging each other during yoga class impresses me every week.

Pictured: Milta, Jaylene, Imergen, Julissa

Kids Valentine's Yoga @ Bamboomoves

Usually we have a wall to wall Kids Yoga class at Bamboomoves, BX. Somehow this year for Valentine's Day/Presidents Day weekend we had a small class with my veterans. We did Valentine's Mandalas, my "Yoga Tree" song with a Linden Tree as our pose (a Linden tree has heart shaped leaves), and we worked on headstand. These ladies were so excited to show me their newly developed headstand practice as taught to them by the brilliant Yoga Instructor Monica. One of the little girls brought treats for everyone and a cuddly little teddy bear for me. The kids at Bamboomoves are growing in their Yoga practice and encourage each other. The growing community at Bamboomoves is wonderful to be apart of, and the generosity of spirit in the kids yoga class is a direct reflection on some amazing parents. Happy Valentine's Day!

Picture: Mia, Milta, Ambria, Jaleen (Ladybug)

Kids Yoga/Meditation @ Bamboomoves

At Bamboomoves our kids yoga class is quickly gaining popularity, which is the reason for the newly added monday night class. The kids at Bamboomoves inspire my yoga practice with their enthusiasm, kindness, and energy. Their positive reaction to the Yoga practice is so wonderful. With weeks spent doing yoga stretches, original songs, and yoga games we took a deeper dive into meditation. We raise our voices high beginning with an original Mandala song, then we slowly begin to do a seated meditation, and close with a mandala/yoga pose coloring page. Kids are asked to write what they love about yoga, what they are thankful for etc. It is a creative way for them to enter into a meditative experience. Being that this is Thanksgiving week, I am so thankful to be able to combine my love for yoga/music, with my love for working with kids, because kids really are amazing! If you or someone you know is interested in trying out a kids yoga class at Bamboomoves we offer them Saturdays 11:15am and Mondays 5:30pm. ~Peace & hugs.

Kids Halloween Yoga @ Bamboomoves, BX

Happy Halloween! Today at Bamboomoves the kids came dressed in Halloween costumes and ready for Yoga. I dressed up as the Tin Girl from The Wizard of Oz (homemade costume, spray paint is the best!!!). To make it extra spooky we had the room dimly lit with candles. We began with some spooky breathing exercises. Then, we did some stretches, sun salutations, scary tree poses, we became yoga bats, and did our down dog/wolf tunnel. Kids lined up in a row in Downward Dog pose, only since it was Halloween, we were Downward Wolves instead. They howled to the moon, while one by one, they took turns to slide through the tunnel. Every week we have a new adventure and stretch in Yoga poses. It is such a treat to teach these Kids every week. Tonight, Bamboomoves, BX is having the Halloween Party, from 9-12 pm, so come dance, enjoy, and dress in your costume. The staff will all be a character from the Wizard of Oz. Have a Happy Peaceful Halloween! ~ Peace & Hugs, Ambria

Kids Yoga - Spontaneous Kindness

Over the weekend,

I was scheduled to teach two kids yoga classes.

Like many adult yoga classes,

kids yoga classes offer a variety of special benefits for the individual (fitness, relaxation, focus, etc). Both classes had young girls that have their own particular special needs which yoga helps them with. Somehow, because of scheduling both girls came at the same time, so I improvised and did the class together. The girls were a true delight. We did breathing exercises, sun salutations, ball passing, some yoga music inspired yogic movement (my tree song, mandala etc), a yoga adventure and finally they colored a mandala for relaxation. Both girls were encouraging to each other and added their own unique creativity. The younger of the two decided to bring a picnic basket on the "yoga adventure" to share imaginary snacks. Which was well appreciated. The other little girl decided to share how thankful she was for the snacks. It was truly lovely to see how spontaneous they both were with their kindness. While they were coloring there mandalas, I asked them what they were thankful for, and one of them said she was thankful that her new friend brought snacks on the adventure. Both said they were thankful for yoga and slowly rested their crayons aside to drift into a well deserved "SAVASANA". Kids have such a lovely perspective on life and yoga. ~ Namaste

My Brilliant Lena is Back!!! - Kids Yoga

Today, I was reunited with the lovely Lena! This little girl who is technically ASD (autistic spectrum disorder) amazed me in the summer during our Yogi Bean sessions. I walked in to her home, only to hear her enchanting piano practice, playing none other than Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. WOW, that is the piano piece that nearly had me quit piano years ago, and this little angel played with such brilliance. We progressed into our yoga practice complete with sun salutations, my yoga tree song, a yoga adventure, some chanting, meditation, and of course savasana. I was so happy to be reunited with Lena, as her energy and vibrancy are a true delight. The benefits all kids have with yoga and with music is unquestionable. To be part of someones journey and share my yoga practice is more rewarding than I could describe, but since my two primary passions in life are music & yoga, and being that I am a former NYC public school teacher, to witness the progress in a child from yoga and music is my hearts delight. At the end of our sessions Lena shares with me her insight on some meditation topics, and her profound outlook, and vast vocabulary are truly inspirational! The reason I highlight that she is a kid with ASD is only because her ability to dive into a yoga practice is inspirational for everyone. This amazing girl proves that it does not matter what our age, gender, or if we have some form of a disability, everyone can benefit & enjoy life with Yoga and Music. Thank you Lena for making this an amazing weekend! ~Peace & hugs, Ambria