• Table of Contents
  • International Study Programme
  • A Successful Yoga Nidra Retreat by Stephen (Stoma) Parker
  • After Years of Yoga Nidra I Am Moved from the Inside
  • After 3 Years of Yoga Nidra by Riccardo Valdettaro
  • Yoga Nidra for Creativity and Enhancing Intuitive Faculty by Swami Nityamuktananda
  • News from the Land Down Under: Yoga Nidra and Meditation Workshops in Australia
  • Insight Journey to Tiruvannamallai by Silvia Baratta
  • Children’s Yoga: Breath- Awareness by Nivedita Mishra
  • The Universal Soul is Hurt by Dr. Dinesh Sharma
  • The Children of KHEL Perform at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama
  • 2011 Events and Beyond
  • Full Moon Meditation Dates
  • Location of our SRSG ashram
• AHYMSIN NEWSLETTERS ARCHIVE

Children’s Yoga:  Breath- Awareness

Pragyan School, Greater Noida, India

by Nivedita Mishra

The exhilarating cool breeze on a clear April day saw yet another effort of outreach programs by Ahymsin - to introduce the importance and practice of correct breathing to the students of Pragyan School in Greater Noida.

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The session was part of the Monday morning assembly. About 175 children from standard I-XII sat cross-legged on little mats and learned about breath awareness, nadi-shodhanam and most importantly sitting with their backs straight!

While all this maybe elementary knowledge for seekers and people living within the fold of the tradition, for the world at large, it is largely an alien concept, which will take time and effort to sink in. What better way to make a start than by empowering a whole new generation with this knowledge and simple tools they can use all their lives?

The school Principal, Shashi Banerjee (herself an accomplished Kathak dancer and social worker) introduced Sadhana Mishra, Secretary General, Ahymsin, who expertly led the session first by explaining the twin laws of life involving mind and breath and the benefits of even breath.  She demonstrated various methods of Nadi Shodhanam using Vishnu mudra.  She then practically guided the students and made them practice one of the ways of nadi-shodhanam repeatedly. 

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The other critical aspect that was introduced to the students was telling them how mediation and breath control was not restricted to just the spiritual traditions or ashram living, but is also a crucial to turbo-charge modern living.  The Principal requested Sadhana to explain the various roles she performs so that it inspires the students and the teachers alike.

Sadhana gladly shared her experiences and also emphasized that she is tremendously benefited and supported by these simple practices which help her effectively manage her mind-body and emotions.  

This was her second visit to Pragyan. In her first visit she, supported by Vimalji from the ashram led the teachers and faculty through asanas to practice diaphragmatic breathing followed by question answer sessions and 5 minute meditation.

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Since Vimalji could not be here this time, another Pragyan parent Nivedita Mishra assisted her.

The heartening news is that since the first meeting, The Principal has introduced the idea of beginning every important meeting such as parent orientation get-togethers and other classroom activities with a 2 minute focus on breath.

We hope that this effort is merely one small step in a long fulfilling journey of empowering ourselves by empowering others to live their lives more fully.