Enjoy this simple yet beautiful mantra of ‘Ancient Mother’ recorded with Sally Stevens, David Stott, & myself (Kate Phillips) during a rehearsal for the ‘Spring Shakti festival’ in 2017.

This week in our ‘Sister Circles’ class, each Sister has been invited to bring something special for the Mandala. So what is the significance? …

During ‘Sister Circles’ the girls gather together in a circle around another circle, known as a ‘Mandala’. Mandala is used in many cultures & means circle. It is said to be a symbol for the universe & all that exists within it.
Mandalas appear in all aspects of nature including the earthly cycles of the seasons & the celestial bodies of earth, sun and moon. In Sister Circles particularly, it also represents the conceptual circles of friends, family, and community.

Each week the mandala is decorated with aspects of natures blessings & with the addition of each specially chosen something, it will signify each Sisters unique presence within the circle and their collective presence as a group.

Go to the link The Mandala Project if you wish to find out more about Mandalas

Pranayama (expanding ones life-force) using Alternate Nostril breathing –

Interestingly there are many ways to practice yoga. Yoga has many different practices that are designed to take the practitioner towards a state of inner peace. The aim is with regular practice, this state of peace or calm can be accessed even in the wake of stressful times. Of course our health might be suffering in the way of insomnia or a physical injury so we may come to yoga to address such complaints initially but yoga works on many levels so we get to experience a state of health & wellbeing which goes way beyond just addressing a sore back.

Simply, we are all individuals with different needs so yoga offers many varied & suitable practices for everyone regardless of ability, age, culture or personality.

A sequence of practices are used in my 90 minute yoga classes to offer the student to benefit physically, mentally, emotionally & even spiritually, offering a deep sense of wellbeing possible even after one session .

They may change & not always be integrated to each class but generally are as follows –

Yoga Nidra – (systematic, deep restorative practice)

• deep relaxation of body & mind due to progressive technique of pratyahara (withdrawing the mind & body inwards away from external sensory influences)
• allows mind to go into a hypnogogic state (between conscious & subconscious state where brain alpha brain waves are dominant) This means we are more receptive & less habitual so more able to let go of old unsupportive patterns of behavior.
• Deep relaxation on the physical & mental level is induced but Prana (energy) is also redirected into the body to rejuvenate.
• 30mins of yoga nidra is equal to 2 hrs of deep sleep.

Asanas – (physical postures)

Smooth & repetitive –

• pumps blood flow into area for healthy tissue & aids in healing
• helps to gently increase length of muscles, fascia, tendons making body more flexible & therefore increases ROM reducing tension, pain & making us less prone to injury
• Smooth action helps lubricate joints & cartilage & also when we focus on length it creates space between joints keeping nervous system healthy

Using the breath with the movement –

• Opens up lungs so O2 more easily absorbed into body
• supports body mind connection so to tune in & know how to move with awareness
• creates a soothing meditative effect as mind becomes one pointed & focused

Pranayama – (breathing practices to enhance our life force)

• works on the energetic level so we can vitalise / balance / calm ourselves both in body & mind

Meditation – (one pointed practices to reduce mental activity)

• takes the mind away from worries & distractions into the present moment
• teaches us to explore or tune in to ourselves a ‘witness’. We learn to observe ourselves as we strengthen our ability to notice without getting caught up in all the attachment & aversion of emotions. This helps us ‘act’ from a stable wisdom response rather than ‘re-act’ from an unstable emotional response

Chanting – (repeating Sanskrit mantras / syllables )

• vibration offers another dimension to explore energy (in the form of healing, soothing, vitalizing energy)
• repetition focuses mind as a positive loop is re-inforced
• creates an opportunity for harmonious union within ourselves & each other

This term in ‘Yoga Groove for children’ we are exploring the energy of Chakras …

Read on for a visualisation for your children full of watery imagery from Swadhistana (joy, creativity, happiness)

“Imagine you are at the seaside, it is early morning & the sun has just crept up over the sand dunes, you lie down on the warm sand & feel the suns fingers extending their warm orange rays .… you feel happy & at ease as you soak up the warm orange rays of sunshine … you feel your body relaxing, leaving its shape in the sand below .. You hear the ocean waves, moving in & out on the shore, you can smell & almost taste the sea salt on your tongue … place your hands on your soft belly … you can feel your breath moving up & down, just like the waves on the water, your breath sounds just like the ocean, long & smooth waves of liquid breath moving up & down … your whole body feels like it is filled with water, your liquid body relaxing with each breath .. you are so relaxed, you feel happy & at ease … You can now hear sounds of dolphins playing in the distance, they are so joyful playing together in their watery playground, you smile as you can also feel their joy, you might even feel inspired to go play with them in the water, only if you wish to of course …. Remember you are the creative dreamer … you can create your own story … you can dive in & swim in your imagination & create a different story… you can go anywhere, invent anything, you are the creator of your life … the creative designer, designing your own inner & outer world.”
copyright Awakened Heart Yoga 2015

This is one of the Shanti (Peace mantras) from the Yogic scriptures.

