Wednesday, December 8, 2010

La Befana

I turned 46 last week. I love celebrating a birthday around holidays. I use this a time to self-evaluate-where have I been, where am I going and how can I become a better version of me?

I was sitting here last night in front of the fireplace thinking of all the celebrations in the past 46 years-some festive, and others not. I came to understand fully the significance of these ceremonies & milestones. The history we live, and the stories we tell about it, help us to identify with those qualities we want to embody and share with others.

In my quest (okay-suddenly its becoming more of an obsession) for remembering and finding more holiday traditions, I came across the legend of La Befana. (Sent to me by Sydney Solis of  'Storytime Yoga'.) She (La Befana...and Sydney for that matter) embodies the feminine spirit of benevolence.

La Befana  is a female version of Santa Claus in Italy, who loves children dearly. She is a kind old woman with magical powers who brings gifts to the children of Italy on the eve of the Epiphany. (Jan 6-the date that is said to be when the wise man found the baby Jesus in the manger.)

The name Befana is derived from the word epifania, the Italian name for the religious festival of the Epiphany. In the weeks leading to the  Epiphany, the children of Italy write notes to Befana telling her the presents they would like. They are on their best behavior because they know that Befana will leave a lump of coal, instead of sweets and toys, for children who misbehave.

There are several variations to this legend that takes place at the time of the birth of Baby Jesus, the Christ Child. La Befana is an old woman who lives in a house in the hills of Italy. She once had a husband and child, but now lives alone. Befana spends her days sweeping and baking, and gathering wood.

One night, Befana notices a bright light in the sky, she thinks nothing of it and goes back to her work of sweeping and baking. Later, a glorious caravan led by Three Wise Men stop and ask Befana for directions to Bethlehem and invite Befana to join them in their search for the new King-the Christ Child.

Befana is too busy and knows nothing of this far-away place nor the birth of a special baby. After the caravan disappeared over the hills, Befana thought of how much she missed her child who sadly died at a very young age. She changed her mind and wanted to visit this special child, because she loves children very much. So she placed some baked goods and gifts for the child in a sack, took her broom to help the new mother clean and raced out after the caravan in search of the Baby Jesus.

Befana soon was lost. And just as she tired, angels appeared from the bright light, the magic star, in the sky to give flight to Befana on her broom - after all this was a night of miracles. She searched and searched for the caravan & Baby Jesus and could not find him.

Befana still searches, even today, even after all these centuries. Every year on the eve of the Epiphany, whenever Befana comes to a house where there is a child, she drops in to see if it might be the child she seeks. It never is, but Befana leaves a gift anyway, for Befana has come to realize, over the years, that her searching is not vain; that the qualities and unconditional love of the Christ Child can be found in all children.

In another version, the children are afraid of her and think she is a witch even though all she does is sweep and bake. In fact, before people realized how kind she was, they rang bells made of earthenware and blew glass trumpets to scare her away. This has all been forgotten now, and, as her story shows, Befana never deserved it.

Storytelling and legends, are a way for us to preserve family history & cultural traditions. Share these stories with your children & students and encourage them to tell stories of their own. Help build positive character traits such as benevolence, acceptance and inclusion, encourage emotional growth and development, spark imaginations & open young hearts & minds.

Buon Natale!

Happy Holidays to all!


To read another version of this beautiful story, click here.

To order "The Legend of Old Befana" children's Book, click here
To read more about Holiday Celebrations, Stories and Traditions from around the world, click here.

To find more holiday stories that teach, Click Here.


*What are some of the legends & stories that you or your family tell during the holidays? Please tell us in the comments below!



~Barbara

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Synchronicity? (Or just plain coincidence)


Last week, as I was ready to leave for a class, my 11 year old daughter suddenly decided to change her outfit. My response was pure exasperation-we had a long drive in rush hour traffic and we needed to leave now. She had plenty of time to get changed, etc. and she waited until the last minute to do so, and so we left the house a few minutes later than what I had intended. The class was a group of special needs children and it was their last class of the session. I wanted it to be special for them.

We had driven about 6 miles and suddenly were stuck in non-moving traffic. I started to get tense & to re-iterate my  "this is why we needed to leave 5 minutes before we did..."  speech.

As we slowly crawled through the line of cars, I realized that there had been an accident and I immediately softened my demeanor . At first, in the darkness, and distortion of oncoming headlights, it appeared that a fender of an SUV was lying crumpled on the road, however when I got closer to the scene I realized that it was actually what was left of a motorcycle. The driver was lying in the road nearby a parked SUV. There was a man and a woman kneeling beside him. The accident must have just happened moments before.

I instinctively pulled my car to the center island/ lane and instructed my daughter to stay in the car. (She could not actually see what was going on from where the car now was.) I got out with the intent to go & offer some assistance.

As I approached, I could see the serious extent of the young man's injuries, the distraught SUV driver, several more people who had stopped to help and saw the lights of the approaching emergency vehicles. I had to stop before I could get close enough to actually offer assistance, and go move my car as it was now in the way of the medical help this young man needed.

