THE SIMPLE WAY OF CHILDRENS YOGA!

 

          

               TEACHING YOGA NIDRA

                 TO CHILDREN

          YOGA NIDRA CAN BE PRACTICED EVEN BY SMALL CHILDREN, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THEIR NATURE AND SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS. FOR CHILDREN BETWEEN 8 AND 14 YEARS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO REMAIN STILL IN ONE SPOT FOR EVEN 10  MINUTES. YET THEY RELAX FAR MORE QUICKLY AND DEEPLY THAN ADULTS. THEREFORE PRACTICE SESSIONS OF 10 OR 15 MINUTES ARE SUFFICIENT.

                        ROTATION OF CONSCIOUSNESS THROUGH THE BODY PARTS IS MOST EFFECTIVE, AND THE INTEREST OF YOUNGER CHILDREN CAN BE RENEWED BY VARIOUS FANTASIES WHICH STIMULATE THE IMAGINATION. FOR EXAMPLE - IMAGINE A BUTTERFLY LANDING HERE AND THERE, VISUALIZE LIGHTS WHICH TURN ON AT EACH  BODY PART, EXPLORE THE BODY AS IF IT WERE AN ISLAND. THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ONLY LIMITED BY THE INSTRUCTOR'S IMAGINATION.

                      SIMPLE, SHORT VISUALIZATION SEQUENCE ARE ALSO IMPORTANT PART OF YOGA NIDRA FOR CHILDREN, WHEREAS IN ADULTS THIS PRACTICE IS FORESTALLED UNTIL THE ART OF SIMPLE, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL RELAXATION HAS BEEN ACQUIRED BY MORE PRELIMINARY PRACTICES. IN GENERAL, CHILDREN ARE FAR LESS TENSE AND PREOCCUPIED THAN ADULTS. THEY ARE MORE OPEN AND RECEPTIVE TO THE EXPERIENCE OF YOGA NIDRA.

ADVICE FOR INSTRUCTORS

• ADAPT THE PRACTICES ACCORDING TO THE PARTICULAR AGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHILD OR CHILDREN.
•  IF YOU ARE CONDUCTING GROUP SESSIONS IT IS BEST WHEN SIX OR SEVEN CHILDREN COMBINE FROM THE SAME AGE GROUP.
•  WHENEVER IT IS POSSIBLE, USE A ROOM THAT IS SPACIOUS AND AIRY AND WHICH HAS A FINE VIBRATION. TRY TO USE THE SAME ROOM FOR ALL PRACTICES.
•  FOLLOW EACH SESSION WITH A SHORT DISCUSSION, AND PERHAPS WITH DRAWING, COLOURING OR ACTING OUT WHAT EXPERIENCED DURING THE PRACTICE. ALLOW EACH CHILD TO VOLUNTEER HIS EXPERIENCES. THOSE WHO ARE SHY SHOULD ALSO BE ENCOURAGED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY SAW AND EXPERIENCED. REAFFIRM EVERYONE'S EXPERIENCES AND MAKE SURE NO CHILD IS CONFUSED, LOST OR UNHAPPY.

                                           PREPARATION

                            YOGA NIDRA CAN BE PRACTICED IN ANY POSITION, BUT FOR LONG SESSIONS IT IS BEST TO LIE FLAT ON THE BACK. MAKE SURE THAT THE HEAD, NECK AND SHOULDERS ARE IN A STRAIGHT LINE, HANDS ARE AT THE SIDES PALMS UP, LEGS BE STRAIGHT, FEET PLACED A LITTLE APART. 

                           COMMENCE WITH PROGRESSIVE TENSING AND RELAXING OF THE BODY PARTS, BEGINNING WITH FEET AND LEGS AND CONCLUDING WITH FACIAL MUSCLES. THE CHILD SHOULD THEN RELAX COMPLETELY IN SHAVASANA AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR ROTATION OF CONSCIOUSNESS THROUGHOUT THE BODY.