It is a chant for peace, harmony & the greater good of all.

Enjoy the audio via the link below….

Saha NaVavatu

How to calm & relax children…  (or anyone for that matter)

Want to know a really quick & effective way to Calm & relax your child?

then read on ……..

Readiness –

• Make sure your child is comfortable & able to lie fairly still, preferably lying on their back. If this is difficult then it may help if you massage your child’s legs & feet with a firm squeezing & releasing down the leg & then a sweeping motion from calf to ankle including down the foot.
• If still not settling physically, ask the child to squeeze & tighten their whole muscular body as they take a big breath in .. hold for a moment & then as the breath releases, release the muscular squeeze. You can do this 3 times in time with 3 long, releasing breaths, Your child should now feel relaxed enough to lie relatively still.

Technique –

• With both your child’s hands or one of your hands resting softly on their belly, ask them to become aware of the breath. Allow them to relax into this now conscious flow of their breath & observe if & where you see any movement as they breathe in. (upper chest, mid chest, belly, combinations or neither)

• After 10 – 20 seconds of observation ask your child to breathe in & draw the breath into that area below the belly button, guiding it down beneath the gentle touch of the hand.

• The breath should be natural, never forced or strained. If this occurs, ask them to stop trying to bring the breath down towards the belly & just breathe softly & gently. Try again in another 30 seconds to guide the breath towards the belly & if the child seems to be trying too hard or the breath seems forced, then return to the natural breath for the remainder of this exercise.

• Once a comfortable rhythm is established, ask them to feel the breath move the belly in a gentle rise & fall motion. Breath moves in – belly rises ….. breath moves out – belly releases. If you wish us the analogy of a balloon gently inflating & deflating or the tide gently moving in & out. Even a swirling cloud of colour being drawn into their belly can help some chldren who need a visual cue.

• Begin to count the breath in co-ordination with the belly rising & falling …. i.e.. breathing in 1 … breathing out 1, breathing in 2 … breathing out 2 & so on. **Make sure you count with the childs rhythm, not your rhythm. This is very important!**

• Count to 10 only …  you might find the child continues on their own or is happy to finish. It is not unusual for the child to fall asleep if tired.

Give your child time to ‘come out’ of their internalised state & re-connect with the external world. In Yoga class I use a systematic way to do this which I would be happy to share with you if you wish. Just let me know!

Yoga is a system that is supportive to good health on so many levels & it is so important to expose children to these age old practices so they build healthy habits from an early age.

So why not join them & all receive the restorative benefits that come with this simple calming technique!

Growing concerns for children’s mental health –  

Do you know that stress, anxiety & depression in children is rising each year? One in four Australian children currently live with a mental health disorder, and these are the children who have actually been diagnosed.

There are many more children who experience symptoms of mental ill health every day but are not getting any support or help.  

Yoga supports mental health –

Yoga is a proven method of supporting mental, emotional & physical health.

‘Yoga Tales for Early Childhood’ gives young children a tool box of support to draw upon as they grow.  ‘Yoga Tales’ is like a 30min, regular once a week, vitamin pill so that children can –

‘manage stress, calm their minds, balance their emotions’

What about children’s physical health? –

Sadly, the statistics are no better. One in four Australian children are also obese.

Studies have shown that once children become obese, they are more likely to stay obese
into adulthood and have an increased risk of developing both short and long-term
health conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Yoga supports physical health –

‘Yoga Tales ‘ increases children’s physical health by teaching them how to use their bodies in
supportive ways.
Co-ordination, posture, balance are focused upon within the classes but more importantly,
the children are taught to be aware of their physical self through tools of  self awareness.
This helps develop a mindful, intuitive approach to being healthy from the inside out.

‘ exploring healthy living through movement, play, story & rest’

‘Yoga Tales for Early Childhood’ is a program developed by Kate Phillips of Awakened Heart Yoga to support the physical, mental & emotional health of children 3-6yrs.

