Yoga… What is it? The literal definition of yoga is to unite or tie the strands of the mind together. Organizing the mind may seem like a massive challenge especially if your or your child is neurodiverse but by practicing yoga asana (physical postures), meditation and pranayama (breathwork) organizing the mind becomes more attainable. Yoga provides a holistic approach to all over wellness and mindfulness. Practicing yoga regularly leads to better balance, proprioception, improved flexibility (less injuries), better-quality sleep, enhanced focus and mental retention as well as a more resilient nervous system.
Sensory Yoga… What is it? In neurodiverse children the brain receives input or messages differently then sends those messages to the body or nervous system to select the appropriate response. Sometimes the input received gets scrambled in turn the resulting behavior can be seen as inappropriate or misunderstood. Sensory yoga helps unscramble the input by working with the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Finding a physiological balance and reducing anxiety and stress, helps bring a sense of calm and awareness to the mind and body.
Yoga postures and the physical aspect of yoga builds lean muscle and endurance, with a regular practice you will see changes in your physical body. Yoga does involve what some might consider “uncomfortable” positions. The beauty of this is that our initial response may be “there is no way I can do that” but the practice of yoga puts your body in that temporary “uncomfortable” space to show you that a. it’s only temporary and b. you can achieve what you set your mind to, granted your pose may not look like everyone else’s but that’s the point. In yoga we celebrate each practitioners’ differences and meet each person where they are. Teaching children resiliency and that being different is a gift is something the world needs more of.
Breathing / Pranayama. Learning how to control your breathing trains and conditions the respiratory system while positively affecting the autonomic nervous system in charge of heart rate, respiration and blood pressure. Learning how to regulate your breathing is an incredible tool for those dealing with stress, anxiety add/ adhd, while improving mental focus and the ability to remain clam under pressure.
Mindfulness / Meditation is the final component of a yoga practice. Meditation is the practice of funneling the multitude of thoughts that we have every minute down to one singular thought. Over time and with practice it is possible to heighten awareness and attain mental clarity by observing the many thoughts in our mind without feeling the need to act on them. Meditation is an incredible tool for increasing mindfulness and remaining fully present in daily life. Studies have shown meditation practice to increase compassion, problem solving, and attention span plus it just feels good. In today’s society adults and especially children are notoriously over scheduled and under relaxed, the human brain needs time to integrate and process all the information it takes in. Teaching children and parents to meditate is a powerful tool that families can do together.