As I got back in my car, I was suddenly and unexpectedly overwhelmed with emotion: having absorbed visually and empathically the confusion, pain and fear of those involved in that moment. The driver of the vehicle was in just as much pain as the young man who was injured. What if the driver of the SUV had driven a bit slower-(or faster) and what if the young man had taken a different route home? I also had to ask myself: had we not been delayed by Lauren's last minute wardrobe change, would we have been involved in this life changing accident? My daughter understood in an instant everything I could not verbalize just then and reached over and patted my hand and said : "Its ok mommy. Good thing we were running late!"

I am again and again humbled & reminded that many times our daily frustrations, perceived inconveniences & troubles can in reality be quite the opposite. Supposed "coincidences" seem more & more like "synchronicities"-meaningful reminders from our universe that there is a much larger force working around and through us that can give us us guidance through symbols & experiences any time we need it. We can use this information to gain perspective & understand our interactions, change our perceptions or to make better choices. We all were at that scene for a purpose at that moment: some to assist and support, and some of us to remember & understand more about what is really important in life.

During the upcoming season of  Peacefulness & Gratitude, it is my hope that everyone I know, don't know & have yet to know, can see every experience-even the 'coincidences' in their life as a part of a bigger picture, and use those experiences to live well, appreciate more and create a better world for themselves & the ones they love.



Have  a Healthy & Safe Holiday.


~Barbara


PS: The young man was seriously injured and has a long way to go to fully recover. Please keep him and everyone affected by this in your best thoughts!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Peace in A Jar

In a perfect world, we all would have some 'Peace in A Jar'. One we could keep on our desk or on our window sill. All we would have to do is open up the jar and let some 'Peace' out whenever we felt stressed or anxious and boom-all of our stress would be gone, and problems would be solved!

In reality, we know its not that easy. For both adults & children struggling with stressful lives, bullying, learning roadblocks or medical conditions, its even more of a challenge for us to first teach them about these abstract concepts,and secondly to navigate them through their struggles and empower them with ways to manage and overcome them.

'Peace In A Jar'  is another visual art tool I use in my children's yoga classes to illustrate the abstract concepts of  stress management. (for the adults, we call it "Serenity Jar" )

I was introduced to this idea through a children's book called  "Moody Cow Meditates"  by Kerry Lee McLean. In the book it was referred to as "mind in a jar". Whatever we call it, I have found that it has several very useful functions & and can be a simple visual reminder for adults as well. "Peace Jars"  are simple and inexpensive to make. I know several teachers who have creatively adapted this for their classrooms with success as well.  Each child can make one of their own, or there can be one single family/classroom (or office) jar.

Assemble your supplies
First, assemble the following items: a jar with a tight fitting screw top lid-(I prefer to use plastic ones for children-to avoid accidental breakage. Plastic mayonnaise or peanut butter jars washed thoroughly and the label removed work very well.) , lukewarm water, craft sand or fake 'snow' (found in craft stores), large glitter (do not use fine glitter-it does not work as well for this project) a few plastic sequins or confetti pieces, corn syrup or glycerin (found in a pharmacy), labels or paper and tape.

The simple steps are as follows:

Mix sand & glitter together
1-Mix the sand (or artificial snow) with a small amount of glitter & and add in some sequins until you have a colorful mixture. Set aside.












Add water & glycerin to jar
2-Pour water into the jar about 2/3 of the way to the top. Add some corn syrup or glycerin, until liquid is about 1/2 inch from the top of the jar. Mix well.











Label your "Peace Jar"
3-Take a label (or paper) and write "Peace Jar" (or "Serenity Jar") or on it and attach to the outside of your jar.











Add a scoop of sand for each time you felt angry 
4- Now, instruct your child or students to think of a time today, or this week, when they felt angry. Take a little scoop of sand, and dump it in the jar. That is their anger. Think of a time you (or they)  were upset or sad. Take another small scoop of sand and dump that into the jar. That is your sadness. Do this a few times, putting small scoops of sand into the jar, for every time you got upset.



5-Now, put the lid on the jar tightly, and shake it up. All the particles & debris will swirl around in the liquid like a tornado, making it look cloudy and dull. This is what happens inside of us when we are upset or angry. All our thoughts & feelings get stirred up and we can't see the situation clearly much less think clearly about what our choices are.


As the sand settles so does our anger
6-Then, set the jar down on a stable surface and watch it. Don't touch it, just watch. As the jar sits still, you will notice all the particles begin to settle to the bottom. We may have to sit and observe for a bit, but eventually, every particle of sand or glitter settles. This is what happens inside of us when we can settle down, observe &  remain still and quiet. All the thoughts & feelings swirling around eventually fall to the bottom, and we can see, think & understand more clearly and know better what choices to make.





For children, I expand the imagery to think of all the shiny sequins & glitter particles mixed in with the cloudy sand are like those feelings, friends, memories and circumstances that are happy & uplifting to us-the spots of 'light' (Serenity & Peace) in our sometimes murky & challenging lives. If we don't take time and sit still and look for those "shiny sparkly things"  as those heavier particles settle, we will never see them  or even know that they are there. This exercise teaches us to look for them as well.

From a sensory aspect, this is not only an exercise in focused attention, and strengthening concentration skills, but also a tool for visual processing-looking for the "sparkles" in the swirling sand. (One little girl called them "stars" and made wishes on them. She called her project a "Star Jar"

When having a rough day, the child can shake their jar, and set it down & be instructed to just sit still as they can, breathe & watch their jar until all the sand settles. By the end of the few minutes it takes for the particles to drop they will feel calmer. Its another way to teach the vital life skills of patience, observation, self-control and self-calming.

