This is Part 1 in a four part series on Om for Kids and Teens. Watch for Part 2: Chanting OM: How to Teach Kids to Chant (Video), Part 3: To Om or Not to Om and Part 4: The Benefits of Om coming soon.

Yoga Chanting for Kids & Teens

Often when I visit a class for the first time a number of kids come in right away, sit cross legged, hands in the air, thumb and index finger joined, and spontaneously chant “om.” Their natural curiosity and receptivity always makes me smile. They are so adorable in their sweet innocence as they connect with this universal sound and mudra (hand position).

Teaching Om

Now for a little guidance.

One of the easiest, and most approachable, ways to teach “om” is to break it down into A-U-M.

Sit cross-legged, place your hands on your knees in gyan mudra (thumb and index finger forming a circle, other fingers elongated). Aum is generally considered to have 3 1/2 measures: A, U, M and silence. Close your eyes, inhale then exhale as you perform Aum, repeating three times. The sounds ahhhh starts in our chest at the heart center, moves upward with the ooooo sound in the throat center, and ends with the sounds mmmmm, which vibrates the higher centers in the head. (~Once Upon a Pose, p. 4)

It’s fun to play around with variations in volume, pitch and timing. As with any yoga practice, approach “om” with curiosity and openness to see what feels right to you.

Three Symbols of Om

If you’d like to go all Hindu with your students you can explore the symbolism behind the sound. According to the Mandukya Upanishad,

Om is the one eternal syllable of which all that exists is but the development. The past, the present, and the future are all included in this one sound, and all that exists beyond the three forms of time is also implied in it.

Each tone of “om” relates to a time of life, a power and a Hindu deity/philosophy.

A = birth, creative power (Brahma)

U = life, sustaining power (Vishnu)

M = death, destructive power (Shiva)

silence = bliss, pure consciousness (Turiya)

How do you teach “om” to kids and teens?

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With 30 years experience in yoga, breathing and anatomy Leslie Kaminoff joins us to share his wealth of knowledge.

The co-author of the must have resource for yoga instructors Yoga Anatomy and founder of The Breathing Project shows how a knowledge of the mechanics of the body leads to a deeper, more profound yoga practice and life experience. Leslie demystifies the complex workings of the body and the breath, putting topics into terms which are refreshingly accessible and applicable. Gain insights which will powerfully shift your personal mind-body experience and the way you teach yoga from how to avoid common stress injuries from yoga to exploring the breathing body.

Original Air Date: September 12, 2011

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Connect with Leslie via Facebook, Twitter and The Breathing Project. Check out his training course at YogaAnatomy.net.

Access our extensive library of interviews with leaders in the yoga and mindfulness community on iTunes. Guests include John Friend, Faith Hunter, Waylon Lewis, Dr Daniel Siegel, Sadie Nardini and many more.

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Saucha in Your School & Life

At a recent Teacher In-Service training which I taught one of the participants was looking to collect donated mats in order to have a set for her classroom. I encouraged her to do this as many people don’t know what to do with their gently used mats when they acquire a new one or may have an unused mat at home (gasp, horror!) One of the most important aspects of collecting donated mats is how to clean them. It was especially important in this case seeing as her students have a variety of special needs including compromised immune systems.

Regular yoga mat cleaning needs to be something on your yoga radar – odor, germs, bacteria…need I say more. Unfortunately, many people have no idea how to do this, or even that it needs to be done until the odor becomes rather offensive and child’s pose is no longer a pleasant experience. My favourite explanation is by Eco Yogini because it is eco-friendly and doesn’t involve compromising the yoga mats with detergent or the washing machine.

The recipe is simple.

• one part vinegar
• three parts water
• 10 drops tea tree oil (optional)
• a couple drops lavender oil (optional)

When I do this I simply toss the mat into the tub, just barely cover with warm water, add a couple glugs of vinegar and some dashes of tea tree oil. Swish vigorously for 2-3 minutes. Lift the mat from the resultant brackish water, shake off excess and hang outside on an overcast day.

In a school environment you’ll want to make cleaning yoga mats a regular occurrence as a general public health and wellness practice as well as to preserve the yoga mats for use during the years to come. The easiest way to do this is to have the students spray & wipe after use. Yes, this is an extra step at the end of yoga class, however it will teach respect for the supplies, instill basic cleanliness habits and demonstrate responsibility (you used it, you clean it). You could also make this part of the duties of the school’s Yoga Club which you’ll organize just to get out of having to clean 30 yoga mats all by your lonesome on Saturdays.

Yoga is much more than a number of poses done on a mat. Saucha (one of basic tenets of yoga known as yamas & niyamas) means cleanliness of body, heart, mind and environment. Practice saucha today and clean your yoga mat. Better yet, show a child or teenager how to clean their mat and share this knowledge with the next generation of yogis.

If you enjoyed this post be sure to subscribe (e-mail or RSS) and get tips on yoga for kids and teens delivered directly to you. Also sign up for the YIMS Newsletter and download a copy of our FREE e-book The Pet Store.

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Child Led, Child Friendly DVD a Winner

Enter to win a copy of Kids Teach Yoga: Flying Eagle DVD by leaving a comment below mentioning one quality of an eagle which you admire.

Yoga Calm’s new DVD entitled Kids Teach Yoga: Flying Eagle is sure to captivate. Inspired by Ryley’s song about eagles (which is used during the guided relaxation at the end of the yoga class) Flying Eagle encourages children to identify with an eagle’s positive traits of vision, strength, freedom and gentleness.

I absolutely love that the entire class is inspired and led by children. Young Haley leads the class with poise, confidence and clarity. She hands off the teacher’s mat to student leaders who take over during various activities and who receive compliments for their efforts and willingness to lead. Haley is matter of fact with her presentation using vocabulary, poses and visualizations appropriate for an elementary aged audience. The children modeling the class represent average children everywhere and help to encourage all to participate and adopt a “can-do attitude.”

