The Kundalini Kid!
Check out this News Story from Fox News: Seven Year Old Sensation
The seven year old boy in this news story has grown up around yoga. Obviously he’s watched many a yoga class over the years from his birth to “almost eight years old.” But the story also reveals what yoga has done for him. First, he’s creative enough to make up his own celestial communication meditation. Second, he accepted the invitation to lead the meditation at Peace Prayer Day in front of thousands of people. What confidence! Not bad given that public speaking is one of the biggest fears of many ADULTS.
This news story fits in beautifully with the topic in my Kids Yoga Teacher Training course – Teaching Yoga to kids 6 – 12 Years Old.
Seven, almost eight years old, is a wonderful age for kids yoga! These kids usually still like to imagine and play but they have to be encouraged not to shut this down. They love yoga games. And they’re NOT the age yet where they are totally absorbed in whispering to their friends throughout the class, they just do it occasionally.
The Meditations Kids Love
You may be surprised to hear that meditation with kids of this age is very popular. I include meditation at the end of EVERY class. When the kids are getting tired they’ll start asking if it’s time for the meditation yet. This Yogic “Are we there yet?” begins about three quarters of the way through the class.
I’ve even had kids come in and request different meditations at times when they have a big test or when their parents are having trouble getting along.
Give the Kids a Choice with Meditation
The way I do it is at the end of the yoga class I give kids the choice of either resting quietly or doing a meditation. One of the favorite forms of meditation is Movement Meditations, known in Kundalini Yoga as Celestial Communication. They are well liked by all ages (even adults) and kids can often do 6 minutes easily:
“Yogi Bhajan spoke often about the very powerful
transformation technology of Celestial Communication.
Everyone can practice this very simple meditation.
You can even make up your own Celestial Communication movements.
What is important is to choose music with uplifting words.”
3HO.org
The news story about this Kundalini Kid making up movements to Jack Johnson’s My Own Two Hands is Celestial Communication. I encourage you to try it if you haven’t before. Just pick a positive song and ask the kids to help you make up some movements. You can do it sitting with legs crossed or standing. See if you can find some moves that you all like to do together – but it’s also fine for everyone to do their own movements. Everyone is encouraged to sing along to the song too.
It is a very relaxing and creative form of expression. Plus, kids have helped me discover moves I never would have thought of on my own. Here’s an example of a Celestial Communication meditation:
I’d love to hear your comments: Have you ever tried Celestial Communication with your kids? What songs do you like? What meditations do you like to do with kids?
Aruna Humphrys
www.YoungYogaMasters.com
P.S. Please join me for my next weekend intensive Kids Yoga Teacher Training to for an intensive weekend to prepare you to bring the joy of yoga to kids. All the details are here.