It also illustrates that those things that upset us are always there, mixed in with the 'glitter', but if we can learn to calm and focus ourselves when things get 'shaken up', we can get control of our feelings, instead of our feelings getting control of us. Its up to us to decide which to focus on: the 'sand' or the 'sparkles'.

At this writing, my jar is almost full of sand & glitter. However it has become progressively easier for me to focus on those little tiny specks of light as I watch the sand settle.

When your jar gets full & starts getting too cloudy, you can just empty the water & discard the sand/glitter-letting go of all those irritations they represent and start over again.

As time passes, you will find that you put less and less sand in the jar-and find more and more 'Peace' within yourself .


To learn more about stress management for kids visit:
www.bodylogique.com

To order the "Moody Cow" book, click here

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Self Calming & The Four "B's"

I don't know if its just me, or if its the pre-holiday activities, but it seems that all of the children I have worked with in the past few weeks are just bundles of energy! Its been a challenge to get them to focus for more than short  intervals.

The Four B's is a technique that Pediatric OT, Lisa Baum showed me last week in our very energetic kids yoga class. Its a systematic calming process that she teaches her students to help them calm down, concentrate & regain self-control. Its very easy to teach to your child or students and this blog will take you through the 4 steps.


"Brake"
Brake:

The first thing Lisa has the children do is to put a "brake" on their excess energy.

She has them do this by pressing the palms of the hand together firmly as shown in the photo at the right. This helps to release excess muscle tension.
"Breathe"
Breathe:

Breathing is another vital tool in creating a sense of body awareness & restoring a sense of calm.

The children take a breath with their hands on their belly button, as shown in photo to the left, remembering to breathe deeply into the belly. (You can instruct your child to use 3-5 breaths)


Brain: 

"Brain"
By placing their hands in the top or towards the back of the head, and applying slight pressure, (as shown in photo to the right,) the child can 'activate' the brain, and create a sense of alertness & deeper calm.

This also will stabilize & "ground" the body.





Body:

"Body"
The final step in this process (shown at left)  is for children to cross arms in front of body and apply pressure as if to "hug" themselves.

The squeezing pressure on the arms and shoulders increases body awareness and assists in the sense of "grounded-ness" and security, which further calms the child and helps them stay focused.





These easy steps can be applied quietly and inconspicuously at home, school, church or synagogue, while at dinner in a restaurant (or in dance, yoga, karate or any other class) or anywhere a child needs to reduce fidgeting & regain a sense of focus, calm & self control.  Once the steps are learned, all that's needed is a gentle occasional reminder of  "Where are your 4 B's?".

* To download a FREE full color photo flash card of this technique click here or e-mail your request to: Barbara@bodylogique.com  .


For more information on our R.E.A.Ch™ program (Relaxation Education for Adults & Children) which teaches smany more stres reduction techniques, please visit Barbara at: BodyLogique.com 

To purchase our "Calm & Connected" book on Amazon, click the links below:

Print Edition

Kindle Edition




For more information on Pediatric Occupational Therapy visit Lisa at:



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Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Developing Character Through the Arts

You can stand tall without standing on someone. You can be a victor without having victims. ~Harriet Woods

The above quote is referring to a core standard of good character which is to treating others as one would want to be treated.  We define character as 'moral or ethical strength.'


As a society in general I think we-especially schools, teachers (and parents)-tend to mistake good behavior for good character. What we are rewarding & subtly reinforcing is docility, suggestibility & compliance. In reality, we are not nurturing good character, but creating the child who will do what he is told. (Or even better, the child who will do what we want without even having to be told.) What we value most in children is what children value least in themselves. Its no surprise that any effort to 'teach' good character, through "Character Education" Programs or "Anti-Bullying" or "Bully Prevention" programs are statistically shown to be only minimally effective; and maybe its because we don't recognize-nor reward or reinforce good character when we see it.

I don't beleive that character is somethig that gets 'taught': rather, Children will naturally develop character if and when they are guided through their everyday challenges properly and through their decision making process. They learn it through having consequences for hurtful actions and for seeing positive outcomes when they put forth their best effort.

They need a healthy outlet for creative problem solving and support at home as well as at school. It is not entirely up to the school to educate our children, especially when it comes to character. A parent is the child's first and best teacher. It should start in the home, with the example you set & be a team effort extending to the school environment & beyond.

A child spends more hours at school than he does at home during the academic year, so there needs an atmosphere of mutual respect, approachability and a consistent example at school as well. I know a guidance counselor who is in charge of a local school's Character Education program who illustrates my point.

In a recent incident between my daughter and a few of her classmates, this counselor, in an effort to resovle the issue explained to the girls that gossiping is bad and hurtful and they should not involve themselves in it at all. She had them do some group hug thing and sent them on their way.

A few days later, my daughter was waiting in the office for me as an early dismissal and when she got in the car she told me, very indignantly,that the same counselor-along with another teacher, was having a detailed, negative and complaining conversation about a particular student-and his family-who she happens to be friends with. She was very upset & asked me how she could ever trust or take the counselor seriously again? She also astutely recognized that if she was talking about that family, does she talk about us too?

