Photo: Cover illustration from I Am Always I

I Am Always I is a delightful new children’s book by the much-loved spiritual teacher Rupert Spira. The video that accompanies the book is read aloud by Rupert over a wonderful new animation for kids and adults of all ages. Rupert takes you on a journey of discovery through a landscape of thoughts, feelings and circumstances to your essential Self. With exquisite artwork by award-winning illustrator Zuzanna Celej, this deceptively simple animated story shows readers of all ages that beneath our whirling thoughts and shifting emotions we can find an unshakeable peace and quiet joy.

I Am Always I is not only a book you will fall in love with, it is also a guide to falling in love with your true Self. As with the book, this charming animated short film for children is dedicated to the child in us all. I Am Always I is one of those bedtime stories for kids that will also be loved by parents and grandparents.

I Am Always I – A Poem for Children by Rupert Spira

I am not always happy
I don’t always feel free
I am not always lonely
But I am always me.
I am not always naughty
I don’t often feel shy
I am not always hungry
But I am always I.
I am not always sleepy
I don’t often cry
I am not always messy
But I am always I.
I am not always nice
I don’t always try
I am sometimes forgetful
But I am always I.
Once I was two
For a while I was three
I am not always four
But I am always me.
Sometimes I’m lazy
But I don’t ever lie
I am not always cheerful
But I am always I.
I am not always right
But I do what I can
I may not be perfect
But I am what I am.
Everything changes
So what can I be?
I cannot be anything
But I am always me.

About the Author:

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Oddbods: Busy Bodies

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The entire family atmosphere should be peaceful and calm. Food should be sattvic (pure and clean). Let the children listen to sattvic music and read good books. You cannot ask them to see all kinds of wild pictures and then expect them to be calm. Parents have to take care of all these things. It is worth doing, and it’s a parent’s duty to do that. You have brought forth a soul into the world and you have to take care of that soul in the proper way.

Children can even be introduced to Yoga while they are still in the womb. How? By the parents becoming good yogis. Children are best taught by example. Words don’t carry much weight. The children watch you. They naturally try to follow and imitate. Your duty is to develop your spiritual side, and let the children see it. That is the best way of teaching children. If you want your children to be good yogis be a good yogi yourself.

When parents do asanas, their children will come and lie down. They will try to pull their hands and legs here and there. Set examples for them. You don’t even need to tell them what to do. The best way to teach is by setting good examples. It is our mistake when a child cries for everything it wants. It comes because the child has been given whatever it wants by us,  just to stop it from crying. If you do that, you are spoiling the child. Even if the child kicks and cries they must come to understand that no means no. That is the way you teach children. It doesn’t mean that you don’t love them.

If you really love the child, don’t just give everything when the child cries. When the child stops crying, you say “Okay, now you can have it because you have stopped crying. You are asking nicely.” Very often, the minute you say no, we see the children just fall down, kick and roll in a tantrum, because they know that by doing so, they get what they want. We can teach them that by making a fuss they will never get what they are demanding.

When they are ready to listen and want to understand better, you can talk to them in a convincing way. Don’t simply say, “Do this. Don’t do that.” Every time you say something like that, you should present the reason also. You should tell them, “It is for your own benefit. It’s for your welfare, your physical health, mental health, your social health. If you do this, you will ruin all that. If you do the other way, you will enhance that.”

My greatest inspiration comes from seeing a baby. I admire babies the most. Because in babies, you see the real divinity. In children you see the divine. Fortunately, we were all children once upon a time. We lost that innocence, lost that purity. We have to get back to that childlike life. You can be always happy, joyful, peaceful. And you will inspire others also, by your mere presence. All the prophets have said that. It is among the children that God’s Kingdom lies. Be a child, an innocent child. See that your children imitate their childlike parents. You will be happy, the children will be happy, and the world will be happy around you.

By Sri Swami Satchidananda

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The poses in this section form the basis of the Integral Yoga Hatha practice. They are recommended for daily practice as they offer the maximum health benefits in the minimum amount of poses.
Having a basic sequence to follow gives a firm foundation to the Hatha Yoga practice. The children will become very familiar with these poses. The poses will be like old friends. Students will be able to observe their own progress in the basic poses as they grow. A known sequence is something one can always return to, like a favorite book or story. All other poses can be added to this sequence.

Children can be taught how to add poses to develop and maintain a balanced practice. They should be gradually taught the benefit of each pose, so as they grow they will understand when and how to use each pose in a personal routine. Developing a personal, regular daily Hatha Yoga practice is one of the great gifts in life.

