“Oh my, that’s gorgeous!” exclaimed my friend when she saw this mala courtesy of Jewels of Saraswati. I couldn’t agree more.

A mala is a set of beads used during meditation or chanting in order to keep count of mantra recitation. They can be made of 19, 21, 27, 54 or 108 beads long. Jewels of Saraswati uses semi-precious stones to create one of a kind malas which you can custom order/create to your own tastes and preferences. Great care is taken with each piece produced and the high quality of craftsmanship is immediately evident. The entire range of jewelry, which includes malas, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and purse charms, is inspired by yoga to provide you with something special for your life and yoga practice.

copper & czech glass earrings

Jewels of Saraswati has generously donated a 27 bead hand-knotted chakra mala with a pewter peace charm to one lucky winner. All of the 7 chakras are represented by black obsidian, red jasper, aragonite, rose quartz, blue aventurine, rainbow fluorite and crystal quartz (see photo above). Enjoy the flowing, healing energy that comes from the beauty and usefulness of this mala. In addition, a second place winner will receive a pair of stunning copper and czech glass earrings.

Both of these would make ideal gifts for a special yogi this holiday season but, if you’re like me you’ll have to order more as all your friends will be requesting them. Check out Jewels of Saraswati’s entire range of stunning products on their Estsy shop.

How to Enter

Comment below with your fave yoga quote to enter to win.

Additional entries can be made by:

• Liking Jewels of Saraswati on Facebook – comment here to let me know you did this
• Sharing this give-away on Facebook with an @Yogainmyschool.com mention – max of one entry per day
• Tweeting the contest with an @DonnaKFreeman tag – max of 3 entries per day one hour apart

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YogaSlacker Jason Magness lives an unconventional life. With no fixed address and a penchant for living life on the edge of adventure racing he knows to expect life to go in unexpected directions. From mountaineering in Alaska and studying physics with his twin brother at the University of Oklahoma to traveling the world giving AcroYoga and YogaSlacker workshops Jason’s life has taken some interesting turns. Join us as he shares the lessons he has learned through his adventures and by combining the dynamics of slacklining with the meditation of yoga.

Original Air Date: August 24, 2011

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Connect with Jason through the Team YogaSlackers Blog and Facebook Page.

Mark Your Calendar: Our next interview is Friday, Sept 2nd with Shakta Kaur Khalsa, author of Fly Like a Butterfly and founder of Radiant Child Yoga.

We are beginning to put together the all star line-up for Reflections 2011 which will run throughout December: Amy Ippoliti and Christina Sell already confirmed. Who else would you like to hear from?

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Psychiatrist & clinical lecturer on pyschiatry at the Univeristy of Alberta, Dr Catherine Phillips is dedicated to bringing the benefits of mindfulness to others. She joins us to discuss how MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) techniques can work equally well with teens as with adults to reduce stress, improve connections with self and others, and lead to greater happiness and contentment. Founder of the Mindfulness Institute.ca and one of the key organziers of the upcoming International Conference on Mindfulness with Youth (July 15-17, 2011), Catherine works tirelessly to promote mindfulness meditation in the areas of education, health care and society at large.

Original Air Date: June 30, 2011

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Connect with Catherine on the Mindfulness Institute.ca Facebook page.

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Eoin Finn joins us to share insights on how to achieve bliss in our lives. The Blissology Project encourages doing good, feeling better and creating an upward spiral through the Five Big Easys. Discover exactly how these simple steps can change your life, creating more peace and contentment. Eoin will also share his experience on TEDx Talks and the keys to hammock enlightenment in order to slow down and connect with our inner wisdom and one another.

Original Air Date: May 4, 2011

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Connect with Eoin through Facebook, on Twitter @eoinfinnyoga or his website.

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Guest post by Jennifer Cohen Harper

There are dozens of potential uses for a singing bowl in a children’s yoga class, but the one that is the most potent is also the absolute simplest. The activity described below has a unique way of engaging children’s cooperation in the exact manner that you hope, while at the same time showing a profound respect for their independence.

At the beginning of every class, no matter how many routines you develop or guidelines you give your kids, there is a certain amount of noise, movement, conversation and other distraction that is a natural part of the transitions that children go through during their day. Sometimes there is complete chaos that threatens your ability to start your class in the peaceful, centered and happy state of mind that every yoga instructor hopes for.

This point of transition, where you set the tone for the entire experience that both you and your students are about to have, is a particularly challenging one to navigate. You must bring all of your students attention together at the same time, there is often noise so if the kids are going to hear you it might mean raising your voice, and all of the conversation that your students are having with each other are compelling to them and they are going to need some pretty good motivation to wrap them up. This can lead to frustration on the part of the teacher, and a gradual escalation of your voice until you are actually yelling at your students before you have even started your class.

There is a better way. When I begin a children’s yoga class, my goal is fro the children to turn their attention to me naturally, because they are interested in what is about to happen. I also want to respect that all of the conversations they are having are important to them. They are not doing anything wrong by having these social interactions during a lull in their very managed day, and I do not want to make them feel as through they are in some way bad because they are communicating with each other.