                               ROTATION OF CONSCIOUSNESS

                                   RELAX YOU WHOLE BODY. BREATHE OUT ALL YOUR TENSIONS AND WEARINESS. FEEL THAT YOU ARE BECOMIN VERY HEAVY. BECOME AWARE OF THE PARTS OF THE BODY WHICH I AM NAMING, BUT DO NOT MOVE THEM. JUST FEEL THE PARTS AND FOLLOW MY VOICE. YOU MUST NOT SLEEP.

                     BECOME AWARE OF THE RIGHT HAND. THE RIGHT HAND THUMB, SECOND FINGER, THIRD, FOURTH, LITTLE FINGER, WHOLE RIGHT HAND, WHOLE RIGHT ARM, SHOULDER, RIGHT SIDE OF THE CHEST, WAIST, HIP, WHOLE RIGHT LEG, RIGHT FOOT, THE TOES, ONE, TWO, THREE,FOUR, FIVE, ALL FIVE TOES TOGETHER, WHOLE BODY.

                                  BREATH AWARENESS

                

                                  FEEL THAT YOU ARE BREATHING IN A LOVELY, TRANSPARENT BUBBLE. EVERY TIME YOU BREATHE IN, THE BUBBLE EXPANDS, EVERY TIME YOU BREATHE OUT, THE BUBBLE CONTRACTS. NOW COUNT THE NUMBER OF BREATHS BACKWARDS FROM 10 TO 0.

                            BE CAREFUL NOT TO LOSE COUNT OR MISS A BREATH.

                        BREATH CAN ALTERNATIVELY BE IMAGINED PASSING IN AND OUT OF THE NAVEL OR IN AND OUT THE LEFT NOSTRIL, THEN THE RIGHT NOSTRIL.

 

                                           VISUALIZATION

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                           ASANA : NOW YOU HAVE TO CONCENTRATE ON YOURSELF AS IF YOU ARE DOING ASANAS, YOGIC POSES. YOU SHOULD TRY TO VISUALIZE YOURSELF FROM THE OUTSIDE DOING THE POSES WITH PSYCHIC AWARENESS ONLY.. DO NOT MOVE YOUR BODY. PRACTICE MENTALLY SURYA NAMASKARA, SALUTE TO THE SUN. SEE YOURSELF IN EACH OF THE POSES, 1,2,3.. TO 12. NOW YOU ARE LYING DOWN, VISUALIZE YOURSELF IN SHAVASANA, DEAD MAN'S POSE... FROM SHAVASANA YOU MOVE TO SARVANGASANA, SHOULDERSTAND, HALASANA, PLOUGH, AND THE COUNTERPOSE MATSYASANA, FISH, NOW PASCHIMOTTANASANA, FORWARD BEND, BHUJANGASANA, COBRA... TURNING OVER, PADMASANA, LOTUS, AND THEN SIRSHASANA, HEADSTAND. CHECK THAT YOU ARE NOT SLEEPING.

                         MOVEMENT IN TIME : NOW YOU ARE GOING TO TRAVEL INTO YOUR PAST, IN THE SAME WAY YOU HAVE TRAVELLED FROM THE PAST TO THE PRESENT.. RETRACING THE STEPS OF YOUR MEMORY AND CONSCIOUSNESS BACKWARDS FROM THIS TIME. THE PAST IS PART OF TIME AND TIME IS PART OF YOUR MIND. NORMALLY YOU WALK FORWARD IN TIME.. THIS TIME TRY AND WALK BACKWARDS. BY REMEMBERING YOUR PAST YOU ARE GOING INTO THE DEEPER RECESSESS OF YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS.

                       TRY TO REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED FROM THE PRESENT TIME TO THE TIME YOU GOT UP THIS MORNING... YOU HAVE TO GO BACK IN TIME AS IF YOU WERE WATCHING A FILM RUNNING IN REVERSE, OR IF NOT A FILM, A SERIES OF SLIDES. REMEMBER BACK TO THE START OF THE YOGA NIDRA, THEN RECALL WHAT YOU WERE DOING IN THE HALF HOUR BEFORE THAT. REMEMBER THE IMPORTANT OBJECTS AND FEELINGS IN THAT TIME, AND THEN KEEP ON PROCEEDING IN HALF HOUR OR ONE HOUR STAGES, TO WHEN YOU WOKE UP. STAGE BY STAGE, WITH FULL AWARENESS, VISUALIZE AND RECALL WHAT YOU WERE DOING, THINKING AND FEELING. WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED, BRING YOUR MIND DIRECTLY BACK TO THE PRESENT.

