Holidays at Dragonfly Yoga

     We are right in the middle of the Holiday Season and we are having fun at Dragonfly Yoga! Our theme in November was gratitude. What a perfect time of the year for taking the time to be grateful for all that we have. Our creative arts piece of class was designed around gratitude projects. We talked about nutrition, at a time of the year when there is special foods a plenty. We even held a Karma Yoga class where we collected food for Pennridge FISH, a food pantry in Perkasie, where we are located. Between myself and four young yogis, we collected 27 pounds of food which we dedicated in our Karma class and delivered to FISH in time for the holidays.

    December brings us to a study about affirmations, chakras, and transformation! During our first class in December, we explored our root chakra, our navel chakra, and our solar plexus chakra. We practiced breathing and meditation as well as yoga poses and affirmations associated with these three chakras. 

 

   The root chakra is located at the base of the spine and connects us to the earth. We have a good relationship with our families, feel grounded and balanced, and stand up for ourselves if our root chakra is balanced. Intentions related to the root chakra are balance, peace, trust, safety,calm, and patience. Diaphragmatic breathing is associated with the root chakra as well as meditating on the image of roots connecting you to the earth. Affirmations associated with the root chakra are "I am safe. I am grounded and stable. I belong. My body is string and healthy." Some poses we practiced were Child's Pose, Mountain Pose, Frog, Tree, Eagle, Butterfly, Cobra, Locust, and Bridge.

   The naval chakra is located near the lower back, pelvis, and hips. We are able to give and receive, we are empowered, and we have balance with food, work, and pleasure when our navel chakra is balanced. Intentions related to the navel chakra  are creativity, harmony, friendship, fun, and pleasure. Diaphragmatic breathing is associated with the navel chakra as well as meditating on the image of water. Affirmations associated with the navel chakra are "I allow myself to experience fun. I love and nurture myself. I embrace change." Some poses we practiced were Squat, Triangle, Warrior III, and Forward Bends. 

 

   The  solar plexus chakra is located near the stomach. We are able to trust our instincts and make self-empowering decisions when are solar plexus chakra is balanced. Intentions related to the solar plexus chakra are honor, self-worth, ambition, willpower, strength, and achievement. Breathing into the solar plexus and visualizing light or looking at a candle are some breathing and meditation exercised associated with the solar plexus chakra. Affirmations associated with this chakra are "I am powerful and strong. I live with honor and integrity. I am enough as I am. Whatever I do is more than enough." Some solar plexus chakra poses we practiced are Cat, Sun Salutations, Plank, Warrior I and Warrior II, Boat, and Wheel Pose.

   We will explore the heart chakra this Wednesday December 12th as we go through the story of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". We will also focus on the throat chakra. During our Winter Solstice Class (December 19th) we will explore the third eye chakra and the crown chakra. This class will also focus on transformations, as we prepare for winter. The last class in December will be about the 12 Days of Christmas. 

 

   Yoga is a wonderful activity for kids and teens to practice! Please join us for some fun this holiday season and come to yoga. All ages and abilitiess

 welcome!

Dragonfly Yoga for Kids and Teens

Dragonfly Yoga for Kids and Teens

    It is hard to believe that we are already in November! The Fall is going by so fast! We have been very busy at Dragonfly Yoga this Autumn season! We have been working on Eye Yoga, Balance, Gratitude, and Nutrition. We have invited our friends to join us in our practice of yoga! We held a special Halloween class as well.

Eye Yoga

    In our eye yoga class, we learned which was our strongest eye and how we can do yoga exercises to balance the strength of our eyes. As we headed into Autumn, we took some time to practice our balance poses, as the Autumn Equinox is a time of balanced light and dark. Mid October, we stared our six week theme of gratitude. During our first class, we decorated a grounding tree with things we are grateful for. The next class found us decorating two tress, a giving tree and a thankful tree. There are many things that we are thankful for and many things we can give to others. In our class last night, we talked about nutrition and food. We are so grateful for the many healthy food choices we have available to us. We talked about the idea of moderation (the yama Aparigraha or "non-greed") We also recognized that the the yama Ahimas (non-violence) can help guide us as we make healthy food choices. Many of us yogis do not eat meat as we are practicing Ahimas. We can practice the Niyama Shauca or "cleanliness" when we eat foods that are pure instead of filling our bodies with junk. We decorated a Cornucopia of healthy food that we are grateful to have access to in our lives.