“Prevention is better than cure,” says Swami Satchidananda. A regular Yoga practice begun at a young age will go a long way toward maintaining a healthy body and peaceful mind. There is a Tamil saying, “What is learned in the cradle, is taken to the grave.” It is never too early to begin practicing Yoga.

Basic Guidelines for Adapting the Integral Yoga Hatha 1 Class for Children

In guiding children to do the Hatha poses, gentleness and care are very important. Children’s bodies are still growing. Extra precautions are needed so that no strain occurs. Some poses from the adult class are omitted or modified because the spine is still developing. f they are unsteady in a pose, it’s best for them to come out, rest, and go on to another. If an asana cannot be held as long as is normally done, they can repeat it several times and gradually build up strength and steadiness in the pose.

The following guidelines are based on the format of a standard Integral Yoga Hatha I class. They are intended for children under twelve years of age. After age 12 or the onset of puberty, children can generally do the regular Hatha I class. In addition to these guidelines, if you observe how your children feel in the poses and make any necessary adaptations, you should be able to develop a very beneficial and enjoyable routine. The main guideline in teaching Hatha Yoga to children is exactly what Sri Patanjali gives in the Yoga Sutras. “A pose means one that gives steadiness and comfort. So the Yoga asanas should be practiced with the utmost ease and comfort.” (Swami Satchidananda, Integral Yoga Hatha)
By inspiration, through your own example, and guiding your young ones to do these practices, you will be giving them a very great gift—a strong foundation for their future health and happiness. Please refer to Hatha Yoga: For Kids, By Kids from Integral Yoga Publications for more information on Hatha Yoga for children.

1.    Chanting or singing: children naturally love to sing and chant. Vary the practice depending on the setting of your class and age of the students.

2.    Eye Movements: In a large group (over 5-6 children) it is not recommended to teach the eye movements as they are more subtle and deal with very delicate muscles. Children may not have enough control over the eye muscles and could strain the eyes. They may be distracted and become restless. In one-on-one settings or small groups, the eye movements may be taught very gently as instructed in the teacher-training manual.

3.    Sun Salutation can be modified as follows depending on the ability of the group:
•    Positions 2 & 11: Do not bend back; just stretch straight up
•    Positions 5 & 8: Could come down onto all fours instead of the inverted V position ( Downward Facing Dog Pose)
•    Position 6: Optional Modification: Lie flat on floor, do not raise buttocks

4.    Cobra Pose is the same.

5.    Half-Locust & Locust Pose are the same.

6.    Bow Pose can be done, but for a shorter time. They can gently rock in the pose to massage the abdominal organs.

7.    Forward Bending Poses ( Head-to-Knee and the full Forward Bend) are the same.

8.    Shoulder Stand can be done, but for a shorter time. Children have less concentration and coordination and could strain if they hold the pose too long. They should come out of the pose as smoothly as possible. Try to avoid falling out of the pose.

9.    Fish Pose is the same.

10.    Half Spinal Twist can be done gently or could be replaced by a twist in simple sitting pose.

11.    Optional Poses: There are many optional poses that can be done depending on the flexibility of the students.

12.    Balancing Poses should be included in every class. They are very beneficial and fun. Students should try to do them without jumping around. Focusing the eyes on a fixed point will help them to concentrate and find their balance.
13.    Standing Poses such as Triangle and Warrior are also very beneficial and can be included in all classes. You can consult Integral Yoga Hatha, the Optional Pose section of the teacher training manual, or other books on Hatha Yoga for more ideas and instruction in optional poses.

14.    The more difficult practices, such as Peacock Pose, Head Stand and Stomach Lift should be avoided.

15.   Yoga Mudra- is the same. (some children can easily do this in Lotus Pose)

16.    Yoga Nidra: Always include deep relaxation. Children of all ages will learn to enjoy it. You can go through all the stages in a shorter time, 5-10 minutes: physically tense and relax, mental body scan, bring awareness to breath, watch the thoughts of the mind, observe the peace within. Let the children experience the Silence. It is not necessary to fill every moment with talking. After waking up from deep relaxation is a good time to tell or read a Yogic story (refer to Enlightening Tales or other short stories with morals).

17.    Pranayama: The more gentle breathing techniques can be done. First deep breathing should be learned. This can be taught both from sitting and lying on the back. Kapalabhati can be done gently with only a few expulsions. Nadi Suddhi, alternate nostril breathing, can be taught if there is the interest and focus. If there is difficulty forming the Vishnu Mudra, they can use the thumb and index finger, or anything that is easy. There should never be any retention with any Pranayama for children.