Kids can spot a phony and a hypocrite a mile away, and they will call you on it. And they won't ever forget the betrayal. My daughter learned more about good character in that 10 minute observation than she has in a whole year of "Character Ed" class. My job is to keep the communication open-when she comes to me, I actively listen and help her make her own assessments of the situation. I ask her leading questions about what other choices were available. I try to do this in a non-judging way so that the teaching moment is not lost in that-or in unnecessary drama. I always ask her a final "what is the lesson?" and I give her my take on it as well.

So other than purposely exposing our kids to hypocritical people, drama, pain and suffering, (Which I strongly discourage!) how do we help instill in them and further develop good character?

I haved been working on that answer for more than a year now. I know that we have to do things differently than we have in the past. We need to innovate and involve them in the process, rather than impose more restrictions on them. "Zero Tolerance" policies and punishment does not work for teaching character or for even discouraging inappropraite behavior or ensuring compliance with rules. It only breeds resentment and more opposition,not better character. There is no dialog, no thinking nor discussion about what the better choices would have been and possible outcomes.

Its been widely known that the arts greatly contribute to all student's academic success and emotional well being. The ancient art of storytelling can be utilized easily in many environments in & out of the classroom. Storytelling is the basis of the "S.M.Art Kids® Adaptive Yoga program, and now is the basis of our Character Arts™ Program.

Storytelling is easily adaptable to all ages and all abilities. No special equipment is needed to create an imagery-just an audience, a speaker & the imagination. As a learning tool, storytelling encourages students to explore appropriate ways to express themselves and improves communication of thoughts & feelings. The storytelling process can even be adapted to use pictures or sign language for children with limited language skills.

Folktales & other stories are a creative, non-competitive & non-threatening way to guide young people toward positive personal values by presenting hypothetical situations in which the results and consequences of both 'good' and 'bad' decisions can be observed. They can identify with the characters, their challenges & their actions through experiencing & becoming the story. This teaches creative problem solving, which is a vital skill that can be applied in a variety of settings.

This skill is strengthened when the student is encouraged to write & tell their own wisdom stories-based on real or imaginary scenarios, and guided to incorporate visual art-in the form of illustrations, props, masks, puppets, mandalas, art journals, story sticks and more into the process. The lesson now becomes active rather than passive & much more personal & meaningful and hence, more integrated into everyday life.

Through this unique medium, these skills are learned easily & in support of character development. Telling a personal story, and listening to others tell theirs helps define a child's individual and unique self-worth, and allows them to acknowledge & respect the worth of others without competition, over-compensation or prejudice. Storytelling allows children to "unplug" from all the electronics surrounding them & is a compelling way to remind children that their spoken words are powerful, that listening is equivalent to understanding, and that clear communication between all people is an essential art.

Other benefits of Story Arts include development of expressive & receptive vocabulary & verbal skills, cultural education & strengthening the imagination. These skills can naturally be molded to self-confidence & motivation as students learn to focus on & envision themselves competent & able to reach & obtain their goals & dreams. A socially mature, emotionally strong, creative, confident child will be less likely to underachieve, undermine or judge others or to be taken in and overwhelmed by the massive epidemic of manufactured drama, insecurity, competition, hatred & fear that seems to permeate & infect society.

Confident and self-aware children are less likely to become a statistic: a victim of (or a participant in) teasing, bullying, depression, eating disorders, domestic violence, addictions, suicide and other forms of violent behavior.

Story telling & the arts in many forms are usable tools that if introduced at an early age, can help children feel more safe, see more beauty and good in the world & provide an appropriate outlet to neutralize & overcome the disturbing social & environmental messages, situations & obstacles that they are exposed to daily. It is not only possible, but is being accomplished today though many organizations.

Along with Movement & storytelling, Visual art is one of the most beneficial activities you can allow your child to engage in. In many ways, art can become a type of 'yoga' and bring many elements of human nature together. It can be a turning point, reinforcing simple lessons like creativity & balance, allowing brain & body to work together, minimizing the stress response and allowing children to independently create something beautiful & personally meaningful to them. I envision art being used to creatively reinforce and tangibly represent & remind the student of the idea, theme or "moral" of the stories.

The process of creating art also enhances communication, critical thinking & visual processing skills while developing the tactile sense, fine motor control & strengthens brain integration making it a perfect activity for children with learning challenges. It relieves stress & improves focus, making it a versatile, multi-sensory activity for all children.

It is never too early-or late- to introduce children to story telling or the arts. Its never too late to experience the process and excitement of finding their creative brain an using it to solve conflicts and problems-and to develop their own confidence & sense of good character: to know how to stand tall without standing on someone or to be a victor without having victims.



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Monday, August 23, 2010

Its ALL Sensory!

Peeling tomatoes-tactile & fine motor
Sensory integration is a dynamic and natural part of the human growth and maturation process that occurs during the early childhood years. Simply stated, it is the useful organization of sensations by the nervous system. It is a continual process of Mind and Body interacting with the environment, receiving and processing information & creating an appropriate response.


Early childhood experiences should provide fun, varied & frequent activities that support and nurture this vitally important growth process.

Children learn best by doing, and greatly benefit from daily activities such as dressing up, warm or scented play dough or clay, movement games and  sensory boxes. These choices provide a rich sensory 'diet' that calms the nervous system, improves brain development and integrates all the information processed by the senses. The more sensory-motor experiences young children have, the more easily they learn to function in daily life.

