And the winner is…drum-roll please!

Sandy of Balance Yoga Lounge.

The enthusiastic  winner of the Shanti Generation Yoga Skills for Youth Peace Makers DVD commented on the review Shanti Generation DVD A Winner for Teens and Teachers. She plans on using the DVD to introduce teens to yoga by involving physical education teachers. What a perfect match. Upon hearing of her good fortune she said,

 THANKS, this made my day!

We have made a couple attempts to schedule yoga classes for kids at the lounge, and have been searching for some tools to help parents and teachers understand the benefits of exposing kids to NON-competitive activities that allow them to learn how to BE.

 

I can’t wait to receive the DVD, as soon as I saw your post on face book- I had a good feeling. This may be the information we need to get the energy moving. My daughter is a 4th grade teacher in Kansas City and I can’t wait to share this information with her too. Namaste

A review and a giveway to brighten your January. Leave a comment after this review to enter for a chance to win a copy of the Shanti Generation DVD. Draw date is Feb 1st.

I’ve spent the past week watching and exploring the Shanti Generation: Yoga Skills for Youth Peacemakers DVD. It is fabulous! Abby Wills has created a wonderful tool for teens to discover yoga and peace. With all poses, exercises and sequences demonstrated by teens, along with Abby’s calm narrative and guidance, and a grovin’ soundtrack, this DVD is a tool all teens can use to discover and practice yoga.

I especially liked Abby’s verbal cues while the teens do the poses. She provides gentle but specific instructions that guide and deepen the practice bringing awareness to the body and mind. There is plenty of variety here from active sequences to calming ones which is useful for teens to be able to choose their workout according to their personal needs on any given day. The teens themselves are wonderful and perform the poses properly, with intention and joy.

On the DVD you’ll find:

• Pathways - 5 different 30 minute yoga routines
• Library of Poses – 18 mini sequences
• Breathing Room – 5 breathing exercises
• Self-Connection – 2 awareness practices
• Interviews with the teen yogis
• Spanish and Japanese translations

From packaging to the underlying message this DVD is designed to respect nature and promote peace. It’s wonderful to see a DVD made specifically for those aged 10-15. The vocabulary, set, teen models, and concepts are age appropriate but also can apply to adults, which makes it ideal for parents/teachers and pre-teens/teens to do together.

I will be recommending this DVD during my workshop Yoga for Teens as a tool parents, teachers, youth leaders, and counsellors can use to practice yoga with youth. Thank you Shanti Generation for creating such a wonderful resource. It is desperately needed and will be well used.

breathe -jecket cover

Recently I picked up a copy of Breathe: Yoga for Teens by Mary Kaye Chryssicas. What a fantastic book! Filled with colour and great photos of teens doing yoga, Mary Kaye’s no nonsense, conversational tone and clear explanations offer an introduction to yoga and its many benefits. Perfect for teens who are over-programmed, stressed, athletes, or looking to try yoga for the first time, this book, with its focus on teen interests, concerns & issues, personal diary excerpts, and inspirational quotes, reassures readers and shows how yoga principles apply to everyday life.

In addition, there is a 35 minute teen yoga DVD with one complete routine, which can be divided into different short workouts, making it easy to use for teens, parents and teachers. With two yogis performing an advanced version as well as a version for those with less flexibility/strength, the routine is divided into six sections (Warm Up, Wake Up, Soothe the Spine, Get Centered, Open Heart, Uniquely Hip, Rest and Release).

Retailing for 14.99 US$(17.99 CAN$) this book is well worth it and is a marvelous addition to my yoga library. I highly recommend this resource.

Congratulations to Kira Willey of Fireflies Yoga for getting her song “Colors” from the CD Dance for the Sun: Yoga Songs for Kids, used in the latest DELL computers ad compaign. How cool is that!

The folks over at Zooglobble were able to track Kira down before the full media frenzy for an interview. Here is what she has to say about it all:

“It has certainly created some buzz. I am absolutely amazed at how many people have written to say they heard the song on the ad and went searching for it on the internet. I’ve been inundated with wonderful emails, people asking for sheet music for the song, and requests for using the song for commercial purposes–for example five separate children’s photographers have asked permission to use it on their websites. And it has spurred CD sales in a big way. All good. The best though by far are the emails from teachers, therapists and parents who have been so happy to discover the CD as a result of hearing the song on the ad…”

And best of all it all sort of happened within 10 days. Just goes to show what a lifetime of doing what you love, and loving what you do, can get you.

For the complete version of the song go to Kira’s orginal video shot by some friends. I love the coloured scarves and how much fun the kids are having.

What color are you today?

September is Yoga Month! And the organizers over at Yoga Health Foundation would like to encourage you to promote mind body fitness education in schools. For a $30 donation you will receive a Yoga Fitness DVD for kids as well as have one sent to the teacher of your choice. You can choose from one of three DVDs – Preschool, Elementary, Youth. So surprise your favourite teacher with a back to school gift that will keep on giving throughout the school year.

To do my part I’m teaching 3 free kids yoga classes to the St Albert Public Library Sept 11th & 12th. Moms & Tots is for preschoolers and their Mom and we’re off to visit the Pet Store. Kids in Grades 1-2 will hit the high seas with a Pirate themed story. And if you are in Grades 3-6 we’re heading to the Amazon for an amazing eco-tour adventure. Contact the SAPL Children’s Services Desk to register.

If you want more information on how to get involved or create your own event follow this yogamonth link. Thanks to YogaDork for keeping up all up to date on news and events in the yoga community.

It’s been an interesting week, filled with some controvery for children’s yoga DVDs.

You may (or may not, due to copyright removal from the web) have seen the clip of Weirdo Hippy Farmer, a severly edited version of a ’90s TV show (EiEi Yoga). Unfortunately, it made quite a hash of the show, and mockery of Max Thomas, Yogi Oki Doki.

To set the world straight, the co-creator & producer of the show, Robin Maxwell, who proudly goes by Mrs. Oki Doki (only natural as she is Max’s wife), has come out with statements, reviews, and probably a raft of lawyers. Now you can’t find the clip on the internet and Mr. Thomas’ pride can remain intact, if not a little bruised.

I commend Robin for jumping to her husband’s defence - it truly was a strange video clip. And I probably would have done the same thing as a gut reaction to seeing my hard work, and loved one, maligned is such a manner. However, in this day and age “going viral” is something most of us hope for in an effort to promote ourselves, our products, our somewhat warped desire to be seen by the world. I see this as a wonderful opportunity to share ‘Ei Ei Yoga’ with a new generation of yogis, when bringing yoga to children is even more common than it was 10 years ago. If you really want to stand by your product, you have to take the garbage as well as the praise. Its one of the hardest things to do, because it hurts when you’re teased (every school yard kid knows this).

So if you’re inclined to see what all the hub-bub is about, feel free to snatch up a copy of ‘Ei Ei Yoga’ from Amazon.com. It currently sells for US$13.95 used, with only 2 copies available. Hey, who knows, it may just become a widely sought after collectors item.