This is Part 2 in a four part series on Om for Kids and Teens. Watch for Part 1: The Sound of the Universe. Part 3: To Om or Not to Om and Part 4: The Benefits of Om coming soon.

Hello, my name is Donna Freeman, founder of Yogainmyschool.com. Today we’re here to talk about the wonderful sound OM.

Invariably when I go into a school or to teach children, somebody in the class who has never done yoga before will come in, sit down on their mat and go like this, “OOOMMMMM!” They are all excited to begin chanting. So, I’ll show you how to do that properly and the aspects of OM you can teach to children.

Today Alea has joined me. She is going to learn a few mudras, hand positions that you can do while chanting OM. As well as the different aspects of the sound itself.

Now when you chant OM, it’s really helpful because the vocalization changes the energy in your body, it provides healing energy. It enhances your overall health. It calms your emotions and quiets the mind while providing relaxation. And increases the sense of togetherness.

When you chant om, a lot of people, because of how it is written in English, think it is just two sounds O-M. I actually prefer the written form A-U-M, for OM, because that represents much better the sounds which you are producing.

There are three and a half parts to om. The first is down here in your belly. It is a big aaaahhh sound. And then the uuuuu sound is up into your chest. From there the mmmmm comes to your head. It’s like a buzzing bee. Then there is blessed silence. When you OM you have those parts to it.

The other part is a mudra if you are comfortable with that. The two most popular are anjali mudra, or namaste hands. Anjali meaning heart. So you can bring your thumbs to your sternum. The other would be gyan mudra where you make a circle with your index finger and thumb and the rest of your fingers are extended, and then you place that on your knees. You can choose whichever one of those you like. Or if you are not comfortable with either one you don’t need to do it either.

Join with us in oming three times. Close your eyes. Inhale.

AAAUUUMMMMM

AAAUUUMMMMM

AAAUUUMMMMM

Take a deep breath. Bow your head. And allow your eyes to fall open.

Very nicely done.

So I hope that helps for when you are teaching OM to children and teens and bringing the lovely sound of yoga into your life. Have a wonderful day. Namaste.

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Discover how to give a fabulous foot massage to keep your tootsies looking their best for summer sandals. Its always a treat to give someone you love a foot massage. This video demonstrates how to use two simple, environmentally friendly products, which can be made at home. The lavender foot scrub is ideal to exfoliate, soften and calm, while the peppermint foot balm will cool, soothe and nourish. As well you’ll learn basic foot massage techniques including reflexology to improve function of the internal organs, eyes, ears and pituitary gland. You’ll finish by engaging the joy & laughter of youth with a classic foot rhyme. Try it and enjoy spending summer with gorgeous feet and a smile on your face.

Lavender Foot Scrub

1/4 c Sea Salt/Epsom Salt

2 Tbsp oil (any vegetable oil will do)

1/8 c baking soda

3-4 drops of lavender essential oil

Peppermint Foot Balm

1/4 c shea butter

2 Tbsp coconut oil

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 oz piece of beeswax grated

10 drops peppermint essential oil

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Discover how to take a basic yoga tree pose (vrksasana) and make it into something playful, creative and interesting. From tree pose with namaste hands to tricky tree and beyond you’re sure to find inspiration for your next kids yoga class in Ten Trees. All these versions of tree pose build balance, focus and concentration while increasing creativity, poise and grace. And best of all they’re FUN!

Which is your fave?

How many varieties can you come up with?

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Flower pose is a fun individual or group pose which resembles a flower blooming. This pose builds core strength, develops coordination, teaches body awareness and improves balance. It’s an ideal pose for spring or whenever you teach a garden theme.

Flower Pose

Hi yogis, this is Donna from Yogainmyschool.com. Today we’re here to teach you how to do a really fun pose for spring: Flower Pose. Alea is with me to demonstrate.

First thing you need to do is put the soles of your feet together in baddha konanasa (bound angle pose). From there put your hands on your feet and sit up nice and tall.

Next, place your hands underneath your ankles. At this point a lot of kids will try and do it this way. So you need to make sure that their hands are underneath their ankles.

And then…you lift up and off. Make sure you are lifting your heart to the sky just like a flower opening under the gentle rays of the sun.

You can make this into a partner pose or a group pose by being close enough and maybe at a little bit of an angle to one another, often done in a circle with an entire group. Again, knees are wide, hands go under, lifting off. And then grasping hands with the people beside you.

And that’s flower pose.

For more videos and ideas on teaching yoga to kids please visit Yogainmyschool.com. Have a wonderful day. Namaste.

For more yoga poses for kids visit Yogainmyschool.com’s Alphabetical List of Poses.

photo courtesy of Mountain Mom Report

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Yogainmyschool.com presents a mindful listening game which promotes conscious awareness of sounds, improves listening skills and is ideal for the Easter season. Using a variety of commonly found items inside plastic Easter eggs students play with sound, finding the matching egg which ‘sounds right.’ This game encourages children to listen attentively and effectively in order to discern subtle variations in sounds.

Sounds Right

Hello, this is Donna Freeman, the founder of Yogainmyschool.com. Today I’m going to show you how to play the mindfulness game Sounds Right. It is a fantastic game, especially for the Easter season, that’s why we have a dozen large eggs. Inside, however, when you open it up there are a dozen plastic Easter eggs.

You’ll want six different items and a matching six. For example inside we have salt, lentils, rice, beans, buttons and paperclips.

The goal here is that they are mixed up. The child or the student needs to match up one with the other. When they find two that sound the same they have a match.

Sounds Right is a fantastic game for developing mindfulness, for sensory integration for children with special needs, and it is ideal for the Easter Season.

Enjoy Sounds Right this Easter with your students. You can find a host of other fun yoga and mindfulness games at Yogainmyschool.com.

Thank-you.

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Welcome to Yogainmyschool.com. Today we are going to learn how to do a forward bend that helps to energize the body, calm the mind, and improve circulation and flexibility.

Jillian is here to demonstrate. First she is going to reach way up on a big inhale, and exhale she is going to flop all the way down with her knees slightly bent and her arms are going to go up behind. Inhale reach all the way backup. Exhale come down again. Perfect.

Now we are going to get Jillian to turn to her side so that you can see it from a different angle. She is going to do this 10 times in a row in quite quick succession inhaling and exhaling at her own pace.

This is a great exercise. It…

• teaches how to move with the breath
• teaches how to take complete inhales and exhales
• improves flexibility in the back body while being a soft exercises, available to all
• helps to improve brain function - stimulates the proprioceptors through movement

For more information about yoga in classrooms and yoga for kids and teens please visit Yogainmyschool.com. Namaste.

Be sure to visit Yoga In My School TV on YouTube for more great videos on teaching yoga to kids.

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