The word chakra literally means ‘wheel’ in Sanskrit. In yogic terms chakras refer to energy centers, often depicted as wheels or flowers, which receive and transmit energy enabling the body to function. There are seven chakras in your body, corresponding to locations on the body running from the base of your spine to the crown of your head. Chakras are associated with our physical, mental and emotional health. Each has an associated colour and gland.

When your chakras are balanced you function at your best. When there is imbalance you feel sick, sluggish, and simply ‘out of whack.’

1st – red– Root or Base Chakra (Muladhara)
Located at the base of the spine here resides our life force. The lessons learned from this chakra are about survival and potential. This chakra corresponds with the adrenal gland responsible for dealing with stress.

2nd – orange– Sacral Chakra (Swadhisthana)
Located in the lower abdomen this chakra connects to sensing and feeling energy. Sexuality, creativity, procreation, need for approval, and self-acceptance are governed by this chakra. This chakra corresponds with the gonads or reproductive organs.

3rd – yellow– Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)
 Located above the navel this is the location of our mental energy and personal power. When you get a ‘gut’ feeling it is coming from your 3rd chakra. This is the location of your sense of humour, curiosity, and will-power. This chakra corresponds with the pancreas which controls digestion and produces insulin.

4th – green– Heart Center (Anahata)
 Located in the center of the chest, the heart center contains emotional energy. Here is the expression of love and compassion, peace and renewal. This chakra corresponds with the thymus gland which produces white blood cells and combats disease.

5th – blue– Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)
Located in the throat and providing the right and ability to express oneself, this communication centre helps us to understand, develop creativity, and face truth and fear. This chakra corresponds with the thyroid gland which regulates metabolism.

6th – indigo– Brow or Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)
Located in the forehead, between the eyes, the Third Eye refers to intuition. Here we learn wisdom, develop our memory, and trust in personal insights. This chakra corresponds with the pituitary gland which is considered the master gland as it stimulates all the other endocrine glands.

7th – violet – Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)
Located at the top of the head, the crown chakra is the location of inspiration and spiritual energy. Developing a personal connection to the universe stimulates this area. This chakra corresponds with the pineal gland which produces melatonin responsible for sleep-wake patterns and seasonal functions.

Here is a brief Chakra balancing video. Simply sit back, relax, and focus on the colours and the related body regions that are mentioned as they come into view. Remember to breath.

For lots more information about chakras visit ChakraEnergy.com. I especially like their chakra chart.

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This week at my Yoga Sampler Class, a class where each week we focus on a different body part (hips openers) or style of yoga (intro to Kundalini), the topic was Yoga for Face, Feet and Hands. This class has been anticipated ever since a student demonstrated a few face yoga asanas at a dinner party some months ago.

The Theory of Face Yoga

Face Yoga became quite the rage in 2007 with the publication of The Yoga Face: Eliminate Wrinkle with the Ultimate Natural Facelift by Annelise Hagen. The concept being that if exercising the body produced longevity and health the same is true for the face; that by performing various yoga postures you could erase the ravages of time and develop a “beaming, joyful, bright-eyed” countenance.

The Reality of Face Yoga

That’s wonderful and may easily be the case. However, the reality is that most of us have developed nasty habits in regards to our facial expressions and these exercises may just be what is needed to develop awareness, relieve tension and tone the myriad of muscles which compromise the face and neck. Kids and teens can also benefit from face yoga by increasing awareness of their face, reducing stress, and learning not to take themselves too seriously. Add to that the humor factor of purposefully making funny faces and you’ve got a fun and beneficial yoga class waiting to happen.

How to do Face Yoga

Some insist on performing face yoga in front of a mirror as this helps to make sure you are doing the exercises properly. However you can do them anywhere, anytime, even standing waiting for the bus. Keep in mind you may get a few odd looks from those passing by, so either get over your possible embarrassment or keep your yoga face routine for a less public location.

In class, face yoga always elicits the same response … giggles. You may think you are immune but just wait until the students facing you start pulling Jim Carrey look alike contests. My kids actually play this as a game to see who can last the longest without giggling. And of course, during our weekly sampler class we didn’t last very long either. Every student enjoyed a good belly laugh watching the facial antics of others. So whether it was from the face yoga, or from the laughter, we all felt better and had a smile on our faces when we left class. If that doesn’t make everyone feel and look their best I don’t know what will.

Face Yoga Exercises

Here are a sampling of some face yoga exercises you can try. Take five minutes, do a few, and see how much better you feel. These are great to use before performances (ie: school concerts, speeches, etc.) or exams as they take very little time, help refocus the mind, relieve stress, and increase circulation.

