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Hendersonville, Tennessee, United States
“I believe in the power of yoga,” says MPC YOGA FOR ALL founder Michele Priddy. “I have seen lives change, including my own, in deep, transformative and real ways.” Michele, who holds a Master’s degree in Special Education from Middle Tennessee State University and certification as a RYT-500 from Yoga Alliance, has more than two decades of experience helping adults and children of all ages and abilities reach their maximum potential. Her highly-individualized yoga classes, workshops and in-service training programs are more than just opportunities to for her students to move: they are transformational experiences made even richer by Michele’s deep understanding of yoga movement, breath work and philosophy coupled with an encyclopedic knowledge of anatomy and physiology. In addition to teaching yoga at Middle Tennessee’s most respected yoga schools, Michele has led workshops for children with disabilities, teachers, social service workers, parents and others on a variety of topics including Yoga for Children, Yin Yoga, Mindfulness, Adaptive Yoga and Vinyasa Flow.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

The Benefits of Yoga for Children


Finding physical activities that are engaging and fun for children can be a challenge. Yoga has the ability to bring concentration, balance, physical and emotional well-being. Children are surrounded with stress producing stimulus; cell phones, video games, increased academic performance, physical competition… Yoga can help counter pressures facing today’s children. When children learn techniques for self-health, relaxation and inner fulfillment, they can navigate challenges with a little more ease.
Physically yoga enhances flexibility, strength and coordination as well as increased body awareness. Often this leads to increased concentration and a sense of calmness and ability to relax. Following are a few guidelines for enhancing a child’s yoga experience:
• Be attuned to their energy. If kids are calm and ready, begin with quiet poses and meditation; if they are more active delve into more active poses.
• Kids often feed on the energy of the adults around them. Be a model of peace, compassion, and love.
• Understand children’s natural talkativeness and exuberance. Guide – don’t dictate.
• Allow children to make up their own poses.
• Be flexible when working with children and willing to change direction on the fly.
• Teach them to honor and take care of their bodies in the spirit of cooperation and not competition. Facilitate great respect for their body.
• Have fun, laugh, giggle, sing and make noises. Trust that with perseverance, time and practice, children will learn what they need. Have fun, and the children will too.

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