    On Halloween, we dressed in our costumes and practiced yoga to Halloween songs such as "Monster Mash", "Thriller", and "Ghostbusters". We used pool noodles as our ghost-busting tools while we practiced our Warrior Series of poses. We practiced Pumpkin Breath and played several fun yoga games such as, Yogi Says ( a version of Simon says), Red Light Green Light (where we have to freeze in Tree Pose), and musical mats ( a version of musical chairs with yoga mats). A fun time was had by all who participated!

Side Plank

    As we move towards Thanksgiving, our yogis will be collecting food for the local food pantry. On November 21st we will hold a Karma Class where we will dedicate the food. We will once again, invite our friends to  practice with us. In December, we will work on affirmations and transformation as we head into the Winter Solstice.

   We will start charging a monthly fee for classes in December. Instead of $75 for six weeks, we will charge $50 each month. The price is the same. We will still have a drop in rate of $15 per class. All new students will receive a free first class! If you are looking for a program with many benefits, please consider yoga for your children.

Fall Equinox Class and Eye Yoga

   Dragonfly Yoga for Kids and Teens has had two really fun classes these past two weeks. The first on was a Fall Equinox Balance Class while the second on was a class about Eye Yoga. The children have enjoyed taking a break from our regular class routine to explore some new poses!

   Our Fall Equinox Balance class was created based on the idea that on the Autumn Equinox, the day and the night are of equal length. The Equinoxes are the point of balance in between the two Solstices. The Autumn Equinox marks the beginning of the dark, composting phase of the year. We prepared ourselves for this time of the year by practicing balance poses in class. We learned some new poses that involve balance as well!

Sunlight and Shadow
Go within.
Focus your senses. Face the challenge.
Balance sunlight and shadow.
Blend with the path.
This is the way of the Tao.

TAO. 56

By aligning your own energies to the natural rhythms of the earth and the suns' cycles you can achieve outward success during the growth phase of the year, and enjoy rest, contemplation and renewal during the dormant phase of the year. 

At the Autumn Equinox there is a shift of emphasis from outward achievement to inner reflection and contemplation.

We are moving from:
Sun to Moon
Light to Dark
Yang to Yin
Outer Achievements to Inner Reflection
Action to Contemplation
Fire to Water
Growth to Dormancy and Incubation
Fruitfulness to Composting
Building up to Letting go
Movement to Stillness
Samana to Langhana

 Our Eye Yoga class worked on strengthening and exercising the eyes. Eye asanas are important. Approximately 40 percent of our brain is associated with vision. Over time, our eyes lose their flexibility and tone, and this contributes to eye problems as we age. The loss of elasticity in the muscles of our eyes can lead to an impaired ability to focus and adversely affect our cranial nerves and brain, causing headaches, anxiety, stress. 

   First we used kaleidoscopes to determine which eye is our strongest eye. Then we did many exercises to work on strengthening our eyes.  We ended our eye asanas by palming. Palming is when you rub your hands together and cup them over your eyes to give your eyes a rest. Resting the eyes in between exercises is also important. This can be done by blinking or closing the eyes. 

For more information about our program, please visit our website at

• http://dragonflyyogakids.com  or visit us on Facebook at  www.facebook.com/Dragonflyyogaforkidsandteens

What sets our program apart from other kids programs?

What Sets Dragonfly Yoga for Kids and Teens apart from other kids yoga programs?

 

There are several things that set our program apart from other kids yoga programs.

First, our classes run for six week session consecutively. When one session ends, another begins the next week (except around the holidays).

Secondly, the yoga instructor is also a certified elementary and special education teacher with many years of working with kids of all ages and abilities and modifying classes so every child can be successful. Our yoga classes are also educational!

The third thing that sets us apart from other programs is that we offer a drop in rate and a make up option. Any child can drop in and try a class without committing to the six week session. We also try to offer a make up option, if you miss your regulatory scheduled class time. 