18.    Brahmari: Children can also do the humming breath, which they will love. You can include the mudra also.

19.    Sitali and Sitkari: The cooling breaths may be practiced with no retention.

20.    Meditation: Include a brief time of silent meditation. You can watch the children to see how long is comfortable for them. Children can be taught simple meditation techniques like mantra repetition or following the breath.

21.    Closing peace chants or songs to end the session.

The post Integral Yoga Hatha Class For Children (ages 4-12) appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

Haris Harini Lender has taught Yoga and meditation to every age range, from infants to 90-year-olds. During her 11 years of running Camp Yogaville, she wrote songs and skits and developed many more skills that would help her to create the imaginative style of Yoga for kids, which has become known as “Kidding Around Yoga.” In this article, she gives an overview of the creative ways she’s devised to teach meditation to children.

When I first thought of teaching meditation to kids, I was told they wouldn’t focus long enough and so they wouldn’t benefit. Imagine my surprise when I found out that couldn’t be further from the truth. I start with a minute of meditation and, if the kids are still quietly sitting there after a minute, we continue. We meditate at the beginning and at the end of every class. I think it’s important for kids to feel how, after doing asanas, pranayama and deep relaxation, it’s easier for them to sit quietly. I spend a lot of time showing them that, in Integral Yoga, hatha is only for the purpose of relaxing the body and getting it ready for meditation. So, I always ask them, “Was that easier to meditate for a minute or two minutes after doing the whole class? They have the opening minute of meditation to compare it to, and they agree. And, it’s not just kids—it’s easier for adults to sit to meditate after doing the class too.

I also explain the benefits of meditation through these examples:

1. Bitten like a Scorpion: I get the kids to jump up and down like drunken monkeys that were bitten by scorpions (this is from the story Sri Gurudev tells). I first have them jump up and down like monkeys and then they sit. Next, I tell them to stand up and jump around like drunken monkeys. I have them sit and finally they stand up and jump up and down like drunken monkeys who’ve been bitten by scorpions. By the time they get through that, they are tired and ready to sit and listen as I explain how our minds are like that and that’s why we need meditation.
2. Cuckoo Head: I have the kids all say out loud, at the same time, what they did from the moment they woke up that day to when they came to Yoga class. You have a group of kids all talking at one time and you hear all the noise, tension, thoughts and it’s crazy as they describe everything about what they ate, what their teachers said and so on. Then I chant an OM to signal quiet and I tell them, “This is what happens in your head all day long. Wouldn’t it be nice, if we could learn how to calm our minds and meditate for a minute?” It’s an interesting way for them to understand what’s going on in their heads.
3. Crystal Bowl Meditation: My favorite way to illustrate the mental madness in our minds is Swami Karunananda’s crystal bowl meditation exercise. I put a crystal in a glass bowl filled with water. One at a time, I add different food coloring dyes to show the clutter in our minds. At the end, I pick up the crystal and wash it off to show that meditation is like soap for our minds—it brings back crystal clear thinking. I use yellow first, referencing when they were born. The first thought is: “Mommy my diaper is wet.” That starts the conversation off with some laughter. Then, I pour the blue color, which represents sad thoughts. Red is anger and green is envy. I explain how all these thoughts create chaos in our minds.

Once they understand why we meditate, I give them the choice of meditation techniques we can use for our class that day. Here’s a brief overview of some of my favorites:

1. Meditation with a Mala: We use Mardi Gras beads for malas, since actual malas are a little too delicate and since the kids tend to throw them around—hey, they’re kids! I also bring in my own malas, which I treasure and which have been blessed by Sri Gurudev. I want the children to respect the malas and I tell them how I traveled a long distance, on a spiritual journey, to have them blessed by my meditation master. I find it’s really good to always have stories you can tell because this draws the kids in and also teaches them respect. Everything in the class is designed so that, when they grow up, they respect everything we do. I learned the hard way: You hand out the beads, they use them and then you must take them back. Don’t leave the beads around, as they grab them and fight over them. So, these are some of the tricks of the trade.
2. Meditation with a Mantra: Sometimes I have the children pick their mantra and other times I give each child their own index card that has a mantra written on it and they keep it secret and sacred. I choose a mantra based on the demographic, or setting or the group of kids. For example, I used to teach Yoga at a local synagogue and so we used the Shema as our mantra. In a church we might use: “God is good, God is great.”
3. Walking Meditation: Kids love this. If weather permits and we can go outside, that’s ideal. But even in the classroom, we walk around slowly for about two minutes. After walking we talk about things we noticed that we never noticed in the room or outdoors before. I try to make sure they walk slowly so they feel every part of their feet hitting the ground or carpet.
4. Laughing Meditation: When you have 12 kids lying on the ground, you need things to keep them absorbed. For 2 minutes or less, I have them do laughing meditation. At first, usually they have to make the effort to laugh but then it becomes natural. They lay with their heads toward the center and I walk around and tickle them with feathers as I make laughing sounds and snorting. It doesn’t take much and before you know it, they are uncontrollably laughing. It’s really silly but, after 2 minutes of laughing, they get tired and it’s a great preparation for deep relaxation. I only have 45 minutes with the kids and it’s my job to poop them out so when we get to deep relaxation they’re not squirming around.
5. Peace Begins with Me: This is one of my favorite methods because it’s one of the most effective and it works for any demographic, regardless of religion, race and so on. This is done by bringing the thumbs of each hand to the index fingers of each hand as we say “Peace;” then we bring the thumb to the middle fingers as we say “begins;” then thumbs to ring fingers as we say “with;” and last we bring the thumbs to the pinky fingers saying “me.” So, as they move their fingers they are saying, “Peace begins with me.” We do this for a minimum of 1 minute and I like to try and continue for up to 2 minutes. During Camp Yogaville, we start on day 1 with a minute and increase by a minute each day. By the end of the week, the kids are meditating for 5 minutes. I get letters from parents that the kids continue to do it after they go home.

I basically follow the structure and script of the Integral Yoga class. We use deep relaxation as a preparation for the closing meditation, and I call deep relaxation, “The Secret Garden.” I have them tense and release each part of the body and then we begin a journey during which their Yoga mats become flying carpets that take them to their own secret gardens. The kids are encouraged to visualize a place that makes them feel safe. I give them suggestions, like a lake with dolphins or mermaids. I create a fairy tale—whatever comes to me at the time. Often, they don’t like to calm down right away. So, sometimes, Tinkerbelle (me!) comes around with a wand and lightly taps their foot and that’s where we’ll bring light into the body and then they visualize the light traveling up through their bodies. When they feel the light throughout, then their magic carpet lifts up to transport them. Once they reach their secret garden, I help them decorate it, offering suggestions.

Then I stop talking. The longer I can go with the silence the better, but generally I try for 3 minutes. I have to include music or it doesn’t work for the kids. So, I’ll put on some quiet flute music and I’ll play the same music each class because kids like consistency; they like to know what to expect when they walk into the class and when they lie down for deep relaxation.

After deep relaxation, I have them sit up and we do some pranayama and at the very end we do the sitting meditation. I’ll close with a chant that goes, “OM Shanti, OM Shanti, peace begins with me. OM Shanti, OM Shanti, peace begins with you. OM Shanti, OM Shanti peace belongs to everyone, OM Shanti, OM Shanti now our Yoga class is done.” A typical class is 45 minutes to an hour. Hatha, games and stories takes the first 25 minutes, followed by 12 to 15 minutes at the Secret Garden, with 3 to 5 minutes of pranayama and meditation. Sri Gurudev said that a real Integral Yoga class means students are floating out the door when they leave. So, that’s my goal with the children also.

About the Author:

Haris Harini Lender is a certified Integral Yoga™ teacher and founder of “Kidding Around Yoga.” She has also been certified in Prenatal, Raja, Children’s and Stress Management Yoga. She offers certified Children’s Yoga teacher training programs and licensing opportunities for “Kidding Around Yoga.” Haris lives in Florida with her husband and four kids. She spends much of her hard earned vacation time in her lovely yurt in Yogaville. Her Kidding Around Books and music CDs are available from Amazon.com and www.kiddingaroundyoga.com.

The post Teaching Meditation by Kidding Around appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

The characters I developed over the years have become as real to my students as they are to me. Farmers Brown’s organic, vegetarian, sustainable farm is a utopia unto itself; many of his animals—Old Brown Cow, French Fry, and Sunshine his horses, the Swampy Swamp where the frogs are hopping, the river that changes with the seasons, and the ever mischievous Slinky the Fox who chases after the Rabbits and Chickens—are beloved friends. Sri Swami Satchidananda appears in class as the “man with the long white beard” who guides the children in meditation. I often have him sitting with his eyes closed in a grass hut. As he sees us enter, he guides us into our meditation, and then when we open our eyes he has transformed into a lion, or a rabbit, or a monkey. In keeping with Gurudev’s vision, I also incorporate how we can be stewards of our natural world, compassionate to others, and healthy in our eating choices.