Classes begin Thursday 10th of February 2015 at Springwood Library, Blue Mountains.

‘Yoga Tales’ also works in beautifully with Early Learning Environments & preschools.

Contact Kate via this websites contact page or directly on 0403 114 393 for Library enrollments or program information for your Early Childhood Centre or Kindy.

I could list hundreds of benefits, but here are my favorite ten reasons why yoga is awesome for kids.

By Jodi Komitor

1. Maintains Flexibility and Strengthens Growing Bodies

Children are born with an innate flexibility and yoga poses help to prolong this gift. Poses like Warrior One and Two aid in developing strength in their growing muscles and bodies. Strength and flexibility allow for fewer and less-severe injuries, especially when kids are engaged in sports, playground activity, and good ol’ rough and tumbling.

2. Enhances Concentration

In kids’ yoga classes, some poses are fast moving while others are slow paced. This allows children to learn self-control, enhancing their focus and awareness. Moving from Flying Bird Pose (Warrior Three) to balancing in Tree Pose takes great attention—a skill that is essential in most learning environments.

3. Increases Self-Esteem

When a child displays great strength, focus, and flexibility in Yoga, it does wonders for their confidence. A successful Crow Pose yields poise and power, which leads them to believe in and pursue their true abilities. Yoga success grants children persistence to achieve greatness as they embark on all of life’s adventures.

4. Teaches Present Moment Awareness

Yoga philosophy teaches present moment awareness because when our mind is thinking about the past or future, we are missing the most valuable now. When children are engaged, focused, having fun, and following a yoga lesson, they are in the present moment. As well, a good quality children’s yoga teacher will redirect kids and teach them about this valuable tool so they can carry it throughout their life.

5. Cultivates a Peaceful, Relaxed State of Body and Mind

All yoga classes conclude with a quiet time, also known as Deep Relaxation. Different from napping, this is an all-time favorite for yoginis of all ages. Called the “Do Nothing Pose,” children relish lying on their backs in quiet, peaceful stillness, sometimes with music and a guided visualization, foot massage, or an herbal eye pillow. Even if just for three minutes, children learn to understand the importance of this peace and can carry it with them into their daily lives.

6. Gives Tools for Stress Management

Practicing yoga provides kids an immediate outlet to reduce stress in a safe and nurturing environment. It is a physical exercise that produces happy endorphins. While breathing exercises slow down the heart rate, relaxation techniques are powerful sources for calming the mind and the body. Yoga teaches non-judgment and non-competition toward oneself and one another. These are all tools that a child can carry in to any difficult life situation.

7. Sparks Creativity in Ripe Imaginations

Kid’s yoga classes often infuse themes that are fun and engaging like “A Trip to the Beach” or “Jungle Safari.” When children are allowed the opportunity make up their own yoga poses to fit with the theme and express their experiences throughout the class, it inspires them to be free, creative, and self-expressive. Not only is this playful and fun, but it invites kids to tap into their own creativity and use their boundless imaginations without judgment.

8. Encourages Kind Peer and Social Interactions

Yoga teaches children that we are all the same inside, despite our outward appearance, race, and religion. We all have bodies that function, hearts that love, and feelings that feel. Partner yoga poses allow children to fully understand this concept of oneness by working together. Yoga inspires kids to be kind, patient, accepting, and emphatic with themselves and their peers.

9. Enhances Body Awareness

Yoga poses vary from balancing, strengthening, twisting, back bending, and inverting. All of these poses have the ability to teach a child about their body. Yoga teaches children to listen to where in their bodies they feel a movement and express how it makes them feel when they are complete. Body awareness is an invaluable tool for all stages and ages of life.

10. Teaches Discipline and Responsibility

Yoga is not a destination; rather it is a journey of a lifetime, which takes discipline. Ideally, when children learn at a young age the benefit of a committed practice, it ripples out into their everyday life activities, relationships, and responsibilities. When they learn that yoga takes practice versus an immediate accomplishment, they learn and accept that life is a path with good days, bad days, and everything in between.

These are just ten of the many amazing benefits that kids reap from doing yoga. Are your children involved in yoga? What gifts have they been given from this practice? What questions do you have regarding children doing yoga?

Jodi Komitor is considered a leading authority on yoga for kids and is the founder of the first kids’ yoga studio in the world—Next Generation Yoga.

For further reading go to – http://www.positivelypositive.com/2012/09/24/giving-kids-the-gift-of-yoga-top-10-benefits-of-yoga-for-children/