The last thing that sets us apart is that our classes are planned with our students in mind. Jessica takes the time to get to know her students, what they enjoy when they come to yoga, what they would like to do more of, and what they would like more assistance with when planning her classes.

We strive to provide the best possible yoga experience for your child! Our program does this by consistently running weekly classes, having an instructor who is also a certified teacher, offering drop in options and possible make up classes, and by planning our classes based on the needs of our students. 

Our first fall session focuses some on the principles of yoga. This session runs September 4th-October10th with classes on Tuesdays from 4:30-5:30pm and Wednesdays from 4:30-5:30pm and 7-8pm. Out topics for each class are as follows:

September 4th and 5th: Back to School Yoga
September 11th and 12th: The Yoga of Speech
September 18th and 19th: Fall Equinox Class (a class about balance)
September 25th and 26th: Eye Yoga
October 2nd and 3rd: Bring a Friend to Practice for free
October 9th and 10th :Last class of first fall session. The last class is a class choice class. The yogis pick the theme! 

Our second fall session will focus on gratitude. During this session, we will have a Halloween class, a class about nutrition, another Bring a Friend class, and a Karma class (where we will collect food for the local food bank). The other two classes this session promise to be fun as well!

Our last fall session will be a four week session, due to the holiday season. This session will cost $50 instead of the $75 for a full six week session. This session will include a class on affirmations, a winter solstice class about transformations, among other themes. 

For more information, please see out website: http://dragonflyyogakids.com

Start The School Year Off Right!

 
 We all know how important establishing routines is for healthy child development just like we all know the shift from summer to the back to school schedule can be challenging. I prefer to look at challenges as opportunities! Here are some ways that we can make the most of the opportunities that arise as we prepare our kids for a successful transition into the new school year.

Let us start with the basic need for rest and quality sleep. Many children get into a later bedtime habit during the summer. This can lead to a shift in sleep routine, causing the child to get to bed later and sleep in later the next day. It is always best to try to stick to a regular sleep schedule however, summer can bring some opportunities to deviate from that regular sleep schedule. Try starting to get that school sleep schedule started at least two weeks before school start. This will help your child adjust to the school schedule with greater ease. Remember, young school age children need up to 12 hours of sleep while tweens and teens need at least 9 hours.

The next opportunity to consider is bringing the body into balance. To begin with, many children do not get enough exercise. Add to that academic demands, media consumption, a reduction in PE and recess and we have the perfect storm for behavior and attention problems, obesity, and other long-term health issues. Now add academic pressures, sports schedules, various other lessons, social gatherings, busy and often rushed parents, and much more and your child may now feel stress.  Enter yoga. Yoga helps your child learn techniques for relaxation, breathing, inner fulfillment, and self-health.Physically it enhances flexibility, strength, and coordination. It increases a sense of concentration as well as a sense of calm in children. Additionally, children's relaxation improves. Practicing yoga is exercise for children that connects them with their inner self and brings them into an intimate relationship with the natural world that surrounds them.

The last opportunity I would like for you to consider is community and compassion.Setting norms of face-to-face behavior and appropriate social skills are more important than ever, thanks to the constant distraction and influence of electronic media. Social and emotional learning have been shown to improve academic achievement in the classroom. Yoga stimulates and balances on all levels including physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects in your child's life.

Having your child regularly practice yoga will help improve his sleep (our first opportunity), promote fitness, body awareness, flexibility, strength, stamina, and balance, (our second opportunity), and support self-esteem, promote unity and respect for all people, increase behavioral self-regulation, and improve social skills (our third opportunity). A yoga program is a wonderful thing to add to your child's back to school routine. Starting the school year off right with healthy habits and behavioral skills won't just help with academic success but also with life success, health, and happiness!


 

Where yoga fits into the back to school routine

Why Yoga is an Essential Part of the Back to School Routine

Our children live in world of pressures from school, busy parents, competitive sports, various lessons, social gatherings and much more. We do not often think of these influences as being stressful for our kids, but often they are. The bustling pace of our children's live can have a huge effect on their innate joy, and not always for the better.

Yoga can help counter these pressures. When children learn techniques for relaxation, breathing, inner fulfillment, and self-health, they can often navigate life's challenges with more ease. Yoga encourages self-esteem and body awareness with a physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual activity that is non competitive. Fostering cooperation and compassion, instead of opposition, is part of a yoga practice and one of the greatest gifts we can give to our children. 