I have been a full time kid’s Yoga instructor for ten years now, and am teaching hundreds of children in a given week at daycares, schools, gyms, and studios. To ensure I reach as many kids as possible, I have begun training more “Yoga with Nitya” teachers and there are six of us now in Richmond, Virginia, and I hope to expand further.

To advance this quest, I produced my first “Yoga with Nitya” DVD in 2012 and then in 2014, published my book, A Child’s Journey into Yoga, which is the first children’s book to illuminate some of the core sutras of Patanjali. The book is a story about a young girl who learns to grow up living Yoga and the narrator is “the man with the long white beard,” our beloved Gurudev. Without giving too much away, the journey ends at Yogaville.

While I never met Sri Swami Satchidananda, he is someone about whom I reflect, especially when I visit Yogaville. Something about him touches me so deeply, like no other teacher or guru. I have felt his presence every time I teach or lead kirtan, and I truly believe I am living out his mission of sharing Yoga with children as a means of creating a more peaceful and compassionate world. Seeing a room full of children in meditation, or engaged in a pose, and singing along with me is fulfilling that mission—those moments are my ultimate achievement. Whenever I feel weary or stuck or fall into self-doubt, I feel Gurudev smiling behind me and I know I am doing exactly what I was put on this earth to do. Yogaville is my spiritual home and, every time I return there, I breathe in his breath, I walk with his feet, and his love fills my entire being until I imagine I could fly on my bliss. What a tremendous gift he is to all of us. Jai Gurudev!

Try This!

A Child’s Journey into Yoga offers a story filled with wisdom and experiential activities to foster the concept of living Yoga while instilling some of the core sutras of Patanjali. How you bring these ancient sutras into the classroom for elementary school-aged children is a fun and innovative challenge. Here are some examples:

• Teaching non-greed or aparigraha: Use a piñata filled with coins and take the opportunity to discuss not only greed but why some people wind up with so much and others wind up with so little and tie it into world or local economies.
• “Yogas chitta vritti nirodha”: Fill a glass bowl with water, add soil, and let it settle to the bottom. This represents your natural mind and it is pure, clear, and calm—like when you first wake up. The mud is all the stuff that comes up in your day that can be disturbing and cause negative emotions. Ask the children to give examples of what makes them mad, for example, and stir up the water so the mud makes it cloudy. The students can now see how when our mind is disturbed thinking clearly is harder to do and we are more likely to make mistakes or react badly.
• Finding the truth through direct perception, inference, and learning from a reliable source: Have students sit in a circle and play Gossip Train or Telephone. One student whispers something ridiculous to the person next to them and they then whisper what they heard to the next person, going around the circle until everyone has heard it. I guarantee the last person will not have heard what was originally said. This is a fun way to emphasize the importance of getting information from a reliable source.
• Practice becomes firmly grounded when attended to for a long time, without break, and with enthusiasm. Give the students “Om Work” of writing in journals every day about their practice. They can choose to do three or four of their favorite asanas. They should record what they experienced physically, emotionally, and even spiritually in each of the asanas, as they are held for a minute or longer. At the end of the week have a sharing circle to discuss how this level of focus enhanced the benefits of their practice.
• The Four Keys: Teach children various ways they can utilize the four keys (friendliness, compassion, delight, and disregard) to unlock the doors of challenging situations. For example:

Fisher was enjoying upsetting Mica and was ready for her this day. Mica had made friends with Isaiah, after their time together on a science project, and she looked out for him. At lunch, as Isaiah unwrapped his sandwich, Fisher rolled a rotten apple full force right down the center of the table. He laughed wickedly as the apple hit Isaiah’s thermos, spilling its contents and shooting rotten apple bits all over his lunch. Isaiah sat stunned with his mouth open wide. Mica held her anger in check. She caught herself by taking a really deep breath and exhaling out all the anger in her body. She remembered: “Disregard is the key to the door of the wicked.” Fisher was watching her, expecting her to blow up like she had before. She caught Fisher’s eye as she continued to take deep breaths, then she calmly walked over to the lunchroom supervisor, and told her what had just happened. Fisher was sent home early with a detention and Isaiah got a free slice of pizza. Mica sat down with a sigh and said to herself, “That felt so much better than getting angry.”

About the Author:

Nitya Griffith has been a certified Integral Yoga® teacher since 2005 and her biggest passion is teaching children of all ages. Nitya is an E-RYT200 with a CRYT and she is registered with Yoga Alliance. She launched her national brand, “Yoga with Nitya,” with the release of her kid’s Yoga DVD. This DVD and her book, A Child’s Journey into Yoga, are available from Amazon.com. For more information, please visit: www.yogawithnitya.com.