• Lion Face: clench every muscle in your body tight, then let it all go while sticking out your tongue, opeing the eyes wide, repeat 3x
• Cheek Pinch: the age old method of adding colour to the checks without rouge, lightly pinch all over the cheeks enough to increase blood circulation
• Satchmo: fill both cheeks with air, pass the air back and forth from cheek to cheek, continue for 1 minute
• Vowel Exaggerations: in turn repeat the soft vowel sounds (ah, eh, eei, oo, euw) while exaggerating and holding the facial patterns this makes, relax your tongue and eyes making your face (cheeks, lips & jaw) do the work, repeat a few times
• Tongue Rolling: roll the tongue, stick it out and bring it back repeatedly, a genetic exercise as some will not be able to perform this activity
• Angry Smile: smile while tensing the muscles in your face as if your children have done something horrific in public and you really cannot lose your composure at this moment
• Surprise: lift your eyebrows high and open the eyes wide imitating shock and surprise 
• Brow Smoother: using your fingertips slowly and lightly pull the eyebrows away from one another
• Jowl Stretch: cross your arms and place them at the base of your neck, like you are choking yourself, while gently pressing down with your hand, stretch your chin up and away, hold the stretch for 10 seconds and relax, repeat
• Horse Lips: on an exhale, relax your lips and let the air pass over them as if you were a horse, you can even shake your head gently and neigh slightly to really get into it, repeat
• Inversions: downdog, wide angle forward bend, headstand, etc are all beneficial to the face as they increase blood flow to the head
• Twists: include in your twist a facial twist
• Facial Massage: using your middle and ring fingers massage all around your face, in gentle circles, paying specific attention to the jaw hinge, brow,cheek and jaw bones
• Palming: Rub your hand quickly together generating heat, gently cup your palms over your eyes and let them rest and relax

You can find more information about other face yoga exercises at Yoga Eyes Teaches Kids How to Tell Time and Yoga for the face and neck from Yogababy.tv

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For children and teens with Cerebral Palsy yoga may help stretch and realign the spine, increase flexibility, and augment range of motion. Holding yoga poses in a gentle stretch helps relax the muscles, reducing high muscle tone, and exercising areas of low muscle tone.

Twisting poses are especially beneficial. A simple seated twist begins while sitting, rooting into the pelvis, inhale as you extend the spine/sit tall, exhale as you twist. Repeat two more times working deeper into the twist with each exhale. The last thing to rotate should be your neck with you gazing behind you. Release and return to centre. Repeat the process on the opposite side. This same exercise can be performed while lying on a mat or the floor.

There are numerous other yoga asanas which may prove especially helpful. Modify the poses as necessary, even performing many while lying on a mat or supported by an adult. Remember the goal is not a perfect pose, but the integration of body, breath, and mind. Some suggestions include:

• Standing poses (Mountain, Compass, Warrior, Chair)
• Inversions (Downward Dog, Dolphin, Rabbit)
• Backbends (Cobra, Dancer, Camel)
• Yoga Eyes
• Foot Massage

Yoga will exercise the spine in many ways, lengthening the space between vertebrae and relaxing the pressure on nerves. As a result, nerve function is enhanced and muscle tension released, providing greater range of movement, increased coordination, and flexibility.

An exercise which is highly beneficial for children with Cerebral Palsy is to make a bolster out of a rolled-up blanket or large pillow. Have the child lie back on it with their arms resting by their sides. Gently roll and rock the bolster back and forth. This is a wonderful way to energize the spine and open the front of the body.

In addition, a focus on breathing exercises will increase spinal movement and strengthen stomach and back muscles while stimulating internal organs. Learning to use a complete breath will loosen muscles throughout the torso and increase respiratory control.

Chanting and using music will also provide needed stimulus and is most enjoyable. Often activities involving moving to music, or sitting quietly and feeling the reverberations of “Aum,” are the ones which bring the greatest happiness and contentment as the connection with sound becomes more vital than any physical limitations.

An example of yoga for children with Cerebral Palsy as well as other special needs is here from the Special Yoga Centre in London. They are doing amazing work.

Sonia Sumar’s book Yoga for the Special Child is an essental resource for those wanting to use yoga for children and teens with Cerebral Palsy. In addition read this terrific article by NCPAD with video attachements of yoga exercises for children or youth with Cerebral Palsy.

For a more compelte understanding of Cerebral Palsy read What is Cerebral Palsy?

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When diagnosing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) three symptoms are considered: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Children with ADHD have one primary challenge – focus – whether lack of, fluctuations in, inability to refocus, or obsessive focus. Yoga asanas (poses) and breathing techniques can dramatically improve the ability to focus and can be used anytime, anywhere. 

Students with ADHD who regularly engage in yoga are able to develop coping skills. Their self esteem improves as disruptive behaviours are reduced. They are also better able to understand themselves and appreciate who they really are, and the contributions they can make.

Yogic practices of visualization, affirmations, and relaxation can prove especially powerful as behaviour therapy techniques. These can help increase attention span, improve the ability to relax, help regulate emotions, and teach stress management skills. In addition, they will reduce stimulus overload by providing a sense of calm and inducing the relaxation response.

Partner and group poses further yoga’s effectiveness in helping students with ADHD as they provide a forum for social skills training. The controlled environment with a short specific task, followed by positive reinforcement is ideal for teaching the application of social skills.

Children with attention-deficit challenges benefit greatly from regular practice. Two to three times a week is optimal. Use pose cards such as The Kids Yoga Deck: 50 Poses and Games by Annie Buckley or make your own using drawings or pictures of the poses (a dog, a snake, a mountain). Children can then pick different groups of cards or poses for each session.

