Yoga: Fit for a Princess

“I don't go by the rule book...I lead from the heart, not the head.”

                                                                            ~Princess Diana
                                                                                   

I had the pleasure yesterday of being invited to teach yoga to a group of young ladies at  "Princess Camp" sponsored by  Serenity Health & Fitness/ Juli Kell's Dance Zone. 

Serenity's Princess camp is designed for ages 3-6, and includes dance, (facilitated by Juli Kell) music, art, games & yoga fit for a Princess! I had planned a story, yoga, games & art!  What a wonderful day we all had!

We began with the question of what is so cool about being a Princess? The answers I got were awesome: 'You get to wear pretty clothes",  "You can ride in a carriage", "You can stay up as late as you want", and "You get to help people". We talked about the many ways we can help other people and all of the ways for us to help ourselves too by staying healthy and taking car of our bodies. This was a perfect opportunity not only to teach compassion, but also self care &  self reliance along with Strength, Character & Confidence!

I led these beautiful "Princesses in Training" through a Princess warm up: We pantomimed the actions of putting on stockings and "glass slippers" (and ballet shoes); then we put on our ball gowns & helped each other "zip up" in the back of the gowns-(this brought squeals of laughter from each one of them, and became a brief  tickle fest). We 'put on' gloves, earrings, lipstick and sparkly crowns. (The crowns were real.) We even 'brushed our teeth' and talked about healthy foods and snacks. I told them that a Princess needed to be strong and healthy and take care of herself so that she could be able to help others.

Then we practiced the all important Princess waving-back and forth, left to right , with just fingers, just hands and out whole arms. (We even practiced waving with our feet.)

With our body's warmed up, we then did a posture & breathing exercise-breathing in & reaching up to the stars-grabbing one out of the sky-and reaching down to place it the ground while breathing out.

Then our yoga story began. It was not a story about any princess they would be familiar with at their young ages. It was the story of the beautiful & great huntress and athlete, Atalanta. Originally a Character from Greek Mythology, this story came to life as re-told by children's author  Betty Miles in "Free To Be You and Me". 

The re-told story has a beautiful message of inspiring a sense of self, and breaking free of stereotypes. As I told the girls an age appropriate version of this story, and as we practiced yoga movements along with the story, they lit up and began sharing little parts of themselves and the things they like to do.

We played a movement game, similar to "Red Light Green Light" called "One Two Three Princess Crowns for Me" In which they had to sneak up on me and "capture" my crown. It was actually a game designed to focus attention and to enhance auditory processing. They were so cooperative with each other-taking turns,giggling the whole time,  making sure everyone had a turn and working together to help the more shy players along &  then finally teaming up to "overthrow" me!

Our story ended with quiet music, relaxation, and with each Princess selecting a beautiful Rainbow Star to make a wish: one for themselves and one for another person.


The Princess Camp then went on to include art, a Princess lunch and other fun activities, fit for a princess! To learn more about Serenity Health & Fitness or Juli Kell's Dance Zone, click here.

To learn more about creative movement or to book children's classes by BodyLogique for your camp program please contact Barbara:

Barbara@bodylogique.com

Finding Balance

I woke up this morning to beautiful sounds: the raindrops falling softly on the tin awning & the soft rumble of thunder in the distance. Beautiful rain! This region needed this temporary reprieve from the recent drought so badly.

As I sat on my patio last night with my family, we realized how out of balance nature is right now. The night was silent. There were no chirping crickets, no symphony of tree frogs, and no mosquitoes biting my feet. There has been no rain to sustain them.

Balance. Mother Nature depends on it & has and always will find a way to maintain inner and outer balance. Its the same with people, as we are a part of Nature. This is what my yoga practice shows me.

Balance has always been a recurring theme for me. When I was divorced at a young age (21) and had 2 small sons to raise, it was about finding the balance between working, going to school to finish my education, growing up myself, and being a mother to the boys. There was hardly time to socialize or pursue the hobbies I enjoyed.

I am now at an age, 25 years later, where my body is changing. There is a balance that needs to be maintained between exercise & sleep;  food & activity; stress & hormones, compassion & assertiveness; fast & slow; work and play & business & family.