There are many other benefits children can derive from yoga. Physically, it enhances flexibility, strength, and coordination. It increases their sense of concentration as well as their sense of calmness. Additionally, children's relaxation improves. Practicing yoga is exercise for children that connects them with their inner self and brings them into an intimate relationship with the natural world that surrounds them. 

Yogis that developed asanas thousands of years ago, lived close to the natural world and used animals and plants as inspirations the sting of the scorpion, the grace of a swan, the grounded stature of a tree. Children can relate to these poses and enjoy imitating them. It gives them a chance to get inside another being and take on its qualities. For example, the power and behavior of a lion. Not only are children aware of the power of the lion, they become aware of their own sense power, when to be aggressive, when to retreat. These physical movements introduce children to yoga's true meaning: union, expression, and honor for oneself and one's part in the web of life. 

Having your child participate in a yoga practice may help the school year become a little less stressful.

For more information on Dragonfly Yoga for Kids and Teens, please see our website at

• http://

dragonflyyogakids.com
 

Yoga and Sports

Does your child play sports? If so, doing yoga may help your child perform more effeciently in that sport. Yoga can also help lessent he risk of injury while playing a sport. For example, sports that emphasize running, lifting, and swinging can leave telltale signs of tight hamstrings, quads, and shoulders. This tightness can lead to imbalances in the body, injuries, and stalled performance results. Practicing yoga actually helps you get better at your sport and helps keep you injury free! Yoga also helps an imbalanced body gain needed symmetry.

Many professional athletes practice yoga. The US Women's Olympic Soccer Team practices yoga together. Jen Kessy, beach volleyball world champion, Mariel Zagunis, two time Olympic gold medalist in fencing, and Andy Murray (tennis) practice yoga. Olympic athletes are not the only athletes who practice yoga. The Philadelphia Eagles, The LA Lakers, and The Ottawa Senators all practice yoga as a team. Troy Palamalu (football), LeBron James, Kareem Abdul Jabar, Shaquille O'Neal, Evelyn Stevens (professional road cyclist), Tim Thomas (hockey), Maria Sharapova (tennis), and Daylan Childress (baseball) all pratice yoga. Many more athletes practice as well.

The reason many athletes practice yoga is that yoga builds muscle, improves felxibility, and fends off injury. Yoga gives you the power to better understnad your body. You learn where you are strong or weak, tight or flexible. Correcting these problems can raise an athletes game. As an added bonus, yoga strenthens your core and builds a lean, sculpted physique.

If your chid plays a sport, consider having him or her practice yoga. Dragonfly Yoga would welcome teaching a yoga class to your child's sports team. For more information call 215-738-6357 or email jessreese10@gmail.com

Please visit our website at http://dragonflyyogakids.com 

Why teach yoga to kids?

I am often asked why I only teach yoga to kids. There are several reasons that I choose to work only with kids. One of those reasons is that many yoga studios exist so that adults can practice and reap the many benefits of yoga, but not many studios cater to kids. Kids need yoga and its many benefits as much as adults do. Today, kids and teens face several challenges, many if which can be stressful. There is a lot of pressure on kids to perform in school and a multitude of other activities. There is media pressure to have certain things or look a certain way in order to be accepted. Children are "plugged in" so much that they often lose sight of what it is like to just breath and be still. Many do not know how to be still or feel calm. When a child is given the tools to be still, to breath properly, to go inside themselves and learn who they are, the outcome is a healthier, happier, calm and focused child who knows that they are good enough and can handle themselves in tough situations. Many children come from broken homes or homes that are struggling in this economy. Children pick up on the stress of the adults in their lives. Yoga gives children the opportunity to be still, to breath, to be creative, to learn about themselves, to learn to focus and concentrate, to learn mindfulness, to affirm positive things about themselves, and so much more. Yoga with kids is approached differently than it is with adults, therefore I feel specializing in just kids yoga allows me the opportunity to focus solely on curriculum that will benefit kids and teens.