The post Teach Your Children Well: The Spirit of Kid’s Yoga appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

BOOKS/DVDS/DOWNLOADS

Yoga for Children with Swami Satchidananda (DVD)

Primarily for children 5 to 13, but the whole family can join in for fun and fitness. Along with each pose, Swami Satchidananda gives a brief explanation of the physiological benefits. The DVD introduces children to Yoga and inspires continued practice. Yoga can be done alone or with friends. Even toddlers love to play along with the bigger kids on screen. Includes asanas, deep relaxation and chants.

Hatha Yoga for Kids by Kids
This is pure Hatha Yoga by young people living in Yogaville who take it seriously. The clear photographs will inspire children to try these asanas themselves. The text is simple and direct. The kids in this book are good at Hatha and have fun doing it. It is a book which will speak to your kids in their own language. Instructional photographs and simple text written by children introduce the basic, optional, and meditative poses of Integral Hatha Yoga.

Sri Swami Satchidananda Answers Kids’ Questions
In this delightful talk, children from the Yogaville summer camp ask questions about a wide range of children’s interests and concerns. Downloadable MP3.

Kidding Around Yoga (KAY)
Integral Yoga teacher Haris Harini Lender developed the wildly popular KAY program and she also runs KAY teacher training programs. The KAY DVD as well as the many KAY songs create a really fun and engaging way for children to learn Yoga.

CLASSES

Integral Yoga Institute of New York
The IYI offers ongoing programs for kids including satsangs and classes.

Mini Yogis studios:
Enlightening children throughout Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County, and the San Fernando Valley…now also in Chicago, Illinois!

YogaKids

Recreates traditional Yoga techniques and poses in fun and educational ways. Use the YogaKids teacher finder link.

CAMPS

Camp Yogaville

Camp Yogaville is a week-long, Integral Yoga, sleep-away summer camp for children ages 8-12 held each June. Camp is held at the beautiful Satchidananda Ashram at Yogaville, Buckingham, Virginia. The program is hosted by senior staff of Yogaville.

Camp Yogaville is Integral Yoga® for kids—a 2-week-long Yoga summer camp in the heart of Virginia for children ages 8 to 12 (they’re flexible!) It’s a great opportunity for kids to share and relate to one another in a yogic way.

KAY Yoga Camp
Haris Harini Lender, Integral Yoga teacher and founder of Kidding Around Yoga, as well as Camp Yogaville, also offers a summer camp for kids!

The post Resources: Classes & Camps for Children appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

1. Hatha Yoga for Kids by Kids – by the Children of Yogaville
This is pure Hatha Yoga by young people who take it seriously. The clear photographs will inspire children to try these asanas themselves. The text is simple and direct

2.  Meditating with Children: the Art of Concentration and Centering: A Workbook on New Educational Methods Using Meditation – by Deborah Rozman, Ph.D.

3. Enlightening Tales: As Told By Sri Swami Satchidananda
Filled with wisdom, adventure and surprises, these timeless tales are at once entertaining and instructive.

4. Sparkling Together – by Jyoti Ma & illustrations by Chandra Devi
Sparkling Together contains eight colorfully illustrated stories each encompassing one of the challenges common to childhood experience. This interplanetary fantasy is geared toward children ages 5-9.

5. Kidding Around Yoga – Haris Lender & Cassie Dixon
Discover and practice Yoga through these fun Yoga Stories written by Kidding Around Yoga’s creator, Haris Lender, and Kidding Around Yoga’s first Licensee, Cassie Dixon. These 15 stories will take you on a Yoga adventure with over 50 poses and pictures.

6. A Child’s Journey into Yoga: Based on the Core Yoga Sutras of Patanjali – Lydia Nitya Griffiths
Based on the foundational teachings of Yoga, the Sutras of Patanjali, A Child’s Journey into Yoga is a lesson-filled story about the aspects of Yoga beyond exercise. The story follows the life of a girl (and some of her friends) from elementary school into early adulthood. This book was designed to inspire young yogis to stay the course on their inward journey toward self-knowledge and inner peace.

7. Yoga Affirmations Coloring Book – Swami Satchidananda with illustrations by Eloisa Schichilone
Inspiration meets whimsy in this unique coloring book! Words of wisdom from renowned Yoga Master Swami Satchidananda are paired with Italian artist Eloisa Scichilone’s charming characters engaged in Yoga and playful activities — perfect for coloring. Another unique feature is the translation of the affirmations — from English into various languages: French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish.

