“The wealth that parents really need to impart to their children
is culture and proper values.”
Amma
Amrita Yoga
Just like meditation, performing yoga with awareness will help us go deeper and deeper into our own Inner Self.
—Amma
Kids, pre-teens, and teens
ages 4 to 17
Learning through fun and action
“Hurry, hurry, hurry!” “You must be the best at school!” “Study harder!” “Do your homework!” “Watch your weight!” School stresses and peer pressure, busy parents, wanting to be cool, cyberbullying. While every generation has its challenges, today’s young are confronted with a multitude of very new challenges which may not always be relatable to their parents and can be unfamiliar altogether. While technology has opened many positive doors of communication and connecting, it has also opened the gates to new ways of being bullied on an even larger scale. Working parents are confronted with their own challenges and may not always have sufficient time to address growing issues and unease. The need to be liked by peers and the inability to meet specific criteria can push kids into a downward spiral of self-doubt and, in the worst case, depression. Whether school-related, friends-related, or home-related—there are multiple sources of mental, emotional, and physical stressors. Kids need the freedom to be themselves, have fun, and not worry about what others may think, like, or say about them.
Yoga encourages a child to develop healthy self-esteem and healthy body awareness in an environment of zero competition—deeply rooted in their psyche from an early age, through all stages of growth and beyond. Yoga is for all ages. Asana practice is suitable for every child, including differently-abled children. A good connection between body and brain is vital for learning.
Kids learn through play, fun, and action
The best way to gain and keep a child’s attention is through actively stimulating their five senses actively. At Amrita Yoga, we use story-telling, games, songs, and dance to introduce yoga to them. Creative and fun activities are a vital part of our way of teaching yoga to the little ones in a non-competitive manner. Practicing yoga at an early age encourages self-esteem and healthy body awareness deeply rooted in their psyche as they go through all the phases of growing up and beyond. Simple breathing exercises control fear, anxiety, and anger. Yogic integration of body, mind, and spirit in children provides an incalculable blessing for life. Amrita Yoga honors each child’s way of learning. The foundation for a lifelong yoga practice can develop at a young age.
Amrita Yoga offers a variety of programs specifically designed for young yogis. Our programs help children to become self-sufficient, build their self-esteem, and enhance their creativity, thus paving the way for a life of lasting happiness.
Amrita Yoga Kids
Aged 3 to 7
In today’s world, children need movement and relaxation. Asana practice provides both. At Amrita Yoga, we introduce yoga to kids through storytelling, games, songs, and dance. We also use nature-based activities to teach yoga playfully, emphasizing fun and joy. Children imitate nature and participate in life’s play using animals and plants for inspiration. Every aspect of nature has a lesson for them. As a result, kids interact with their environment in a relaxed state of mind that fosters a healthy body and a more balanced outlook on life.
Amrita Yoga pre-teens
Aged 8 to 12
Amrita Pre-teens Yoga helps kids to concentrate and boosts their self-confidence. Stress levels are reduced, helping them channel their emotions and energies in positive directions. Pre-teens learn advanced movements and asanas along with rhythmic breathing. Children practicing yoga learn to be open, creative, aware, self-confident, able to manage stress, and much more—tools that will stay with them for the rest of their lives! Creativity and fun are a must! Kids learn a kid’s version of Sun Salutation. And each class ends with guided meditation and relaxation time.
Amrita Yoga teens
Aged 13 to 17
Teens face unique issues. Our yoga workshops offer tools to tackle their particular challenges through practical skills. We emphasize cooperative efforts, teamwork, and compassion towards others. Our unique approach to yoga empowers teens to apply Amma’s teachings. Our yoga classes and workshops help teens learn to:
- Develop self-expression and creativity
- Set goals for themselves
- Learn to cope with peer pressure
- Learn how to be givers in this world and stay true to their values
- Use their unique abilities to help others
Yogis developed yoga thousands OF years ago. . .
Yogis lived in harmony with animals, plants, humans—the entire planet and beyond—and in tune with themselves. Animals and plants were their sources of inspiration.
When children mimic nature, they connect and become a conscious part of it. The education of universal values rests on the principle of nature as a unity or, in other words, God as Nature. High principles instilled from a young age give hope for a future of peace and social engagement.
In all its beauty and myriad of diversity, nature holds untold lessons waiting to be learned. Stories stir the imagination and creativity of children. They reflect on the qualities of the characters in the narration and see how they can imbibe these qualities.
When a child imitates the roar of a lion, it becomes one with the lion, making the child feel that bravery and power.
Reflecting on the heroes of the epics, the child imbibes their noble qualities. Pulling in the legs and heads like the tortoise teaches them to close off the hubbub of the five senses and that it’s ok to withdraw and not get involved. Standing in the tree pose with roots in the earth and arms to the heavens, they can reach high and root deep and feel a steady strength.
For instance, as Amma says, trees give us shade, food, and even their life for our shelter. This is yoga’s true meaning: expression, union, and compassion. Respect for everyone’s part in the web of life.
Indian school kids practicing Amrita Yoga
What Kids Say
Amrita Yoga will help with:
Balance mind and emotions
Practicing Amrita Yoga, you will:
- improve concentration and focus
- reduces stress
- channel your energies in a positive direction
- increase self-esteem, confidence, and enthusiasm
Maintain a healthy body
Practicing Amrita Yoga, you will:
- experience enhanced strength and flexibility
- prevent future health problems like high cholesterol, heart issues, etc.
- energize your body as needed
- relax and sleep better
train Valuable skills for life an living
Practicing Amrita Yoga, you will:
- grow courage and determination,
- set goals with ease,
- increase self-expression and cooperation skills,
- develop compassion—thinking not only of yourself.