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                           FURTHER IDEAS FOR GUIDED                                                            VISUALIZATIONS

                               THE FOLLOWING IDEAS CAN BE EXPANDED UPON, ALTERED OR USED TO INSPIRE YOUR OWN CREATIVITY:

• IMAGINE YOU ARE DRIFTING IN INFINITE SPACE, AMONG THE PLANETS AND STARS. VISIT AND EXPLORE SOME OTHER PLANETS BEFORE YOU RETURN TO EARTH.
•  IMAGINE YOU ARE A BIRD, A FLUFFY WHITE CLOUD, A PLANE, A KITE, A SUBMARINE, ETC.
•  IMAGINE YOU ARE A SHOE AND RETRACE EACH STEP YOU HAVE TAKEN IN A DAY.
•  PAY A VISIT TO A CIRCUS OR FESTIVAL
•  READ A FANTASY STORY FROM THE PURANAS, THE ARABIAN NIGHTS, HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN, OR SOME OTHER SUCH BOOK. DO NOT INTRODUCE THE VISUALIZATION SEQUENCE UNTIL FULL BODY AND BREATH RELAXATION HAS BEEN ACHIEVED. THE VISUALIZATION SEQUENCE SHOULD NOT CONTINUE FOR MUCH MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES, OTHERWISE LOSS OF CONCENTRATION COULD OCCUR.

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                                 NATURE VISUALIZATION 

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•                                      IMAGINE YOU ARE OUTSIDE WALKING THROUGH A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN. IT IS EARLY IN THE MORNING AND YOU ARE COMPLETELY ALONE. THERE ARE NO OTHER PEOPLE AROUND, THERE IS ONLY YOU TO ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF NATURE. BECOME AWARE OF THE EARTH BENEATH YOUR BARE FEET. IT FEELS COOL AND VERY PLEASANT. NOW SEE ALL THE PLANTS AND TREES GROWING OUT OF THE EARTH AS YOU WALK BY THEM.

•                         LISTEN, YOU HEAR A LOUD CLAP OF THUNDER. LOOK UP. THE SKY HAS BECOME VERY DARK AND NOW IT IS STARTING TO RAIN. YOU ARE STANDING ON VERY GREEN GRASS AND YOU ARE WATCHING THE RAINDROPS BOUNCE OFF THE BLADES OF GRASS. SMELL THE WET EARTH, AND WITNESS THE STORM. DO NOT BE AFRAID ABOUT GETTING WET. IT DOES NOT MATTER. IT IS VERY PLEASANT TO GET WET.

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•                        NOW THE STORM HAS FINISHED. THE SUN BEGINNING TO SHINE THROUGH THE CLOUDS. FEEL THE WARMTH OF THE SUN ON YOUR SKIN. YOU ARE NO LONGER WET. YOUR CLOTHES ARE DRY AND YOU FEEL VERY WARM INSIDE. LOOK UP AT THE SUN AND FEEL ITS WARMTH AND ENERGY PENETRATING YOUR SKIN AND ENTERING YOUR BODY.

•                      NOW YOU ARE RUNNING IN THE GARDEN. YOU ARE VERY HAPPY AND CANNOT HELP BUT LAUGH WITH JOY. ALL AROUND IN THE TREES, BRIGHTLY COLOURED BIRDS ARE SINGING. HEAR THEIR MELODIOUS SONG ALL ABOUT YOU.

•                         A COOL GENTLE BREEZE IS BLOWING IN THE TREES. HEAR THE WIND RUSTLING IN THE TREES AND FEEL IT BLOWING AGAINST YOUR FACE AND THROUGH YOUR HAIR. BREATHE IN THIS FRESH LIFE-GIVING AIR.