8. Yogaville Coloring Book – Lydia Nitya Griffiths & Ian F. Wesley
This coloring book tells the story of Satchidananda Ashram (Yogaville), the Yoga ashram and community in central Virginia. It was founded in 1979 by Swami Satchidananda, who is also the founder of Integral Yoga. Yogaville is a place where people of different faiths and backgrounds can come to study and practice Yoga and realize their essential oneness. It is also the home of the Light Of Truth Universal Shrine (LOTUS). This unique interfaith shrine honors the Spirit that unites all the world religions, while it celebrates their diversity. This coloring book is a wonderful way for children to discover the joy of Yoga and explore Yogaville!

9. Fly Like A Butterfly – by Shakta Kaur Khalsa
features: over 160 photos of children enjoying Yoga in duo-tone black and white and Yoga stories in which the Yoga postures are done as the story unfolds

109. Little Yoga – by Rebecca Whitford and Martina Selway
A Toddler’s First Book of Yoga

10. Itsy Bitsy Yoga – by Helen Garabedian
If you’ve been searching for an excellent way to bond with your baby and improve his or her health, Itsy Bitsy Yoga is the solution you’ve been looking for.

11. Itsy Bitsy Yoga for Toddlers & Preschoolers by Helen Garabedian

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“Close your eyes. Take in a few deep breaths. Today we all will go on a magic trip…We will have to cross the river to get to the other side…so, you may swim, or take a little boat, or become a bird and fly over, whatever you like…When you are on the other side, we will walk for a little bit into the forest. It is a beautiful forest with high trees…we are walking on the soft earth…sunlight filters through the leaves, the birds are calling each other…we are looking for a place to rest…just look around…is there a tree where you could build a tree house? Two trees, where you could set up a hammock? Do you want to build a little hut from the wood you find around…anything you like? Make yourself a wonderfully comfortable place and then crawl into it. Close your eyes. Listen to the sounds of nature around…A bird comes flying to you. It sits on a branch. Watch it carefully. How big is it? What color does it have? Afterwards I will ask you about the bird.

Silence. Feel how long you can keep them in silence. When one or two get restless, have them all come out slowly. OM

Breathe fully and deeply…
And when they are seated, of course you have to follow up: The bird, how big was it? What color does it have? Did it sing?”

In the beginning it is good to do very simple things, watching colors, shapes, watching what the bird did. The next time you can go listening…listening the sounds of nature, listening to the birds, song, listening to its melody and have them bring the melody of the bird back into the class.

Little children will bring back only one thing…In the first classes of elementary schools you can ask two things to bring back; the older age group in elementary schools likes elaborating…

The Sacred Place visualization can be done several times. Another option is to have them look around and meet an animal. Another one, where they have a choice to invite somebody they loved very much to their sacred place. Give this place a name, like the secret garden, or whatever they like. And make sure, they start out knowing and feeling that they can go there, as often as they want. They do not have to wait for yoga class. At night, it’s fund to go there, before they go to sleep. They will sleep better and deeper, if this becomes their habit. After some weeks, you can check, if they do this little practice and you can have them share, how well they sleep…

From now on, you can rely on your own intuition. Just sit down, meditate for a while and ask your inner guidance where to take your students. In fact, if you pay attention to that inner inspiration, it will guide you exactly and make your visualization exactly the one that is needed. You also can study other people’s visualization, get a feel for it, and then trust your own intuition. Do not be overly sweet. A good indicator is, how Native American people tell a story…down to earth…open to nature, open to your own feelings about nature…Amplify the sacred space. Go and visit an island, where you meet a friend. Tell the friend something, you would not tell anyone else. Listen, what she/he answers. To be a good friend for you, she/he always consoles and encourages you. He or she really, really loves you. He or she would never hurt you; and would never ask you to hurt anyone else. He or she would always help you to find a solution. This friend is always waiting for you. He never leaves you…

This is an early way to become familiar with the Self and it is also a protection against bad influences that come from one’s own subconscious. Remember, we are teaching Yoga Nidra to relax the body and to find the way to the sacred space within, to our very core, to the Self.

We may use visualization with this friend, taking a problem there. We may say: Somebody at school has been unfriendly and you are a little sad about it. You go and visit your friend and ask him, what he/she would advise to do in that situation. This could be considered a little training to get help from within in difficult times. Getting the experience that it works. Not feeling lost and lonely, even if you cannot talk about something with anyone. It’s a training in winning independence and a powerful ally to go through life with.