As an Independent Educator, I have to constantly find balance between my student & work relationships, my family relationships and my friendships. When I see other people (and myself) doing too many things and not accomplishing anything, that is a sign of a chaotic frame of mind, and time to find that balance again.  


As a student (and also as a teacher) of yoga, balance poses have always been my favorite: In Tree Pose I always had a sense of rootedness; confidence in 'where I stood'.  Side Angle Pose gives me a new peperspective during shifts of balance. Crow Squats allow me to focus on how far I am leaning/rushing into things. Triangle and Revolved Triangle just make me feel alive and stable even though I am twisted in different directions as I reach to new heights.

I draw these analogies with the kids when I am teaching a yoga class. It is not only good for the physical proprioceptive sense integration, (internal equilibrium) but also for the larger sense of Life. If this idea of internal/external balance is instilled at a young age, hopefully our children will grow in to young men and women who handle the busy-ness & everyday stresses of Life with a more self-confidence & ease.


Here is a game I call "Yo-Jenga" to play with kids to help them understand the idea of balance and focus: (Courtesy Alluem Kids  &  Yoga In My School. )

The best family game to teach the idea of balance has to be Jenga. This game consists of a tower of  little wooden blocks that are removed one by one carefully without toppling over the tower. (You can find a $5.00 version of this game called "Timber Tumble" at Five Below stores.) This activity will quickly develop patience, focus, fine motor skills, social and communication skills and problem solving.

By writing balance poses on the wooden blocks, (tree, crow, feather dancer, triangle, etc) you can turn an ordinary Jenga game into 'Yo-Jenga'!

Have each child pick a block from the stack, then teach the pose to the others. Then place the block on top of the pile to see how tall the tower can go!

I also have a few "Create-a-Pose" blocks in the pile as well. This allows the player to make up their own balance pose.

Include a few "Breathing-Break" blocks to keep the players grounded and focused. The game is over when the tower topples, or when the players are losing interest, or when the time limit is up.

For more balance & Sensory games visit us at:  BodyLogique



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Grandfather Tells: (The Wolves Within)

A Cherokee Wisdom Story:

I first heard this story from Sydney Solis from StoryTime Yoga. I love its message and it applies so perfectly to some recent events so that is why it is July's Story of the month:

An old Grandfather said to his grandson, who came to him with anger at a friend who had done him an injustice, "Let me tell you a story. I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do.

But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times."

He continued, "It is as if there are two wolves inside me. One is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him, and does not take offense when no offense was intended. he is joy, serenity, compassion, humility, benevolence, and truth."He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way.

But the other wolf, ah! He is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. he is envy, greed, guilt, resentment, self pity, lies and false pride.  He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing.
"The same fight is going on inside you as well and inside every other person." He added.

Sometimes, it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit."

The boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eyes and asked, "Which one will win, Grandfather?"

The Grandfather smiled and quietly said, "The one I feed."

Feed the Peaceful wolf from day to day and leave the angry wolf to starve. That is my intention today & every day for each one of us.





*What is your favorite legend or Wisdom Story? Please feel free to post it in the comment box below!







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What You Don't Know Can Hurt You: Finding a Quality Camp Program for Your Child

As a mother of 26 years, I know how frustrating it can be to shop for and find quality recreation & enrichment programs for children. As a provider of such programs, one of my aims is to inform and educate parents to make it as easy as possible to locate  fun, enriching activities.

In the last few weeks there has been a few questions specific to children's yoga programs & camps, so I've compiled a brief  list of tips to get you started that applies not only to children's yoga but to dance, sports, art, music & social skill programs as well. Keeping these ideas in mind can help you and your child avoid uncomfortable, un-fun and possibly unsafe situations.

What to Look For:

1- An informative & well constructed advertisement/brochure/website:

Be sure it is current, complete, easy to navigate & answers all relevant questions such as: a clear class description, updated schedules & class locations, instructor's name & experience, registration & and contact information.  Many studios will advertise that they offer programs but don't actually have any active classes on the schedule. If this is a habitual practice, interpret this as a red flag that the establishment is either very new & inexperienced or not really serious about their children's programs. Shop around and ask questions.

Are inquiries and phone calls returned to you in a timely manner? There is nothing more telling than a company or service provider that does not follow up  on inquiries within 3 days.