Children with autism, ADD, PDD and other processing disorders have difficulty in filtering, sorting out and responding to this information as it comes in through the 5 senses, especially during periods of high stress, discomfort, transitions or chaotic or extremely stimulating environments. Sensory Integration therapy involves a structured & simultaneous stimulation of several senses for the purpose of completing the same activity.

Why are S.I activities so important to a child’s development and learning? One reason is that they train the brain to properly digest & use the countless bits of information being received every moment so that an appropriate response or behavior can be formed. Generalization is when the child learns to apply the process of integration in other areas & occurs automatically from imitation & repetition. It is a vital element of the learning process as well as for cultivating self-esteem. As an activity becomes more familiar, it becomes centrally programmed in the nervous system & more automatic & then becomes sensory motor memory.

The variety of sensory integration activities is endless... literally  thousands of activities to stimulate & integrate every one of the senses! These activities do not have to be elaborate or require expensive equipment. One of my favorite simple sensory activities is cooking.

In addition to creating nourishing meals, encouraging healthy habits and spending quality family time together, closely supervised cooking can be a great social & integrative activity for all children and especially children with Sensory Processing Issues. Children learn self-care skills, can stir, mix or knead ingredients, (proprioceptive/tactile) measure ingredients (visual) and be exposed to different tastes & smells (gustation/olfactory). Following the steps of a simple recipe teaches order & focus and eating food that they helped prepare gives a sense of  meaningful accomplishment!

This weekend I made fresh pasta sauce with my daughter from tomatoes, bell peppers and basil that she helped pick from our garden. My son posted a recipe here on his blog (Fork & Spoon Operator.) that we followed to the letter. It was a multi sensory experience: washing the tomatoes, slicing them to peel the skin, hot/cold water baths, peeling, squeezing out the seeds, chopping & stirring...and the wonderful aroma of the fresh tomatoes, fresh bell pepper and the spices: fresh basil, black pepper, roasted garlic, cheese, oregano and onion, filling the entire house, and probably the neighborhood.

Lauren kept trying to dip bread in the pot to "taste" the tomatoes-(I pretended not to see her...). She was calm, happily focused and completely engaged in our activity.

We spent several hours in all, working, laughing and talking and cooking (and making a huge mess!) and then cleaning up. She even made garlic bread with freshly roasted garlic. I took this opportunity to tell her stories of my immigrant grandparents and the ways of the "old world". When we finally served dinner to everyone,  she also had a new appreciation for family, her ancestory, where our food actually comes from and the care with which it is prepared. 

Sensory integration activities are vital to providing and achieving the necessary challenges and subsequent skill development for children that supports:
  • reaching developmental milestones
  • cognitive & emotional development
  • a sense of achievement/positive self-esteem
  • learning readiness in mind & body
  • positive social development through interactions with people & environment
  • achievement of developmental milestones
Many of these sensory activities can be found in the child's most natural, familiar & first learning environment-at home.


For more information about movement programs for sensory integration please vist us at:

http://www.bodylogique.com/

For phenominal recipes and entertaining edgy commentary, be sure to follow "Fork & Spoon Operator"
(my oldest son's blog)


Mmm! Ice Cream for desert!













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Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Ocean Surf-ari Yoga

This week winds down the Wanna Play Summer Social Skills Camp. The theme of "Beach Yoga" worked so well the first week that I have used it  with all 4 groups for the entire 6 weeks. The children have responded well and for the most part have been very willing to interact with all the other children & other activities.

The format was the same each week to create a familiar routine: Get mats, sit down, take off shoes, practice breathing, "surfing" warmup, story or topic with poses, movement games and then finally an art project. The kids in my Tuesday class have been asking "Ms. Barb, are we doing art today?" for the last 3 weeks. The art has not only become a therapeutic outlet for self expression as well as a tangible symbol of the concepts they are being taught & shown, but also has become a motivator and a stress management tool.

Art has been used therapeutically since the 1940's. Art therapy is very different than other forms of therapy in that it utilizes and strengthens the creative process and is more accessable to everyone becuae we all, young or old, can be creative in some form or another! (See the article " Every Brain is A Creative Brain". ). Art therapy can be very beneficial to children as they have a harder time verbally expressing what they are expereincing & feeling as opposed to adults. They may feel "safer" and have an easier time expressing themselves through simple art projects.

Art can also aid a child in cultivating self-awareness, releiving stress or anxiety, integrating the sensory system & overcoming the challenges of learning disorders, autism, and other traumatic experiences. When a group art project (such as a mural) is planned, it can be a fantastic opportunity for refining social skills as well.

One of the first programs I worked with that recognized & embraced this concept of using art therapeutically as a form of communication & expression was the HeArts For Autsim Program.

This innovative monthy program is directed for children with autism and their siblings. Monthly activities are planned around a central theme and an art activity that is facilitated by volunteers.

I was asked to facilitate a yoga program for HeArts last year, and helped to establish the adaptive yoga program they are now using. We used the art activities along with yoga movement in a similar way that art is used in therapeutic environments, and it seems to be teaching skills and working in ways I never expected!

The other aspect of art is the unique interpretations and insights the children have. 