Rather then say anything at all, I recommend using a singing bowl in a very deliberate way to let the students know that you are about to start class. The following steps are so simple, but the honor the students by giving them time to transition gently, wrapping up whatever they are saying and doing with no abrupt shift, no implication that they are doing something wrong, no order, no anger and no raised voices. If is important to follow these steps slowly and remember your intention – a group of children who feel respected, engaged and happy to be in your presence.

Singing Bowl Opening Ritual

1. Enter your classroom with a relaxed, happy attitude. Smile at your students and allow them to adjust to your presence in the room before asking them to do anything at all.
2. Go to where you are setting up your space. Put your things down in a slow and deliberate manner, keeping any clutter to a minimum. Place a singing bowl next to you. Always handle the singing bowl with gentle respect. You want to create a sense in the children that the singing bowl is something very special and something to be treated with care. This naturally make is more interesting to them.
3. Settle onto your mat and model for the children a grounded and mindful seat. Take a few deep breaths. Pick up the singing bowl, and hold is at heart height. Make sure you are treating the bowl with reverence, and that you are directing your gaze and energy at it, rather than looking around at the kids. As the students notice what you are doing, they will look where you look.
4. After a few moments and a few breaths, gently ring the singing bowl. Keep your gaze fixed on the bowl until the sound completely dies away.
5. After the sound of the bowl is gone, look around at your students and make eye contact. If many of the kids are still not with you after the sound of the bowl is finished, take several breaths and then ring it again. Be careful not to show any frustration or annoyance. This ringing of the bowl is an invitation to your students, not a command or a reprimand.
6. There will be a moment of quiet after the sound finishes, when the children’s attention is turned to the bowl and to you. Take advantage of that moment (and it may not last long) to draw them in. Depending on whether the children are still up and about of they are on their mats, say good morning, ask a question, give them an interesting piece of information, or move directly into an activity. This is your opportunity to start class from a  place of engagement. Try not to be overly concerned if every single student is not completely silent or still when the bell finishes ringing. As long as the general orientation of the class is towards you, you have a space to being your teaching.

This method of beginning gets more and more effective as you use it. The children learn the routine and many will begin to get themselves set up for class just by watching you take the singing  bowl into your hands. Remember that the singing bowl must always be treated as something special – don’t ring it in anger or frustration or desperation or it will lose it’s meaning. Your attention to the attitude you convey at the beginning of class will make a tremendous difference in the attitude of the children. Become a model of patience, grace and loving acceptance. Invite your students on a journey, and you may be surprised at how willing they are to participate.

Jennifer Cohen Harper is the founder and director of Little Flower Yoga, a unique organization that provides education based yoga programs to schools and youth organization, teaches creative and nurturing classes for children and families, and trains teachers to engage, encourage and inspire joy in all students. Come grow with us.

This a continuation of our My Favourite Prop series written by experts in the yoga for kids and teens field. Visit our Yoga Props page to view the complete collection including how to use feathers, hula hoops, puppets, hoberman sphere and many more.

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Guest post by Brian Jenkins

Why should college students practice yoga?

Yoga can provide college students with many benefits such as stress reduction, emotional wellness, flexibility, improved strength, enhancement of the immune system, and improved balance and postural alignment. Those are good things! Yoga is actually easy for anyone to practice, and you don’t have to be able twist into a pretzel!

Yoga Improves Concentration

The meditative practices of yoga will improve the ability of college students to concentrate. Focusing on studying and ignoring distractions such as a television, conversations, and loud music will, of course, result in better grades. According to a Time magazine article, due to advanced brain scanning technology, researchers are beginning to show that meditation directly affects the structure and function of the brain – changing it in ways that seem to increase attention span, improve memory, and sharpen focus. Richard Davidson, director of the Laboratory for Affective Neuroscience at the University of Wisconsin, said, “Attention is the key to learning, and meditation helps you voluntarily regulate it.”

Yoga Enhances Mood

Wellesley College faculty yoga specialists co-authored a study examining the psychological benefits of yoga. The authors of the study found proof that yoga improves mood and decreases anxiety. This study looked at a neurotransmitter in the brain known as y-aminobutyric acid, or GABA. The authors determined that decreased levels of GABA correlate to depression and anxiety. They also report that the medical community is interested in learning how to increase GABA in order to combat depression. One of the researchers, Liz Owen, stated, “Yoga, just the practice of yoga, increases GABA levels.” She also said, “Yoga breathing practices are so easy and simple. You could be sitting in a stressful classroom situation and you could just take a yoga inhale, do a yoga exhale, and it might make a difference.”

Yoga Strengthens the Body

Another recent yoga study of college-aged men and women (between 18 and 27 years of age) who participated in two yoga sessions every week for eight weeks saw a 19% to 31% increase in arm strength and a 28% increase in leg strength.

Yoga Relieves Stress

According to some experts, stress is the #1 trigger of ailments in peoples’ physical, emotional, and endocrinal systems. Practicing yoga is a great way to reduce stress caused by academic pressures. Yoga helps college students avoid stress-induced eating and it helps them sleep better. It can give students a sense of balance and mental clarity.

By practicing yoga, college students will improve their mood, strengthen their body, relieve stress, and concentrate better. This will certainly help them make the most of their college experience!

Brian Jenkins has been writing about various career and education topics for BrainTrack.com, including careers in fitness training, since 2008.

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