I am a certified elementary and special education teacher. I believe that children are the area in which I specialize, in part due to my education and also due to the results I have seen with my own children as a parent. I have four sons, one whom is on the autistic spectrum. I have seen the benefits of yoga for all of my children. I have also seen the benefits in the children I teach. I teach, both academics and yoga, to students with disabilities, as well as typical students. I have seen yoga benefit typical kids, kids with ADHD, kids on the spectrum, kids with Down Syndrome, kids with emotional issues, kids with sensory issues, and many others.

Children are wonderful to practice yoga with since they are so willing to try new things, without a care as to what they might look like. Children are not intimidated by the same things adults are and children tend to have more of an open mind, which makes practicing yoga with kids so much fun!

Kids often play sports and a yoga practice helps them become more flexible, which can prevent them for incurring more injuries, while playing sports. Yoga helps kids build strength, stamina, agility, and balance, all useful while playing sports. Yoga can improve the posture of children, as well as improve focus and concentration in children. Yoga gives kids useful tools, such as self-discipline, self-realization, self-recognition, self-esteem, and body awareness. Yoga is noncompetitive, making it more beneficial to children as they seek to explore these tools and benefits for themselves. Yoga can help improve social relations, motor planning (including gross and fine motor skills), speech and language skills, and unity and respect for all people.Yoga promotes fitness in kids, improves sleep patterns, and stimulates on all levels including physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Giving these tools to kids at a young age can help instill healthy lifelong habits. Just like teaching our kids in schools, teaching our kids these things is just as important! Now you know why I only teach kids.

For more information on Dragonfly Yoga for Kids and Teens, visit our website at

http://dragonflyyogakids.com

Other Yoga Benefits: Behavioral Self-Regulation, Social Skills, and Universal Awareness

Once a child learns how to modulate his/her performance by using a technique to quiet, focus and calm himself, he is on his way to improving his ability to interact and succeed in society. Yoga provides these skills! One of the first skills to develop with a regular yoga practice is breathing. A child will learn to breath more slowly and deeply when they become anxious. This act of breathing will help a child self-regulate. Children may also chant familiar mantras to ease anxiety while others will remove themselves from a stressful environment, if possible, and do yoga poses. To be able to self-regulate focus, mood, or general expression is a critical skill for children to obtain.

Yoga can improve many things in a child's life, including social skills. Learning respect for self and others is monumental in effectively engaging with another person. The ability to take turns, listen, observe body space and initiate kindness are mutual aspects of a yoga class. Another aspect is successful social interaction! Mixing children with differing needs can design a setting where one child's social strength can support another child's social weakness. Mixing children of different abilities can provide various experiences of nurturing one another and proving role models. The respectful and accepting nature of a yoga class can support and maintain friendships. The level of support provided to one another is truly heart opening.

Yoga means "union". Yoga is based on unity and respect of all. The principles of yoga honor all people and teach people to treat others as they would like to be treated. They stimulate the unity within oneself as well as unity with all. Harmonizing with chants until two voices become one is an excellent experience to support the power of connection among people. The world comes into focus for the child and he/she feels a stronger desire to know what is happening in the world. This concept is referred to as Universal Awareness.

Yoga is a non-competitive,creative, and fun way to engage children while addressing their physical, cognitive, social, sensory, and emotional needs. Dragonfly Yoga is a yoga based, creative arts, interactive storytelling program for children of all abilities. For more information go to our website:

• http://dragonflyyogakids.com

Your Mind on Meditation

Meditation comes in many different forms, including but not limited to mindfulness meditation, walking meditation, and transcendental meditation. All forms of meditation involve one thing: a heightened state of awareness. At any given time, thoughts bounce like Ping-Pong balls between the past and the future, stuck no what could have been or fixated on what might be. Rarely do they zero in on the here and now. Research shows that tuning out the world and tuning in to yourself can be a stealth health booster that can change your body and brain and overhaul your overall state of well-being. This can be done in as few as 12 minutes a day! Here's how meditation amps up your health.


Brain-Meditation can increase alpha and theta brainwave activity, which is linked to relaxation. Practicing meditation every day for two months can physically beef up some of your gray matter!


Mood-A meditative state can light up the areas of your brain that control complex thoughts and positive emotions. Some forms of meditation can also build mental muscle in the areas of the brain that control compassion, empathy, and fear. This will, in time, allow you greater mastery over your emotions and help you to feel closer to other people.


