According to the National Institutes of Health "Yoga Fact Sheet," yoga is often used to maintain health, improve physical fitness, relieve stress, and address specific health conditions.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHELLE BROOK
Michelle Brook teaches yoga to children at the New York Sports Club in Butler.
Why then should children, most of whom don’t have such issues, consider taking a youth yoga class?
Yoga for kids is different, according to Michelle Brook, children’s yoga instructor at the New York Sports Club (NYSC) in Butler[1] .
"For adults it’s quiet and introspective, but kids say what’s going on in their heads… and it’s all about play," says Brook.
Benefits of yoga
Brook believes that yoga has benefits for everyone, including children. Part of this is because it’s a physical activity that is competition-free. Instead, the practice of yoga is about children’s relationships with their body and being able to tune in to how they feel.
"I love being able to share the seeds of yoga with these children," she says.
For her it’s more about sharing the practice than teaching or perfecting it.
Brook encourages her students to notice the connection between what they’re doing in the class and how they can utilize those skills in everyday life. For example, when a pose is difficult for them, she asks them to focus on their breath and hold it just a little bit longer. So, too, when going through a difficult time in their lives they can refer back to this moment and realize that it won’t last forever.
"We all have stresses and anxiety, so I always incorporate different breathing techniques and little meditations," Brook said. "[Breath] is something really important that you always have with you."
No comments :
Post a Comment