The class itself is well thought out and includes breathing exercises with props (hoberman sphere & rock), floor work, standing poses, sun salutations with variations for ability & strength, partner and group poses, reclined twists and a final relaxation. There are 15 different activities in 20 minutes which may feel a little fast but which provides great opportunities to pause and explore at your leisure before pressing play to continue. Other kids will find the pace perfect to keep them engaged and active.

In addition to the yoga class there are also short bonus segments including:

1. a talk about eagles by naturalist Steve Engel of the Audubon Society
2. an interview with Lynea & Jim Gillen, founders of Yoga Calm
3. a Focusing Fun Silent Ball activity with ADHD expert Dr Jeff Sosne to build focus and encourage eye contact.

Enter to win a copy of the DVD by leaving a comment below regarding the admirable qualities of eagles.

For additional entries:

• Visit YogaCalm on Facebook and post on their wall about the giveaway
• Share this review on Facebook with an @yogainmyschool.com mention (multiple entries allowed)
• Tweet about the contest on Twitter with an @DonnaKFreeman mention (multiple entries allowed) “Check it out! Flying Eagle Kids Yoga DVD #giveaway @DonnaKFreeman @yogacalmkids http://bit.ly/iurfve”

This contest ends May 31, 2011 at 9:00 pm MDT. Enter often and share generously! Good-luck.

Visit the Yoga Calm Store if you’d like to purchase a copy of Kids Teach Yoga: Flying Eagle – US$16 +S&H.

I received a copy of Kids Teach Yoga: Flying Eagle and other promotional material from Yoga Calm for this review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

UPDATE: Congratulations to Lisa Kelly, the winner of a copy of Kids Teach Yoga: Flying Eagle DVD from Yoga Calm. Upon learning of her good fortune she said, “Looking forward to drawing inspiration from Flying Eagle! Thank you Donna for your continued hard work in helping other teachers spread the yoga-for-kids love. We are very lucky have you as such an amazing resource.”

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Yoga for Boys Comic Hero a Teaching Treasure

A new super hero is ready to squash harmful stress in Young Yoga Master’s Yoga Man vs The Stressor Sun Salutation Training Package. Taking her cue from comic books superheros Aruna Kathy Humphrys has created a child friendly, adventuresome and entertaining way to help children learn not only the poses which make up Surya Namaskar but also to teach them correct breathing, mental discipline and stress reduction principles.

This extensive package includes 112 pages filled with well prepared, age appropriate information and useful print-ables such as:

• Colouring Book: full page and quarter page versions of each pose
• Handout Activities: matching, fill in the blank, etc.
• Teacher’s Aid: with alignment details to ensure proper execution of each pose
• Pose Manual: detailed instructions including colour photos of boys performing the poses, precautions and super hero verbal cues ex: “Activate your core muscles at your ‘Power Centre’.”
• Games & Activities: 11 games to teach and expand application of Sun Salutations
• Secrets of the Sun Salutation: insight into our relationship with the sun and the light of consciousness

My favourite part of the package is the Games & Activities which provide creative ways to teach children about stress and ways to deal with it in their lives. Varying in duration (15-60 mins) each game is inspired by Sun Salutations, use the pose cards from the Colouring Book, and include reflection questions to deepen and expand the practice. The 11th Bonus Activity encourages groups to perform 108 Sun Salutations and provides instructions and hints on how to successfully hold a yoga fund raiser with kids.

Humphrys has taken a theme and developed it to the hilt. Boys everywhere will connect with Yoga Man in this classic battle of good vs evil. As they learn Sun Salutations children will become superheros and develop the skills to conquer The Stressor in their own lives.

Young Yoga Masters has generously provided a free giveaway of Yoga Man vs The Stressor (value of $39.00) to one lucky Yogainmyschool.com reader.

To enter leave a comment below telling of what Sun Salutations mean to you or some insight you gain when contemplating the sun (warmth, light, etc.)

For additional entries:

• Visit Young Yoga Masters on Facebook and post on their wall about the giveaway
• Share this review on Facebook with an @yogainmyschool.com mention (multiple entries allowed)
• Tweet about the contest on Twitter with an @DonnaKFreeman mention (multiple entries allowed) “Yoga Man teaching resource #giveaway rocks @DonnaKFreeman http://bit.ly/gYPXrg”

Contest closes on May 2nd, 2011 at 9:00 pm MDT. Winner will be chosen at random and their name will be posted here, on Facebook and Twitter.

To purchase a copy of this downloadable kids yoga teaching resource visit Young Yoga Masters.

For more information on how to encourage boys to do yoga check out the Yoga for Boys Interview.

UPDATE: Congratulations to Sara Guenther who won our giveaway of Yoga Man vs. The Stressor. Thanks to all who entered. Watch for our next giveaway – a copy of Flying Eagle: Kids Teach Yoga DVD by Yoga Calm.

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Lynn Hasselberger, founder of myEARTH360, is a woman on a mission to make everyday living environmentally friendly, kind to both people and the environment. Fueled by her eco-passion, she started with custom designed reusable water bottles for kids and has since developed an entire site packed with items from eco-friendly school supplies to green pet products as well as providing eco news and tips on her blog. Lynn joins us to talk about sustainable living with tips on how to make every day Earth Day and much more.

Original Air Date: April 21, 2011

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Connect with Lynn on Facebook or Twitter and be sure to check out all the inspiring eco-loving products on myEARTH360.com. The wildflower notecards are my fave!

Coming on May 4th our next interview will feature blissologist Eoin Finn. Don’t miss his 5 Big Easys to discovering bliss.

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