More information on how to assist students with ADHA can be found at the Canadian Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Resource Alliance (CADDRA) and the Centre for ADD/ADHD Advocacy, Canada.

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Most kids learn to tell time between 5 and 8 years of age. Digital clocks have made it much easier, and my children will walk around the house looking for a digital display before trying to figure out what the ‘old fashioned clock on the wall’ says.

There are a number of yoga eye exercises which refer to clocks, their face & how the hands move, which will help reinforce lessons on learning to tell time.

Yoga Eye Exercises

1. Circle your eyes clock-wise, repeat 10x
2. Circle your eyes counter-clock-wise, repeat 10x 
3. Imagine the face of a clock, look up at 12, then down at 6, hold each position for a count of 3, repeat 3x
4. Imagine the face of a clock, look over at 3, then at 9, hold each position for a count of 3, repeat 3x
5. Now go diagonally, first look at 2, then at 7, hold each position for a count of 3, repeat 3x
6. The other way, first look at 10, then at 4, hold each position for a count of 3, repeat 3x
7. Now rub your palms together quickly, creating heat from the friction. Gently cup hands over your eyes (called palming) and leave them there for a minute. This will relax the eyes and allow them to rest.

These yoga eye exercises will help the youngsters in your life maintain healthy eyes as well as learn to tell time from any clock in the house. They are easy, fun and take less than 3 minutes to complete. So give it a try. Get your yoga eyes on and become a master at telling time.

If you enjoyed this post please subscribe via e-mail for more articles on similar topics as they come hot off the press. Also check out the yoga classroom page for lots of great ideas on using yoga in your classroom.

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mountain pose

Yoga exercises for asthma can have numerous benefits. They were covered in Yoga a tremendous help for Asthma. This article will cover three types of poses and three specific breathing exercises which help relieve and control asthma symptoms.

Asanas for Asthmatics

There are three types of poses which are used to help relieve and control asthma symptoms.

1. Poses which coordinate movement with the breath are especially beneficial. For children this can be as simple as standing in Mountain pose and on a inhale, raising the arms above the head, and then lowering the arms on the exhale. Repeat 10 times. This will help teach breath control as well as open the chest and torso.


fish pose

2. Any chest opener is also highly beneficial as they increase the lung space and improve posture. These are often backbends such as Fish pose or Camel pose.
3. The third type of pose specific for asthma are twists. Easy seated pose with a twist and Marichiyasana III are both wonderful twists which promote spinal length and flexbility. Here is a short Yoga Journal TV video which teaches how to perform twists properly.

Also here is video yoga routine for asthma which includes a number of additional poses that you may want to check out.

Pranayama for Asthmatics

The first skill necessary for asthma relief is learning to relax and becoming aware of the breath. Secondly learning proper breathing techniques is essential for asthmatics. Often asthmatics do not expel the carbon dioxide fully and, therefore, cannot get enough oxygen into their lungs. Learning to exhale completely is essential for helping to control asthma and hopefully will even prevent or curtail asthma attacks. Here are three effective breathing exercises to teach proper breathing techniques and help relieve asthma.

1. Observing the Breath

   

   corpse pose

   Lie in Corpse pose. Close your eyes and place on hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen to help you feel the movement of the breath. Listen to the flow of air into and out of your body. Visualize a particle of air flowing into your nostrils, going down your throat, into your lungs and entering the bloodstream. As you exhale, reverse this pathway. How does your breath feel? Is it rough, smooth, fast, slow, even or uneven? Do not control the breath, simply observe. If your mind wanders, bring your focus back gently to the movement of each breath.

2. Lengthen the Exhale
   As you breathe focus on softening the inhalation and extending the exhalation. It is often helpful to count as you do this. Try to make the exhale twice as long as the inhale. So if you inhale to a count of 3, exhale to a count of 6. Try to use diaphragmatic breathing, expanding and contracting the belly and lower lung instead of the chest and upper lung. Continue to do this for 5 minutes.

3. Breathing with Pursed Lips
   This exercise also focuses on the exhale. Inhale softly through the nose. Exhale through pursed lips, blowing the breath out in a steady stream. Do not push too far. Pause gently. Inhale again through the nose and repeat trying to completely exhale each time without stressing the body. Keep the inhale soft, do not gulp in air. Instead allow the lungs to fill gently from the bottom like a balloon. Maintain a steady exhale, using the diaphram to expel the air. Smaller children may benefit from using a straw in a glass of milk or juice so they can actually see the effect of their breath. Just make sure they blow out in a slow steady stream instead of short and forceful – think lots of little bubbles. Watch this video for more details.

These yoga exercises can greatly help relieve and control asthma symtoms but should never replace a doctor’s diagnosis or care. Please continue to take any prescribed medication and be sure that your school has a personal Asthma Action Plan in place. The Canadian Lung Association and this web site  are terrific places to look for more information and resources in helping students with asthma. Also Asthma Mom has lots of real life stories, comments, and concerns addressed on her blog. Check it out.

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