The Starfish project was a favorite-and can be used to teach many concepts. I used the imagery of a starfish-and the body in "Starfish Pose" (corpse pose or "savasana") as a relaxation technique. The starfish rests under the water-(weightless-cool) sinking deeper into the sand (safe-supported ) -where its quiet (rest-relaxation). Surrounded by beauty (visual processing-imagination) and kept company by other sea creatures (friendship-diversity) .


This week's Jelly Fish Project was well received too. I explained to the children that JellyFish are made of mostly water, have no bones, and no muscles so they are very floppy & can't move very well by themselves. They need to "suck in" and "blow out" the water to push them through and they need the Ocean currents to move them around-near food and shelter.




We rested in Jellyfish pose-Played Pass the Sea Urchin (a modified version of  'Funny Football" ) Played "The JellyFish Game" and made our own Art JellyFish to do the "JellyFish Dance" with.
I think I am all Jelly-Fished out!

Friday will be my day off-I am taking a trip with my daughter and some great friends to the actual beach. I am remembering the time that my (then 4 year old daughter) came running up to me excited by the "treasure she had found: to her it looked like a "tatoo necklace" so she picked it up and put it around her neck. I was horrified when I looked closer and saw that it was actually jellyfish tentacles! (Thankfully she was not stung-and we still laugh about this everytime we see "JellyFish Necklaces" at the beach!)

Maybe I will come up with some more beach adventures &  ideas for you while I am there!

Love & Laughter!

~Barbara


*Go to this link to order the complete beach themed S.M.Art Story™ curriculum: "Ocean Surfari"


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Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com



Related Articles:

Surf's Up!

Sand Dollar Shakers



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Thursday, July 29, 2010

Aromatherapy & Autism: How can it help?

Article updated April 14, 2013


Aromatherapy is the science of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of improving a person's mood, cognitive function or health. In recent years there has been an interest is using aromatherapy for reducing the anxiety and behaviors associated with autism and other Sensory processing disorders.

In 1999 an OT named Jane Ellwood from the UK carefully planned and set up a structured program to use aromatherapy for a group of 6 non-verbal severely autistic children at a special needs school. The idea was to see if this would warrant further study. This would also provide an opportunity to document the therapeutic use and effects on children with sensory challenges.


5 different essential oils would be used-both stimulating and calming scents-and were selected based on their safe use with children, their ability to stimulate the olfactory sense, and their therapeutic properties:

Peppermint: A somewhat  familiar scent. Acts as a neuro-stimulator. Widely used to improve concentration. Also has a cooling effect on the skin and can be used as an additional sensory experience.

Neroli: A non-irritating and sedating oil.Good for massage & when calming is needed. Also recommended fore obsessive behavior, one of the characteristics of autism.

Eucalyptus: Stimulating and clears nasal & bronchial passages allowing for deeper respiration.

Roman Chamomile: Calming and has been suggested to use for eye pillows and to counter act aggressive behaviors.

Sandalwood: Non irritating and scent contrasts to the other oils. Blends well with Neroli and would give an additional scent if needed.

Peppermint was used the first week initially in a room diffuser then in spray bottle allowing droplets to settle on the hands and feet of the children. Some children requested more. Jane observes how one child, who was tactile defensive, used the neck pillows filled with Roman Chamomile on his neck and remained calm and still the entire class despite usually having difficulties sitting still. One child who was overwhelmed by the new sensation at first, learned to shut his eyes when he was smelling the mint, thus avoiding sensory overload.

Later on, hand massage was introduced, using Neroli diluted in massage oil. One child who self-stimulated by spitting into his hands and rubbing it in found this to be a more pleasurable, calming and more acceptable activity. This child remained alert and participated in the group sessions and would request the oil when he needed his hands rubbed to calm down. He learned to do this for himself. After a few weeks, the children, some resistant to touch, were willing to rub each other's hands for a new sensation. Other objects, textures and hot/cold packs with the essential oils in or on them were slowly introduced each week to further expand and integrate the range of sensory experiences.

One child who did not like the hand massages, would sit still for foot massages. A neutral oil (no essential oil) was used first to avoid sensory overload and was gradually introduced. This technique worked for gaining his attention before a new learning experiences such as group games or counting games.

In her conclusions, Jane states that "being aware of the often negative effects of sensory stimulation to children with autism, I had not expected the positive way the aromatherapy sessions were received. For all of the children, the experience has led to new opportunities for interaction & communication."


Overall, Ms. Ellwood concludes that the children reacted with interest and activity to the stimulating oils (peppermint & Eucalyptus) and receptiveness and calm with the calming oils, Neroli, Sandalwood and Roman Chamomile. However, the oils paired with the activity (massage, relaxation, etc. ) may also be a contributing factor in the outcome.

(Ms. Ellwood's study was published in Vol 1 • No 3 ~ Winter 2002-03 of  "In Essence"- the quarterly Aromatherapy journal of the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists)

Its important to not that before you introduce this type of sensory activity to your child check with his or her therapist or medical doctor. Also, be sure to use only natural essential oils and foods (coffee, oranges, lemons, basil, sage, lavender, etc.). Artificial scents, fabric softeners, & fragrances contain many chemicals that can cause headaches, nausea and other undesired affects on a child with sensitivities.

