Author: Yogacharya Dhakaram

It is a quite fast moving world that we live in. More importantly, the lives of today’s children are touched by relentless factors like – lack of concentration, sedentary, hyperactivity, distractions, inactive nature and ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) which is very common in the kids. Now, these can be the results if the child is a part of an untimely schedule at home involving late dinners, waking up for school before dawn causing lack of enough sleep, travelling to school and back and falling tired easily might only make the child restless for the rest of the day. Most parents are not aware how yoga can benefit a child, few also think engaging their children into multiple activities involving brainwork and creativity can develop a lot in them but fail to see that these engagements or activities can also create stress in their little minds. Here’s why Yoga for kids can be very effective and encouraging.

There is nothing better than a child’s enthusiasm in yoga, they are fresh minds and it’s only amazing how quickly they learn the poses of yoga and how happy they are, this is even better with the parent partnering up with the child and while doing yoga themselves and teaching children is definitely fun. Yoga, as we know is an ancient practice or method of discipline that strengthens both physically and mentally, develops a calm mind and a composed nature in an individual. The techniques are easy to learn and execute and enhances one to grow strong for the mechanical world around.

Unique steps to mental and physical fitness for children

These are the mantras to keep your children healthy and sharp:

• Stretch your muscles to strengthen: Simple poses can be very easy to learn and develop a mindset of interest. A very important goal of yoga is to keep fit. Sometimes children might find it boring to repeat poses but the key to a healthy class for this healthy practice is a good instructor who would be able to incorporate games and good interaction with the poses so kids can find it interesting. Our body is a temple so keeping it in shape and building it strong from younger ages should be the ultimate aim.
• Tell Children about their third eye: Children, more young the more distracted, you can’t expect more from them but once you tell them about their third eye it leaves them with all the cute expressions wondering what the third eye might be. Showing them how to concentrate with the demonstration of the eye could easily teach them to stay balanced on a particular pose and stay focused, this can help develop concentration power of children and help them better with their studies and also bring back their attentive nature in schools. Hence, yoga boosts concentration power and focus.
• Enhance your mind-body connection: Yoga can be a way with developing a strong mind-body connection. For children it is more effective because their minds are free of opinions and worldly views and they can easily accept what’s given to them. From a very young age if yoga is practiced and taken seriously it can revitalize young minds and nourish mind-body connection. It is of achieving great strength both physical and mental that can be developed by yoga. Imagine if from a certain young age children learn to control their emotions, they might not be tempted by anger, might be able to control happiness and sadness too, might even learn how to be fearless, who knows what one can do with yogic powers. Attaining self control is a universal discipline and conquering oneself is greater in value than conquering anything else.
• Help develop a positive personality: Yogic methods not only boost your energy but these ancient methods usually have more than just mental and physical strength to deliver, there is an immense influence of self spiritual power that a person can experience. An openness of conscience that the young minds can perceive more prominently. All this can sum up to kindle self-confidence and develop a positive personality. You definitely want your kids to grow up to be strong personalities in every field, yoga can be a great initiative for your kids to walk the way with a healthy mind and persona that they will grow up with.
• Yoga is Fun: Before getting to the kids with yoga lessons one should clearly see how easily to develop a cheerful bonding with the kids. The only way you could have it from the kids is by playing with them, making it fun for them and giving each pose a name like any example, the whole point would be not making it seem serious because with that they will obviously get distracted and loose interest. It can be even easier for the parents to spend time with the kids at home, if both the parent and the child start with easy poses of yoga, the child can learn with ease and grasp more of it. With personal conduct, the parents who do not practice yoga as well can learn in the process of demonstrating to the child. Your child can perform yoga very well with easy and fun techniques. Make it fun for them!
• Blossoming relationships and healthy partnerships in yoga: A very important purpose of yoga for children is about building positive relationship which is often a step relating to the behaviors of these children with other children. A child is on his own other than when at home, be it at school or on the playground, watching the television or elsewhere, there are influences and impressions from school, from peer pressure and definitely from what they see around, when these children begin their yoga lessons with the other kids, their distinctive behaviors are observed and what is taught is the togetherness and the quality of working together. With yoga a child can learn moral values and absolutely show values like acceptance, friendship love and kindness with their peers.     

Few Yoga Poses for Kids  

• Mountain Pose
• Tree Pose 
• Forward Bending Pose (Uttanasan)
• Butterfly Pose
• Rabbit Pose (Shashankasan) 
• Lion Pose (Shihasan) 
• Brahmari Pranayam 
• Om Chanting (Universal Sounds) etc.

Yog Guru Dhakaram

In ancient times thousands and thousrevelant, but today scholars have identified about one hundred and eighty asanas that can clearly be described. Out of these asanas there are still some asanas that cannot be practiced by average nor they are considered necessary. A few of them are just poses and that are meant only for demonstration. Thus if we discard all such difficult and  irrelevant asanas, then we find that there are only 64 asanas that have beneficial effect on the body and can be performed by a common man.

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF YOGA ASANAS

It is believed that when an asana is performed then the muscles and organs in a particular part of body gets stretched, pressed, squezed and exercised while performing a particular asana, as a result of which the organ experiences some sort of pressure and tension, that results in the draining away of accumulated blood in that organ along with toxins.

When the asana is over, the organ gets relaxed the tension is removed thus fresh and healthy blood rushes to the part. 

This results in reconditioning of the organ by removing the accumulated waste product and supplying vitaliy and vigour  to that part.

BREATHING DURING YOGA ASANA

Some of the experts and Yoga teachers recommend stopping of breath or forceful breathing during asanas. This should be avoided where ever possible because it can cause harm to the heart and lungs. There while performing asanas every individual should maintain normal breathing. 

PLACE WHERE YOGA ASANAS SHOULD BE PERFORMED

Asanas should always be performed in an open space and in a clear nonpolluted environment. In case of rain or cold environment, an airy room such as a hall with cross ventilations should be used.

Asanas should never be done in closed or illventilated rooms because the air in such places contain more carbon dioxide as compared to open space. In such conditions the body gets deprived of oxygen when it needs most. Inhaling such impure air can cause greater burden on lungs and heart in keeping blood circulation up to mark.

TIME OF YOGA ASANAS

The asanas should be commenced about two hours before sunrise so that the rays of rising sun bathe the body by the lime exercise is over.

• Asanas should be performed empty stomach, hence two hours before sunrise is the most appropriate timing.
• Practice in the evening, if at all it is necessary should begin 5-6 hours after the last meal taken.

PREPARATION FOR YOGA ASANAS

One should leave bed long before dawn. Bath should be take after attending the morning duties.

• In cold weather the bath may be taken 1 and a half hour to 2 hour after completion of all asanas or exercise.
• The practitioner should wear a loin cloth while performing asanas. It should neither be too tight nor too loose.
• Asanas should be practiced on a thick mattress or folded soft blanket. After every asana one should rest in shavasana for half the time taken by the asana.
• At the end of full exercise the practitioner should rest in shavasana for at least half the time taken by the exercise.
• Here are some links to learn more about Yogacharya Dhakaram:
• Website: https://dhakaram.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yogagurudhakaram/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@YogacharyaDhakaram
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogacharya_dhakaram_sapkota/
• I hope this post has given you a better understanding of Yogacharya Dhakaram and his work. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.