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enlightenmealready
USA
37 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 14 2008 : 11:09:03 PM
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I've read the stuff yogani has written about introducing children to yoga. His recommendations are actually later in life than I anticipated they would be. I think he said starting meditation at around age 12. I also remember him writing that spinal breathing shouldn't be taught until after age 18 as kundalini awakening can be like a puberty and one puberty at a time is enough.
Although I understand that line of thinking, I still have a question. It seams that much of the trouble caused during normal puberty is because all of the new sexual energy doesn't have any productive place to go. Wouldn't their be some beneficial way to achieve the "cleaning" associated with spinal breathing without necessarily trying to cultivate the ecstatic bit. It just seams like it would be a good idea to bias this sexual energy in a spiritual direction rather than letting it "spill onto the floor" as it where.
Any thoughts?
EMA |
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Scott
USA
969 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2008 : 06:02:24 AM
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Daily physical exercise with stretching. |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2008 : 06:48:58 AM
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| i think it's good to go through a normal puberty before turning your energy toward spirituality. With spiritual energy increasing however, there will probably be some exceptions. Some kids who turn that direction by themselves. I wouldn't try to guide them that way though except by example. |
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Jo-self
USA
225 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2008 : 07:28:37 AM
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Just a contrarian stream of thoughts ...
Children are already being forced into a sadhana of consumerism and hedonism by modern culture via its media, yeah harsh, but trying to make a point. Thus, there is already a premature psychic puberty.
Also, fundamentalist movements are cultivating their children very early. If true yoga is a value and "works", perhaps, at least personally, children should be put on a careful, gentle, and open practice. This may reduce the effects of modern accelerated living and allow normal maturation, it may also be a social force to counteract the growing divisive fundamentalist movements.
There are many reasons why not to do this. One is that yoga or in general any internal practice is always accompanied by a spiritual or religious teaching based on the origin of the practices. One of the reasons why TM lost some court battles to teach in schools.
Another reason why not to teach advanced yoga to kids: We don't objectively know the results. We're pretty much on an experimental basis, rediscovering what works from the vast traditions. Yes, there is personal and cultural evidence for a positive effect, and there have been studies that show an improvement in quality x, but what is the sum of the x(i)? Even Enlightenment may not produce anything useful to society; in other words, you may still be a bozo. Where is the proof? (I don't fully agree with this argument, myself).
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enlightenmealready
USA
37 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2008 : 09:10:55 AM
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| I've seen pictures of very young children participating in yoga at the Ashtanga Yoga Institute in India. I know here in the west we don't have much experience with children and yoga, but I suspect it may be different in India. In any event, I'm not really asking about trying to actively push kids toward enlightenment. I concur that sort of thing is always up to the individual. As parents however, it is still our job to make sure our kids at least have exposure to what we know. Perhaps for kids Asana is the most efficient way to make sure their subtle energy pathways are clean without pushing them toward an ideology. Perhaps asana based yoga styles are the best for kids. |
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mikkiji
USA
219 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2008 : 1:45:52 PM
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I can't speak to the practice of hatha yoga--asanas and pranayama--by children, but I was trained as an instructor of meditation by the late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1976, and did receive very specific practices and procedures for meditation by children. Children between the ages of 5 and 10 years are taught what Maharishi called a "walking mantra" technique, which was to prepare the child to begin, at age 10, to sit with the eyes closed and use a regular seated meditation technique like an adult, but for shorter time periods. I waited a few years beyond the age of 10 to teach my own kids their sitting techniques, but the results were still good, although neither of them as of yet has established a regular practice, and so I must assume they have yet to appreciate the true value of the practice.
Michael |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2008 : 7:52:32 PM
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I think there is too much emphasis today on trying to mold children. They need some guidance in morality and interaction, but instead of trying to mold them, we should just give them lots of choices, and let them play.
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Neesha
215 Posts |
Posted - Oct 19 2008 : 10:19:49 PM
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quote:
[and let them play.
Two weeks AGO on the way to my son's class.......looking for him as usual
I immediately picked up on a strong vibration.........coming from somewhere in the school yard.......
It was the end of the school day........kids running all over..playing.......doing everything, getting in my way.
I had to stop......I zoned in on a young child 6 or seven years old
he WAS engaged in play........
I was mesmerized a bit........a child, such a vibration....so perfectly seated in the traditional yogic posture....perfect mudra
chanting OM.........
If he was playing........gosh I was being played....then his friends interupted him and he went off to play until he appropriately finished
On friday last week that same child passed across........near me....He is so friendly waving to strangers.....happy
as he passed I realized he is a high spirtiual being, reborn, and yet to play a major role in life........with such natural gifts
This child was just in play.......
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Yoga and Children