Lungs and Heart-Regular meditation can drop your blood pressure by up to four points which in turn can lower your risk for heart disease! Wondering how that is possible? Meditation increases activity in your parasympathetic nervous system which controls your rest-and-digest functions (this is the opposite of your fight-or-flight response) therefore allowing your lungs to begin to draw deeper breaths. As your lungs draw deeper breaths, your heart begins to beat more slowly, causing your blood vessels to relax.


Relaxation- During a meditative state, your adrenal glands dial back production of the stress hormone cortisol. Meditation increases blood flow to your brain, which in turn may help lower anxiety. As an added bonus, the additional blood flow may help improve your memory!)


Willpower- Practicing meditation can lower your blood sugar levels (thus lowering your chances having diabetes) and may cut cravings for salty foods.


Immune System-Meditation helps nix the mental negativity that may dampen the immune response. It can also prompt your body to step up its antibody production. Research shows mediators are more better able to fight off infections and may also have better pain control when injured.

The Aura in Children

The aura consists of five etheric layers or sheaths. The first layer, or body, is called the food body or physical body. The second layer is the breath body or energetic body. The mental body is the third layer. The wisdom body is the fourth layer. The fifth body is called the bliss body.

The food we eat and the exercise we engage in affect the physical body. If we overeat, the body becomes tired and lethargic, causing us to have difficulty concentrating. If we do not exercise regularly and take care of our physical bodies, we can create an imbalance. Yoga postures show children how to tone and strengthen their physical bodies to stay fit and supple.

Our brains require more oxygen that any other organ in our bodies to function well. If there is a blockage in our breath, such as shallow breathing, it affects the functioning of our mental and physical abilities. Yoga breathing exercises teach children the best way to breath and how to stay healthy by breathing deeply from the diaphragm.

The mental body, the third layer of the aura, comprises the conscious, subconscious, and instinctive parts of the mind. If your mind is unfocused and distracted, it makes it impossible to concentrate. It also affects your breathing so that the physical body suffers as well. In kids yoga classes, children practice concentration exercises to learn to focus their minds. Focusing your mind helps control your wellbeing. This also helps kids perform better at school. 

This wisdom body relates to out intuition and understanding as well as our emotions. If a child is upset or depressed, they may lack motivation or any inner drive. Yoga teachings and chanting can help a child learn to develop inner growth, balance their emotions, and keep them under control.

The bliss body, the fifth layer, is the subtlest layer. When all the other bodies are harmonized, the fifth body gives out joy, happiness, unconditional love, and fulfillment. This is the ideal state for a child!

The Crown (Sahasrara) Chakra

The Crown chakra is located on the crown of the head. It connects us to our spiritual side and our higher wisdom. This energetic spot also pertains to connection, grace, soul, and the Universe. It is here we feel the energy of self-unification, or a coming together of our personality with our higher self. We become aware of something greater than our self and are interested in being our very best.

Sahasrara is shown as a lotus with a thousand petals with shivalingham, a symbol of pure consciousness, in the center. The crown chakra is emotionally connected to purity and spirit. It is associated with inspiration and our relationship with that which is divine. It puts us in touch with our divine purpose and selfless service, and teaches us to be present in the moment. It holds our discovery of the knowledge that we are connected to all that is.

When this chakra is balanced in children, a child will be at peace with herself and have a magnetic personality. If it is overactive, a child may act manically; if it is underactive, she may feel isolated or fear any sort of change.

To balance Sahasrara, practice concentration and visualization exercises as well as guided imagery in Savasana. Meditation is also a good discipline to learn.

Third Eye Chakra

Ajna (Third Eye) chakra, or the Brow Chakra as it is sometimes called, is located in the middel of the forehead, in the brow area. Ajna means "to know" and is associated with your sixth sense or intuition and imagination. It is shown as a silver lotus with two petals. The two petals represent the two hemispheres of the brain that are portrayed as male and female energies; one being receptive, the other being dynamic.

