Children have had their lives altered drastically by the Covid-19 pandemic. Yoga can prove to be a useful aid to manage both the physical as well as the mental health of a child and can be a useful tool for the overall growth and development of a child’s personality, says DEEPTI ANIL
Yoga means union in Sanskrit. The ultimate aim of yoga is the reunion of the individual self (Jiva) with the universal self (Brahman) of which it is a partial expression. Sage Patanjali who is often considered as the founding father of yoga, in his Yoga Sutras has suggested eight levels in his practice of yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) to achieve this.
They are Yama (principles or moral code), Niyama (personal discipline), Asana (steady pose), Pranayama (yogic breathing), Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (Self-realisation). Patanjali defines an asana in Sanskrit as sthir sukham asanam; thus an asana is a steady and pleasurable mind-body pose. One has to practice it slowly according to one’s capacity without any strain or stress. Ideally, asanas should be performed wearing comfortable clothes, after bowel cleansing, on an empty stomach, at the same time, every day .
With patience and perseverance, one can achieve mastery over the asanas. Keep your mind focused and watch your breathing while you enjoy your posture. Maintain the asanas using your breath; count one breath in and out as 1, the next breath in and out as 2 and so on. Slowly increase the number of breaths that you can maintain an asana for.
Children are naturally agile and flexible which makes them ideal for a yoga practice. Along with the physical poses, basic meditation practices also help improve coordination as well as focus in them. Certain yogic texts suggest that practice for children can commence slowly after the age of 8. While children have been spared the brunt of the devastating Covid-19 pandemic, their lives have altered drastically. From living their childhood in a carefree manner, they have had to adapt to physical distancing, schooling from home and other restrictions on their play time, too.
At such times, Yoga proves to be a useful aid to manage both the physical as well as the mental health of a child and is useful for the overall growth and development of his personality. With the sedentary hours being increased due to the pandemic, even a half-hour of yoga a day can make a big change in the life of children.
One such asana (pose) providing a deep lateral stretch beneficial for rejuvenation as well as increase in height is Talasana (Palm Tree Posture).
Steps for Talasana
Stand erect with feet apart.
Look straight ahead and fix your gaze at a distant point in front of you.
Inhaling, slowly raise your arms overhead with the palms facing each other.
Raise your heels slowly till you stand on tiptoe.
Breathe normally and stretch your body upward and raise your heels as high as possible.
Benefits:
This asana stretches the spine vertically removing any postural defect.
Helps in increasing height and agility.
Improves breathing capacity by expanding the rib cage.
Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
It is often said that one is as old as his spine! A single yoga session must ensure that the spine is bent in all possible directions; forward, backward as well as laterally to the right and left. This must be followed by shavasana which confers relaxation to the entire body and mind.
Most often in our daily lives, we bend our spine forward during studying, mopping the floor, washing clothes or picking up things. A backward bend is, therefore, very useful to limber up the spine and keep it flexible. This can be practised in Dhanurasana; dhanus means ‘bow’ in Sanskrit. In the final position of this asana, the body takes the shape of a bow drawn tight as if ready to shoot an arrow.
Remember as always, to do the asana slowly and steadily with no jerky movements. Breathe normally, and hold the final posture for (3 to 5) normal breaths and do it according to your capacity. The final posture may take a week or more to achieve with daily practice.
To do the asana:
On your yoga mat, lie on your abdomen with the chin resting on the floor, arms on the sides.
Keep legs slightly apart and bend the legs at the knees. Reach back and hold the ankles.
Take your head and neck backward and simultaneously raise your knees, thighs and hips.
Look up or close your eyes and balance the body on the navel while arching the spine as far as possible. Hold for a few breaths and slowly release and relax. Practise another round.
Variation:
While in the final position, one can practise Rocking Dhanurasana by gently rocking the body back and forth on the abdominal wall like a rocking horse or chair. This gradually helps to reduce excess fat on the waist, hips and abdomen.
Dhanurasana strengthens the spine and tones the muscles of the neck, back and thighs; it also maintains your digestive health and improves energy levels. A few rounds of this asana a day will surely keep laziness away!
Deepti Anil is a public health nutritionist and educator at a leading college in Mumbai for the last 22 years. She is also a qualified yoga teacher and therapist.
(Talasana demonstrated by Anahat Anil
Dhanurasana demonstrated by Akshaj Varma)
Article courtesy: Parijna Patrika
Early initiation of growing children into Yogic practices is very essential to build in them the right blend of body-mind metabolism which is a great prerequisite to live a balanced life, which otherwise gets askew in the process of present day, ever increasing stressful life and living.
This as such was a part of the Gurukul education system which got eroded in the educational reforms over a historic period of time, if any remnant remained thereof was games and sports, not comparable at all with Yoga which has its own ethical depth and height.
The good news is that, since a few years a new world wide resurgence of Yoga as a way of life is gaining momentum and if pursued with right spirit by all of us, especially parents to inculcate the spirit of Yoga in children, then we can bring a great change in the future generation who do not deserve a lopsided and fragmented modern life but a holistic and fulfilling post-modern life.
Wow Dipti!!!! Khub bhalo !!!! Eto shundor r simple language e explain korechish , protyek word bojha jai . Aamar khub hi bhalo laglo pore . Thnk u very much .?????????