Another method other than word of mouth I like to use to research an instructor or camp is the social networks. Join the studio's group or page and just observe their interactions, photos & behaviors. Check out who they are linked to, including individuals & groups. Read blogs and postings. True colors will come out here because of the casual nature of social networking-you would be surprised at what you may learn.

I saw one public post on a social networking page, by a local children's yoga teacher that was an alarming & unprofessional exchange - along with other professionals (engineers & visiting hospice nurses, and even a mother of a special needs child) joking about harming a colleague with big clubs & sticks and such. Joking around is one thing, but according to this exchange, the teacher's own children gave her this advice. Alarming enough is the fact that this was even discussed publicly, and that the culprit's own children were encouraged to be involved in this, but what is even more disturbing is that this provider is now offering  a summer  "Peace Camp" for children. So the lesson here is simple:  keep your eyes and ears open!


2-Credentialed & Experienced Instructors:

Its one thing to have a children's yoga certification and another to actually have experience working with the children. Not every instructor has the patience, knowledge  & creativity enough to engage and hold the attention of a group of children for an entire 45-60 minute class. If you do not know the instructor, ask to meet and observe him or her in action prior to signing up your child. Have your child meet the teacher prior to a class to see if they are comfortable & connect with each other. Most reputable teachers will welcome this opportunity.

If you have a special needs child this is especially important to find out if the instructor in fact has knowledge and has worked with children with adaptive needs. Are the staff informed and trained on interacting with special needs children & does their program properly and sufficiently adapt and address these challenges?

It takes specific training to be able to work with children who are physically, socially or cognitively delayed, and not everyone has that training. When it comes to your child, don't be shy. Ask about their methods & their curriculum. Ask lots of questions. A qualified instructor will take the time to listen and address your concerns or refer you to someone who can. Feedback, whether positive or not should always be welcome by any conscientious instructor.


3- Independent Instructors-

There are many teachers such as myself that travel to a variety of venues: schools, studios, camps and community centers and do not work for one specific studio. In this case, please check references & background thoroughly. Does the instructor set a good example of behavior for the children? ( See above note about the "Peace Camp"...) Is he or she patient? Is she engaging to children in positive ways? Does she conduct all business with fairness & integrity? Do they show up on time and ready to work? A legitimate child service provider will have a biography, community links or references listed on their website or brochure or should  provide them immediately upon request. Also, it is imperative to find out if the person or people instructing & working directly with your child have been background checked through the state. ( I insist that all my assistants, and even photographers are background checked.)  Ask to see a current list of studio & personal references & a current certificate.

Other behaviors to observe are the yoga teacher or staff member who berates & chronically complains about the students, other programs or other instructors; and teachers who allow their co-teacher or assistants to provide all of the instruction. This is unprofessional at best and is as inexcusable as chronic lateness & being unprepared.

I remember one instructor of an arts camp I worked with who unprepared, late or a no-show daily, unless there was a chance at getting a photo in the local paper. There was always a colorful & 'compelling' story as to why. This tells a lot about the individual's character and work ethic & can serve as another indicator that either they are too busy with other projects to be effective, are not qualified to teach or do not take their work seriously. In either case, this may not be the ideal person to instruct your child.

4-Facility/Environment-

This is one of the first things I look for: is it neat, clean, climate controlled and secure? Is the equipment in good condition? Do the staff and instructors take pride in their appearance? Are you greeted promptly & courteously? This can say a lot about the overall operations of a facility and its staff as well as the quality of programs they provide.


5- Fun Factor-

Are the programs fun? If you can, talk with other parents who have experience with the facility, program or instructor-watch the children's reactions if you can and remember that a good instructor will teach useful skills in varied and playful ways-setting boundaries while still allowing for exploration & expression. This is the type of environment in which children learn the best!

While program cost may be a final determining factor as to whether you sign your child up for a program, remember : look at the quality, the time and the effort that the instructor puts into each class and figure that into the equation as well. This is part of what you will determine when you research a program.

Ultimately you will always wind up getting what you pay for.

For a list of preferred dance, yoga and camp providers in PA & NJ please e-mail: barbara@bodylogique.com


For more information on Fun Creative movement classes for children, please visit is at:

www.bodylogique.com

and on Facebook at:

BodyLogique


:)