The Third Eye Chakra is emotionally linked to intuition, intelligence, concentration, and visualization. This energy center stimulates imagination and intuition. Self-reflection is also evoked in this center. Lessons located in the brow center are concentration, wisdom, insight and peace of mind. Other aspects of this area include dreams, beauty, vision, and color. Guided imagery can stimulate the lessons of this chakra. Once a child is balanced by participating in the yoga postures of the program, it is time to encourage visual creation. This is how imagination is cultivated and the potential of thoughts expanded. Children have not yet formulated mental limitations, therefore they are still open to creating their dreams.

When the Third Eye Chakra is functioning well, a child will grasp concepts, be mentally alert, and have a charismatic personality that allows him to make friends easily. If it is overactive, he will be inattentive and unable to concentrate on anything. If it is underactive, he may have little personality or suffer from some learning problems or disabilities.

To improve the Brow (Ajna) Chakra, practice Balancing Stick Pose, Child's Pose, Savasana, and visualization and concentration exercises as well as guided imagery. You can find these exercises and guided imagery in books or on the internet.

Balancing Stick Pose

Child's Pose

Savasana

 

The Throat (Vishuddhi) Chakra and Kids

Plow Pose

The throat chakra is located in the throat, close to the larynx. Vishuddhi means "purification through words" such a reciting a mantra. It is represented by a violet lotus containing 16 petals. In the center of the lotus is a large white circle that represents the element of Ether, or Space. The throat chakra  is said to be the bridge between body and mind and is linked to self-expression.

Emotionally, the throat chakra is the communication center, giving us the ability to speak the truth and express all our ideas creatively. The lessons in this energy center are about self-expression. In addition, skills pertaining to rhythm, sound, connection, singing, chanting, writing, and public speaking are in focus. We learn the right to speak and to be heard. When this chakra is balanced, we are more able to attain our goal of being clear in our communication. We learn to speak the truth. We learn to take responsibility for ourselves and our actions.

For a child with a speech/language delay or disorder, stress can be created due to the barriers in the give-and-take of expressing wants, needs, and thoughts. A child who limited in verbal expression, often finds it more difficult to connect, be socially engaging and fulfill his needs to interact with others. Yoga chanting, use of hand postures and motor planning of sequences poses all support precursors to effective spoken communication.

Creative expression is exercised in the lessons of the throat chakra. This includes speaking, writing, and artistic expression. Music and art as well as creative dance, painting, and singing are all motivating outlets for a child to explore. These outlets help to facilitate speech or written language. Chanting and breathing activities are also good choices in working with the energy of the throat chakra.

When this chakra is balanced, a child will communicate well, be able to express himself verbally and be willing to listen attentively to others. If it is overactive, she may be a chatterbox, or a show-off who is always talking and has a tendency to exaggerate. If it is underactive, she may not say much or participate well in group activities.

To balance the throat chakra, practice Candle Pose, Plow Pose, Fish Pose, Bridge Pose, and Upward Facing Dog Pose.

Candle Pose

Fish Pose

Bridge Pose

       

Upward Facing Dog Pose

Children and the Heart (Anahata) Chakra

Bow Pose

Cobra Pose

     

Child's Pose

Bridge Pose

The Heart (Anahata) Charkra is located in the center of the chest, close to the physical heart. Anahata means "unstruck sound" and refers to the life beat of the universe, similar to the body's heartbeat: the pulse of life and love. This love is unconditional, constant, and pure. The heart chakra is shown as a blue lotus with 12 petals. In the center of the lotus are two interlocking triangles representing the Air element. Emotionally, this chakra holds our powerful emotions, such as love, compassion, patience, and contentment.

The lessons of love, compassion, and how to heal past wounds are held in the heart chakra. This energy center marks the midway point between the body's seven primary chakras. The three lower centers pertain to the lessons of the outside world and three upper centers are related to lesson of our inner world. In the heart chakra we learn the qualities of loving and being loved. There are lesson of openness, giving, receiving, balance, and compassion. This center is involved in our impressions of self-acceptance. When we accept and love ourselves, it is much easier to share love and accept others. Within our heart chakra is stored our emotional powers, and also the ability to forgive. Children enjoy activities that involve loving self and others.