There are both strong supporters of this practice as well as others who say the effects cannot be proven. Most affects can be observed but are difficult to scientifically establish. You have to make these decisions for what is best and what will work for your students/child. It has been my own experience in a self contained classroom setting and with my own daughter, (who is not sensory challenged) that aromatherapy has a positive effect with careful application, dilligence & time.

A simple sensory activity to do with your child is "Scented Salt  Dough". You can encourage your child to help you make this simple scented dough, and then use like clay to incorporate a variety of skills & sensory experiences (kitchen activities and "following a recipe" in general help improve auditory processing, visual processing, proprioception, fine motor skills, tactile senses, olfactory sense,  language and socialization skills.)

You can also add rice, sand or other grainy substances to a different batch to  increase the tactile response. (I don't suggest combining both scent and texture until after both types are introduced to the child/children and gotten used to.)

Some natural scents you can add to the dough: (be conservative & aware of what you are adding  & whether or not a child has known skin sensitivities.)

Stimulating: Instant coffee, peppermint extract,  lemon extract, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves, basil, cherry kool aid,

Calming: vanilla extract, lavender, Roman Chamomile, Neroli, honey, anise extract, licorice or fennel


The dough can then be allowed to harden & painted for an extra creative & sensory experience!

For salt dough recipe and other sensory games & activities please visit our web page at: BodyLogique.com 


To order a copy of "Calm & Connected: Yoga-Based Tools for Self-Regulation" (filled with dozens of simple, kid-friendly relaxation techniques) please use this link.

Calm & Connected
by Barbara Gini

For more information on Aromatherapy and autism, visit:

Aromatherapy-ADHD & Autism

Evaluating Aromatherapy Massage  Effects on sleep in children with autism

Aromatherapy for ADHD 



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Sunday, July 25, 2010

Breathe-Relax!

My son called me yesterday. So how did this get to be a blog topic? Well, I always love to talk about my kids, but it was the content of the call that became today's topic. I will explain.

He called to tell me that he passed (with flying colors) a national certification test for his job. He was ecstatic, talking very quickly & was almost breathless as he  told me about it.

Then he told me he was so stressed & asked me for some breathing & relaxation exercises to calm him down before he took his field test. It took me by surprise, because he is very easy-going. I have never pushed or expected any of my children to practice yoga, only invited them to try if they wanted. Now my 26 year old son who has never set foot inside a yoga studio, in spite of always being supportive (just from a distance) of my yoga & dance teaching, my vedic chanting music, my rain sticks & other assortment of odd musical instruments, was asking me for interventions and he was serious. I could hear it in his voice. After a quick phone-coaching session, he was better and went on to his field test which he also did well on.

My point today is that we don't usually associate stress with good news or happy events, but these can also create a stress response in the body. We  need to take moments throughout our day to release this tension that builds up not just in our mind, but in our bodies too.

My son was experiencing a stress response and maybe did not realize it at the moment because he was excited about his test results. What he did recognize was a need for something to reverse the sensations in his body-(nervous stomach, heart pounding, short of breath, perspiration). Although he could not remember how to use it, he knew the one tool that we all have that will immediately help us in times of stress: our breath.

It has been known in China and India for thousands of years that the mind. body and breath are all inter- connected and that the breath can be used for balancing all the body's responses, including stress.

I will tell you a secret: Ironically, the divorce from my son's father many years ago was a pivotal time where I learned how to control nerves, fear & migraine headache pain with my breath and imagery. At times, I still momentarily forget this wonderful tool and how to use it. I react to people & emotion and get scared, angry, overwhelmed and frustrated as well. It happens to me during happy times also. The difference is that now, with this knowledge, and after years of practice and application, in times of calm I remember to breathe for relaxation-so that in times of stress my reaction/ recovery time is shorter and less destructive.

Breath techniques are a tool that every child can learn, so that as they grow into teens and adults, a relaxation response to stress becomes the habit, rather than a stress response. I wish I had thought of teaching this to my sons as they grew through many transitions-some painful-in their young lives. Now, as I had my son on the phone, I felt this was an important moment-maybe even a second chance-to be in a great place both  in maturity & knowledge to help him, which is what I did.

The opposite situation can occur too, where a person can be too calm, to the point of being complacent and not take action when they should which can be equally destructive. I have also experienced this effect. (Yes, you can be "too calm"!) Practicing Energy breathing can release muscle tension, clear the head, improve focus and motivate a person to take action when they feel wronged or a need for boundaries. Action is very different than reaction. On of my greatest lessons in Life is how the breath can help regulate & balance these two responses.

So for today, here are a few quick exercise to try (for adults & kids):

Belly Breath:
(Deep Breathing) This allows the lungs to fill up completely with oxygen and subsequently improves focus and calm. It will also help clear congestion.)

Place your hand on your belly, over your naval. When you breathe in, allow the breath to come in deeply, through your nose, so that your naval area expands & your hand moves out. When you breathe out, (through nose or mouth) your naval area will contract and your hand will move in. (To teach this to children, have them lie on their backs and place a small toy boat, dolphin, fish, frog, etc on their belly so that it can move up when they breathe in, and down as they breathe out.)

Energy Breath:
(Sometimes called "Big Breath" when working with the very young) Helps release tension, clear the lungs of congestion, increase energy and improve focus.)