What is more, it is important that children keep that knowledge sacred and secret. You can explain why: so people do not make fun of you, so they cannot destroy the most precious feelings you have, so that your safe place remains a safe place for you.

~Reprinted from the © Integral Yoga Children’s Teacher Training Manual

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Walking with a child or group of children is a perfect time to teach them about walking meditation.

Begin by picking a path or trail your group already knows so the concentration need not be on finding your way. Begin by walking in single file or with kids alongside you, but do not take the lead at the head of the line or pack, because you may be setting a pace too fast for them to comfortably maintain.

Before you set out check to see that no one is thirsty or hungry as these can be distractions to the lesson. If everyone carries a small water bottle, piece of fruit or nuts and a pack of tissues all needs should be met for half an hour, at least. 

Don’t forget the sunscreen, maybe hats with brims and dress appropriately. All the comfort features taken care of leave time to clear the mind for thoughts on the day’s meditation.

Now, set out on your trail, walking at a slow pace for half a minute to warm up the muscles. Tell your group that today you are learning a walking meditation. 

Breathing and walking pattern.

The first part of the walk is learning to coordinate breathing with the walking rhythm. Here’s how to explain:

”Take 2 walking steps for every breath in. And, take 2 walking steps for every breath out.”

”In addition, let arms swing at sides in the pattern called opposition. This means as the right foot steps forward, the left arm swings forward. And, as the left foot steps forward, the right arm swings forward.”

Tell the students about the first 2 parts of the meditation: 1. Taking 2 steps for each breath in or out; 2. Swinging arms in opposition to legs.

Practice this pattern of regulated breathing with arms swinging in opposition for 5 minutes or more while the group remains silent and concentrates on making the pattern second nature.

Thoughts on kindness:
The next part of the walking meditation follows without a break in the rhythmic walking pattern, and that is to keep up the pace and turn thoughts to how to show more care with family and friends at home and school. Ask the kids to think and plan one way they can do a helpful task after the meditation. 

Ask the kids to use the rest of the walk for quiet time while keeping up the pace they’ve just established.

If you are walking with school age kids tell the benefits of coordinating walking and breathing. Explain that breath is a link between the body and mind, and when upset or stressed just doing the regular breathing and walking combination will calm the mind enough for a solution to more easily come to mind.

When walking with preschoolers gear the walking meditation to learning how to swing arms forward and back in opposition to the walking pattern. Ask the kids to think of ways to share nicely with other children. Leave out the directions for regular breathing. Explain that walking is a time to quietly think about what may be bothering them and ways to later get along with friends and family.

Finish the walking meditation by sitting down in a circle and giving each person a turn to share a way they thought of to be kind to someone.

By Susan (Shuchi) Helene Kramer

Susan Helene Kramer (Shuchi) has been a devotee of Sri Gurudev Swami Satchidananda and a Yoga practitioner since 1976. She is the mother of 5 and writes on practical spirituality, dance, family and social issues. Her books are listed at her web site: SusanKramer.com

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Breathing practice

If your students are at least school age explain that even breathing calms them down when they are stressed or angry. And, that it is a good practice to use that no one else will even know they are doing: it is like their own first aid kit for regaining calm and control of themselves.

Demonstrate the meditation practice of evenly spaced regular breathing. Have them first count from one to four. Then demonstrate that on count 1 they breathe in, and on count 2 they release the breath; then breathe in on count 3, and breathe out on count 4. And, that this even pattern at their own regular breathing rate continues through the meditation. 

Imagery and quiet time.

Now, moving on to the sitting still portion of the meditation practice, ask the kids to close their eyes, and sitting very still imagine the sun rising in the sky. It is brightening all the world so plants and trees can grow, and people can see where to go.

By now, the children are probably quiet and relaxed. When the group begins to stir, (no time limit), ask everyone to follow you by taking a deep breath in, letting it out, standing up and stretching.

Remind the kids they can do this meditation anytime they need to calm down, or need some quiet time to work out problems they may be having at home, school or with others.

In this meditation I have not mentioned any particular religious imagery, which you can add in if you are teaching from a particular religious perspective. Rather, this meditation can be called quiet time and used in the schools for stress reduction or to recover order in the classroom.

Quiet time with even breathing
Helps to banish stress from living.

By Susan (Shuchi) Helene Kramer

Susan Helene Kramer (Shuchi) has been a devotee of Sri Gurudev Swami Satchidananda and a Yoga practitioner since 1976. She is the mother of 5 and writes on practical spirituality, dance, family and social issues. Her books are listed at her web site: SusanKramer.com

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