When the heart chakra is functioning well, a child is caring and nurturing, can show compassion to others, and is contented. If it is overactive, she can become possessive, be divisive, or act melodramatically. If it is underactive, she may be spiteful, shut down emotionally, or have a fear of being rejected. To balance the heart chakra practice Bridge Pose, Bow Pose, Cobra Pose, Wheel Pose, and Child's Pose.

The Solar Plexus (Manipura) Chakra in Kids

The energy center located in the upper abdomen behind the navel, above the waist and below the heart is the Solar Plexus Chakra. Manipure or Solar Plexus is the center of heat and vitality, the area of the body where food is transformed into energy. Manipura means "city of jewels". This chakra is depicted as a bright yellow lotus with ten petals. Within the lotus is a red triangle, representing the Fire element.

Emotionally this chakra deals with our will power and self-belief. It also deals with how we use our basic creative energies. The lessons stimulated in this area of the body support a child's development of a sense of purpose and the establishment of self-control. With the cultivation of self-control the child begins to accept responsibility for the type of person he/she is to become. When this chakra is balanced, a child respects himself and other people, is energetic, spontaneous, and loves seeing friends. If it is overactive, he may be angry, controlling, or just ill tempered and dominating. If it is underactive, he can be frightened, insecure, painfully shy, and in need of constant reassurance.

To balance the Solar Plexus Chakra, pratice Boat Pose, Bridge Pose, and Cat Pose. Other ways to balance this chakra are with guided imagery and positive affirmations.

Boat Pose

Bridge Pose

Cat/Cow Pose

   

In a yoga environment, each person is perfect as they are, and the difference between one person and the next is simply an observation of how unique we are. At Dragonfly Yoga, we often talk about how our yoga is as unique as we are. Each person is special and each person's yoga is special. My yoga does not look like your yoga and your yoga does not look like your friends yoga. Everyone is unique. For more information about Dragonfly Yoga classes, visit our website at:

• http://dragonflyyogakids.com

The Navel Chakra (Svadhisthana) in Children

The second chakra is located in the pelvis and abdominal area. Svadhisthana means "an abode of one's own". This chakra is represented by an orange lotus with six petals. At the center of the lotus is a sliver crescent moon, denoting the Water element.

Emotionally this chakra relates to the need to find your identity. When this area of the body is stimulated with yoga, we become aware of the lessons about relating to others and the process of individuating from the family. The understanding of healthy parameters is forming, along with the rhythm of giving and receiving. Another lesson in this energy is about developing creative expression with others. A yoga environment naturally supports harmonious relationship with self, which can provide more confidence in relating to others.

When this chakra is balanced, a child is completely in tune with his/her feelings, is imaginative, and trustd the actions of other people. If it is overactive, the child can become too emotional and be manipulative. If it is underactive the child can be bored, disinterested, and self-critical.

To balance the navel chakra, practice Butterfly Pose, Chair Pose, Bridge Pose, and Triangle Pose.

Chair Pose

Triangle Pose

Butterfly Pose

Bridge Pose

The Root Chakra (Muladhara) in Children

The Root Chakra is situated at the base of the tail bone, where our body connects tot he earth when sitting. In yoga, it is depicted as a beautiful red lotus with four petals. In the center of the lotus is a yellow square that represents the Earth element and shakti or primal energy.

Emotionally, this chakra is about basic survival, feeling stable and safe in the world. The lesson stored within the energetic body is about establishing our foundation. This area stores lessons around the ways in which we connect with the world, such as through family, roots, and home. Children need to have a solid footing in the world and learn to understand the oneness of family and community. Children learn about group identity and how they fit in within a group. It is important for a child to know the security of their family unit and thrive through connection in their world. Having a feeling of security at home builds the foundation for the child to gain the confidence needed to individuate and explore outside the immediate family. Love and acceptance help a child to feel grounded.

Bridge Pose

When the root chakra is functioning properly, a child feels grounded, is full of energy, and gets along well with other children and adults. If it is overactive a child can become selfish, self-centered, or boisterous. A child with an overactive root chakra may bully other children. If the root chrkra is underactive, the child , may be needy, fearful, or suffer from low self-esteem or a bad self-image.

To balance Muladhara chakra, practice Bridge pose,Locust poses, Clam pose, and Squat pose.

Locust Pose

Squat Pose

Clam Pose