Hold a small craft pom-pom ball or cotton ball in the palm of your hand. Take a big breath and blow the ball off your hand as far as you can. (For kids, you can give them each a different color to see how far they can make it go each time.) Even the very small and children with adaptive needs can practice this to some degree.) You can practice this about 3-5 times at first and gradually work up to 8-10 times. Last winter, I even had one Adaptive class of teens work up to have a "snowball fight" this way, where each side of the room had to blow the "snowballs" to the other side and keep away the "snowballs" that were coming at them with their energy breath. They still talk about it .

Another way I teach energy breath with little kids is tell them to hold out their hands, palm up and pretend they are blowing out a birthday candle for themselves on a cupcake. This is something most children can relate to. To help them practice a really big energy breath, I have them imagine blowing out 45 candles on a giant cupcake for my birthday!


Calming Breath:
(Sometimes called "Little Breath" or "Quiet Breath" with small children) This is a quieting relaxation breath. It can be used to help induce calm before sleep, and just before, during or after a stressful event or situation.)

Take a quiet breath in through your nose, deep into your belly, to the slow count of 3 (for small children ) or 4 (for bigger kids or adults) Breathe out slowly to the count of 3 or 4.  (You can also use the cotton or pom pom ball for this exercise only this time, the ball must stay in the child's hand and NOT be blown off. This exercise will quickly teach breath control.)


Laughing Breath:
(Reduces & releases tension and improves respiration.)

Breathe in slowly and deeply-and as you breathe out laugh!

These are just a few ways that breathing can be practiced & used by all ages to keep the body balanced and calm. There are many others! I hope you find these few to be helpful! To learn more about fun ways to teach yoga and other healthy techniques to your children or  students, please visit us at: http://www.bodylogique.com/

To schedule a customized evaluation for a Stress Reduction Plan for yourself or your child, please contact me at: Barbara@bodylogique.com



Love & Laughter!
~Barbara







(Pictured from Left: My oldest son Michael, his father, my younger son Steven and myself at a music & arts event the boys played at 3 years ago . This is the only photo I have of us all together and in spite of the rough road we have all travelled together (and apart,) I'm encouraged and comforted by the fact that we have all moved forward and are better for the experience.)

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Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Surf's Up! Adaptive Beach Yoga

So while talking with the kids last week at camp about what they like to do, there seemed to be a recurring theme: Swimming!

There are mostly boys with autism, ages 5-10 in the camp. For the ones with more developed communications kills, their favorite swimming is done at the beach-and their favorite "beach' topic is definitely sharks.
So taking this into consideration & since it was summer and since recent events have created alot of talk and debate about the current & future safety of our sea life, I thought that we would work with the topic of "Beach Yoga". It has proven to be a great choice!


Our warm up consists of breathing exercises followed by 'surfing'-the yoga mat is now a surf board, and variations of locust pose, warrior pose, mountain, triangle & down dog becomes a 'surfer' paddling his board out to the waves, surfing and (gently) "wiping out". The 'surfers' are taught the correct and safe way to 'wipeout' which is also a lesson in body awareness & self control. They ask for this every time, and it keeps them excited about yoga, so I keep doing it as a permanent part of the class. It also is a perfect opportunity for them to release pent-up energy. Kids need to do that before there is any hope of them "being still".

Surf music is played during the warm up. After 3 minutes of surfing, the kids (and the assistant teachers) are pretty warmed up! So we take a quick break with quiet breathing while I begin to explain the other activities & tell the day's story.

Our story is an original (by BodyLogique®) about a seagull that travelled over many miles of land to get to the ocean-over farms, mountains, volcanoes, trees, and even rainbows and when he got to the ocean he could see all the people on the beach & creatures below the water-fish, stingrays, sharks, coral, sea snakes, whales, sea horses, seaweed, jellyfish etc.  

As the story unfolds, the children each contribute a part of the story-this is facilitated by prompts: "Where is he flying now?" "What else does he see?"  "Name another sea animal/creature..." etc. The yoga is the movement of all the wonderful and creative animals they 'see' (some I have never heard of!).  In this way, and on many levels, the story comes alive. This is easily adaptable by using color photos, flashcards or some visual prompts for the children who need it.

We then played a non-competitive problem solving game of "Survivor Island." This is a variation on musical chairs and was designed to encourage cooperation and auditory processing. When the game was finished, the kids wanted to play again, but we were short on time. I had to bribe them with our next activity which was making their own "Message in a Bottle".
We wind down our class with a simple Guided Imagery-quiet music and reminding the children of their breath-to listen to it-like the ocean waves, rolling in to them- and away. Bringing  refreshment, happiness, love and all the things they need and taking away tension and all those thoughts & feelings they don't need.



The "Beach" or "Ocean"  theme can be expanded in a multitude of ways and adapted to various settings & skill levels. It can be done in the home, at a camp program, outside, in the classroom, by the pool, virtually anywhere that is comfortable, safe and secure for the group you are teaching. It fulfills the requirements for 1 hour daily of physical exercise set by the National Association for Sports & Phys Ed. I encourage parents and educators to teach &  play with their children in this way. You don't need any special skill or equipment, as it does not have to be perfect. It takes just a little imagination and a desire to lead your child through creative movement lessons.

Click here for more ideas on Sensory Games.


For more information on the Wanna Play Program (with locations in PA & NJ) , please click here


Click here to order the complete  "Ocean Surfari" summer S.M.Art Story™ curriculum!





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