8 Limbs of Yoga in Review!

We did it! We learned the 8 Limbs of Yoga in 8 weeks!

My favorite Limb of Yoga is:

"Pranayama - sometimes I get very nervous and if I do slow deep breaths it makes me feel calm and relaxed." - age 10

"Asana - the poses are what bring out my flexibility." - age 12

"Pratyahara - we use our 5 senses all the time so it's good to slow down and be aware of them one at a time." - age 10

"Niyamas - I like to know that I care for myself." - age 10

"Asana - I like bending myself into yummy pretzels." - age 10

"Pranayama - breathing is very important." - age 7

"Yamas - I like to care about people and have awareness" - age 9

"Dyhana - it helps me calm down and clear my mind. This way I can concentrate on my school work, falling alseep, etc. without any worries or concerns." - age 11

If you could make a 9th Limb of Yoga, what would it be?:

"Wallianah - making change in the world one person at a time." - age 10

"Denyana - helping the poor and others who do not have a lot of food or money." - age 11

"Aelmanieana - giving back to the community." - age 11

"Namasteana - helping people in need." - age 9

"Mooseyathara - to be aware of the people who care for you." - age 10

"Miayamas - levitating." - age 10

"Funayama - having fun all the time no matter what." - age 10

"Briyama - finding your limits." - age 12

"Yasana - being yourself." - age 8

"Latepian - trust in everyone and trust in yourself." - age 10

"Chlonayama - thinking of others." - age 10

8 Limbs of Yoga - Week 8: Samadhi

Here's where we put it all together - the 8th limb of yoga is Samadhi - union - true yoga. This is what we work for in our practice. The asana (poses) and pranayama (breath work) prepares us for dharama (concentration). Once we have dharama, dyhana (meditation) comes easier so we can find samadhi. Samadhi is the connection that first happens between our mind and our bodies. We find peace in ourselves and with that comes joy and fulfillment so that we can see our hopes, wishes and dreams even clearer. These things cannot be bought. They can only be experienced. And we must realize this takes practice. We practice on our mats and off our mats every day. Once we find the peace within, we can find the peace in the world that already exists, but may be masked by every day trials and tribulations. When we find that peace in the world, we realize there is no me or mine. No us verses them. There is no separation. We accept what is with grace. This is samadhi.

8 Limbs of Yoga - Week 7: Dhyana

The 7th limb of yoga is Dyhana - Meditation. Meditation is a single-pointed focus. It is a practice that takes complete concentration. When we find that point in a comfortable seated position, we can find a peace with in our minds and our hearts. Meditation helps us cope with feelings that seem beyond our control - with anxiety, anger, sadness, shyness, fears. The longer we sit, the more in control we become of our minds and emotions.

But of course, meditation does not have to happen only when you're sitting! You can meditate while walking, running, or riding your bike. You can meditate while creating art - painting, drawing, coloring a mandala. So many ways!

Some great books to help kids with meditation:

Teaching Meditation to Children: The Practical Guide to the Use and Benefits of Meditation Techniques by David Fontana

Under the Rose Apple Tree by Thich Nhat Hanh

Peaceful Piggy Meditation by Kerry Lee Maclean

Relax Kids: The Wishing Star: 52 Magical Meditations for Children by Marneta Viegas

8 Limbs of Yoga - Week 6: Dharana

Sometimes it can really feel like we're living in a video game. Lights, sounds, shapes, and colors flying at us head on. How hard it is for us to concentrate when we live a world of over stimulation! This week is 6th limb of yoga, Dharana - concentration. Concentration is like a muscle - it takes some training if you want it to be strong. There are many ways to practice concentration in the yoga classroom:

1 - Drishti - Our Drishti helps us to focus and balance. When working with balance poses, such as Tree or Eagle, it is important to find something in the room that is not moving and stare at it with all our might. This is our Drishti. When we focus on our Drishti, our balance improves and our ability to focus increases.

2 - Memory - What we do on one side of our Sun Salutation, we must do on the other. String a series of 3 - 4 poses and see if the kids can remember what needs to happen on the other. Let them call it out!

3 - Visualization - When we're in a state of relaxation, our minds are clearer and more able to think, dream, and create for mental pictures like we do for visualizations. My favorite guided visualization...The Balloon Ride.

4 - Buddha Board - The Buddha Board is a Zen concept based on living in the moment. After painting a design on the surface with water, the design slowly starts to evaporate. The challenge is to sit, focus, and watch. This can take 5-7 minutes and can be quite the challenge at any age. How often do we just sit? Practice. The longer you sit, the more peaceful you become. And as the Buddha Board slowly clears, so does your mind.

8 Limbs of Yoga for Kids - Week 2: Niyamas

This week we go a little more internally with the Niyamas. The Niyamas are all about self-awareness. When we practice yoga, it is most important that we listen to our bodies. When reaching for our toes, it's okay if we don't quite make it. Sure, some kids can reach the bottom of their foot in a forward bend, but that's not important. All that matters is that we are on our mats moving and breathing how we feel comfortable. We do yoga to feel good in our bodies! Not to push ourselves into poses that don't feel good! We may really want to get into a pose, but we won't always get there on the first try. Yoga is a practice - a self study. It is not to be rushed.

When we practice yoga, it is good every once and awhile to stop when we're in a pose, and do a body check - How am I feeling? Am I going too deep or not deep enough? How is my heart beat? Am I breathing? We want to feel happy and content in all of our poses. When we learn to figure out ways to be happy and comfortable on our mats...we ultimately learn to find ways to be happy and comfortable off our mats. And perhaps we need some aid along the way...on our mats we learn to use props - blocks and straps - to help us find comfort in the poses. Just like in life, we learn to ask for help when we need it.

It is so important for use to pay attention to our bodies in everything we do. How we place our feet. How we place our hands. And for the littlest yogis...we started that small. Our Yoga Hands are most important in this world.

"I spread my fingers wide and place them gently. Watching how I move, I do so quietly.

My hands will help. My hands will care. My hands will rise above.

My hands will always do good things because they're filled with love."

8 Limbs of Yoga for Kids - Week 1: Yamas

This 8 week session, the Alluem Kids and I will be exploring the 8 Limbs of Yoga! So often when we think of yoga, we only think about the poses, the physical...but there is so much more to yoga! Yoga is a way of life and these 8 Limbs act as guidelines to living a purposeful and meaningful life and there are so many good lessons within for the kids!

The 1st Limb of Yoga are the Yamas. The Yamas focus on our behavior and how we act in this world. It draws attention to the way we treat other people, animals, the earth, our belongings and the places we go. For an example, the kids and I talked about yoga studio etiquette. We should always treat a space the way we would want our own space to be treated. Removing our shoes to keep the floor and our mats clean. Entering quietly, rolling out our mats, sitting down and stretching or lying down and resting. Being respectful of the people in the room around us. Treating others the way we would want to be treated. Smiling and saying hello. Introducing ourselves to a new student. The Yamas also teach us that what we do in the world effects everything and everyone around us. This is the yoga we can practice every day!

A fun way to show this was with a Group Knot! Everyone stands in a circle shoulder to shoulder raising their right arm to the sky. Reaching across the circle we grab hands with a friend. Then raising our left arm to the sky we reach across and grab hands with another friend. We can now see that we've turned ourselves into a human knot! Now to untangle! The things we need are communication, patience and awareness of how we move. The person's whose hand you are holding is ultimately the most important. That hand effects the next person which effects the next person and so on in a chain reaction! So much fun!