At the beginning of each year I am struck with a sense of possibility. 365 days ahead in which to do, to create, to heal, to rejoice, to connect, to become. I know some people love to set resolutions, or intentions, or goals, or sankalpa for the New Year, others hate it. My one wish for you, no matter how you approach the New Year, is that you will value your time and use it wisely to come to know yourself, your potential, your uniqueness, and all the amazing things you are capable of. Be and share your best with yourself, your loved ones, your community, the world. Happy New Year!

To realize the value of One Year,

Ask a student who failed his or her AP exams.

To realize the value of One Month,

Ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of One Week,

Ask an editor of a weekly magazine.

To realize the value of One Day,

Ask a daily wage laborer who has six kids to feed.

To realize the value of One Hour,

Ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of One Minute,

Ask a person who missed their train.

To realize the value of One Second,

Ask the person who survived an accident.

To realise the value of One Millisecond,

Ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

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Yoga Skills For Your Backpack

It’s back to school time and families everywhere are busy buying supplies, sharpening pencils and trying to resume something of a schedule after a summer filled with adventures, sun and free time to explore and grow. Thankfully our summer yoga practice (gotta love yoga in the park and yoga camp) has provided a wonderful foundation for the kids as they head back to school. Here are some yoga ABC’s which will help youth succeed in the classroom as well as in life. Be sure to include them in your child’s backpack along with the books, paper, markers and other essential school supplies.

A is for Attitude

Your attitude will influence every aspect of your life. When you approach your yoga practice with joyful enthusiasm, it is a creative, energetic, fluid experience. If you begrudgingly hit the mat you’re not going to get as much out of it, though you will feel better from moving your body and engaging your mind. Know that how you approach your school day will impact what you get out of it. Be positive. You’ve got to be there anyway, you may as well eek as much joy out of it as possible.

B is for Basics

When learning yoga asanas (poses) you start with beginner poses and work toward a more advanced, subtle expression of the postures. So it is with school work. You’ve got to master addition and subtraction before moving onto algebra. Sometimes we want to rush through the beginning stages to get to the fancy stuff, but the basic work and practice we do lays an important foundation to future growth and learning.

C is for Confidence

Remember how it felt the first time you rocked Half Moon Pose, Crow Pose or another pose you’d been working on? I do! Keep that feeling in mind at school. Be confident that you can meet any challenge. Be your best, giving genuine effort, and you just might surprise yourself. Let go of others opinions. Don’t worry if you are one of the popular crowd or not. Be yourself and know that you are amazing.

D is for Deliberate

When coming into yoga poses you follow specific instructions on where to place your feet, hands and other body parts. As you deliberately follow these instructions you are able to a achieve nuanced, energetic pose which at first glance may have appeared impossible. Be deliberate at school as well. Listen to your teachers. Follow instructions carefully. Proceed one step at at time. For example in yoga we do inward spiral before outward spiral. There is a reason to this. Be deliberate as you engage in school work. The results are well worth it.

E is for Energy

Prana (life force) resides within each one of us. We are able to direct, control and change our energy through breathing, meditation and asana practice. Strive to cultivate a calm, receptive energy. At times you may need to increase your energy through vigorous practice. Other times you may need to become more grounded and centered. Know that you are in charge and can influence your physical, mental and emotional energy.

F is for Focus

Ah, Tree Pose…so many lessons, one of which is single minded focus. Transfer that ability to the classroom and you will be a successful student. Focusing on and completing assignments, homework and other tasks is essential. There are tons of distractions which can interfere with the important work of learning. Focus on what needs to be done, get it done, then enjoy a sense of accomplishment while you indulge in your distraction of choice.

There I’ve got you started. Practicing yoga with kids and teens helps equip them with essential skills which will help them to do their enthusiastic best in and out of the classroom. Remember that what we learn on the mat are lessons for life. What other essential yoga ABC’s can you think of?

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Butterflies can teach us so much about change, growth and embracing our best selves. Let your inner butterfly dance upon the breeze with these life lessons.

• Let go of the past
• Trust your future
• Embrace the change
• Come out of the cocoon
• Unfurl your wings
• Dare to get off the ground
• Ride the breezes
• Savour the flowers
• Put on your brightest colors
• Let your beauty show

Thank you to Mitzi Coulombe Connel

Butterfly pose and other Bug Yoga poses are great fun!

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In the summer of 1972 Hari Bhajan Khalsa discovered Kundalini Yoga spending ten days on retreat with Yogi Bhajan. It changed her life turning a hippie into a yogini, and has provided insight, peace and purpose throughout the past four decades. Join us as we chat with the CEO of Yogamint and delve into what Kundalini yoga is and why it is so transformational. We’ll also get the inside scoop on Yogamint for all the Mint Lovers out there who look forward to sweet treats in their in-box to freshen their day and enrich their life.

Original Air Date: May 19, 2011

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Connect with Hari Bhajan Khalsa through Facebook, YouTube or Twitter @yogamint. Be sure to sign up to receive your free Yogamint e-mails today.

Watch for upcoming interviews in June which focus on mindfulness for youth with guests Dr Daniel Siegel and Gina Biegel, both of whom will be speaking at the International Conference on Mindfulness with Youth this summer in Banff, Alberta.

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Thirteen years. It took thirteen years for me to finally figure out crow pose.

I primarily teach yoga to kids and teens, and when I tell them this their eyes get big as they do some quick math and realize it took me longer to learn this pose than most of them have been alive.

So, what took me so long? I could blame it on the fact that I was never in a class where the teacher took the time to explain the details of the pose, if we even attempted arm balances. Or, it could be the three shoulder dislocations and subsequent surgery to shorten the ligaments. (Gotta love life’s detours.) Or maybe it was my mental approach, always thinking “This is a tough one” or “Why can’t I get this?” which set me up for failure without even knowing it.

However, I never gave up. I was intrigued with the idea of crow pose, all arm balances in fact. They are so graceful, so powerful and simply defy gravity. I wanted that in my life. So I kept at it. Picked up techniques here and there. I continued to teach crow pose but found that the students who could achieve it were those who could figure out the physics and balance on their own. You know those who naturally just pop right up. I celebrated their success while working on my own.

Finally, I found …

Read the rest at elephant journal and discover how struggling with a pose can inspire children and teenagers to reach for their dreams.

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