East Meets West

Our program and curriculum draws upon ancient Indo-Tibetan practices which nurture and support a healthy mind-body connection, coupled with  social-emotional practices to support, nurture, and meet the needs facing western children today. The practice centers around three areas Body, Mind, and Heart. The practice of yoga and meditation is an anchor, in the most fluid sense, allowing one to be in the world in their most authentic way. Yoga invites children to explore the union of body and mind; while yoga addresses the body and physical postures, meditation invites the children to discover a sense of stillness, develop concentration, and nurture an awareness of their own mind. The development of a yoga and meditation program supports a strong body, a conscious mind, and invites the heart to open allowing it's natural sense of compassionate connection to flourish.

BODY
For the youngest children our program is a playful expression of joy through movement. As children grow and develop the ability to guide their body through asana with awareness, they are able to develop strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination at their own pace. As children develop this relationship with their body over the course of their childhood years they are nurturing a healthy body that supports the development of self-esteem, confidence, and a well developed sense of self. 

MIND
The meditation practice involves aspects of mindfulness, awareness practice, and most importantly, concentration meditation. Children are naturally curious and open, discovering and meeting the world in each moment. Introducing children to their mind through the practice of meditation strengthens awareness, metacognition, and supports beginner’s mind. Beginner’s mind is the lens with which children view and touch the world inviting possibility, freshness, surprise, joy, and wonder. 

HEART
Children make a profound and beautiful realization as they discover that their practice ripples forth touching others. These practices encourage an awareness of our interconnected world. Through compassion practice and heart centered meditations, children engage in activities and actions that nurture healthy connections and ways of being that benefit all. 

Benefits and Goals

• experiencing wonder and joy in the body and natural environment
• development of balance, strength, flexibility
• experience of the senses as a tool to the present moment
• awareness of personal space and we space
• awareness of the breath as a tool to the present moment
• development of focus and concentration
• noticing and identifying feelings, thoughts and emotions arising
• development of metacognition
• relaxation, resting in stillness and silence
• increased attention span
• development of social emotional strategies
• development of prosocial skills, perspective taking
• development of self esteem, self confidence, resilience
• development of compassion and gratitude