Transitions and learning from nature

Transitions make up the bulk of our lives. We are constantly in a state of transition, whether the changes are big or small, transitions and their processes can teach us all so much.

In yoga, spring is a time of renewal and letting go of the old to make room for the new. Seasonal changes can often feel unsettling as we shed the heaviness of winter and embrace the lightness of spring. Everything in life is a cycle: lifecycles, job cycles, motherhood cycles, relationship cycles, etc.. The spring equinox brings a return of balance to the places in our life that have felt uneasy and stuck. It is a time when we can examine our own life to seek balance, or understand where we feel out-of-balance.

Children deal with change and transformation differently than adults. Children thrive off of structure, stability and routine. Experiences including divorce, relocations, changing schools, or welcoming a new sibling, can all be scary transitions. Even the transition from back to school after vacation, or moving up to a new grade, can be difficult. Children experiencing transitions need support in honoring and understanding their feelings, to help them adjust to new situations and circumstances.

Here are some tips that that we have found helpful for children who are navigating change:

1. Keep routines consistent. Whether they are on break from school, shifting houses from one parent to the next, or welcoming a new sibling, it is important for kids to feel like their world hasn’t been completely turned upside down. Small routines make a big impact such as brushing your teeth before bed, setting your clothes out the night before, or making your bed in the morning. These are the types of routines that can remain constant day-to-day and don’t cause major disruptions.

2. Discuss change with your child. Talk about the change and let your child take ownership of their experience. What did they learn from the change? What do they need to make the transition easier? Ask them to draw a picture of how the change or experience makes them feel, and discuss what they drew and why.

3. Give children choices. We are big believers that children benefit when they have the power to choose. When children are in transition, giving them sense of agency over their life will help them to feel like they are in control. Choosing a new backpack, their lunch, or even the color of their bedroom will help a child to feel involved in the transition and not a stranger from it.

4. Use nature as a teacher and guide. Nature is a constant reminder that change in life is inevitable. Try different activities that help you and your family feel grounded while in the midst of change.  After dinner and before bed, go on a moon walk and discuss how the moon phases shift and change little by little each night. Take care of a plant and journal its growth and transformation, or take a drive to a local beach, pond, or water source and discuss how just like water, we are fluid and continuously change.

We hope these ideas provide you with ways to guide children in how to navigate transitions, and help them adjust to new situations and circumstances.

“Sensing” our intuitive nature

In yoga there is a sanskrit word Pratyahara which means to withdraw the senses. Our senses are what connect us to the outside world. When we practice withdrawing from our senses we connect to our inner world. Through quieting our mind and focusing on our inner self we tap into a higher frequency where we are more able to connect to our intuition and higher consciousness.

When working with children I talk regularly about the importance of using contrast in your teaching. For example, if I want children to be still I am going to allow them moments to jump, wiggly and move freely. Same concept applies when I am working with children and helping them tap into their intuitive nature. I find it most helpful to start by exercising and acknowledging all of our senses and then slowly pulling them back and noticing what feels different.

A few simple activities that tap into the 5 senses are below. For our Yogi Beans classes we will focus on one sense a week and create a nice 5 week series on the 5 senses while also teaching our students about sensory withdrawal and the introduction to meditation.

Sight: Take a number of objects (pom poms, feathers, dice, pen, bell, etc.) and place them on a yoga mat. Cover them with a blanket. Tell children, "there are [however many] objects on this yoga mat. We are going to look at them for ten seconds. Ready, set, go!” Now, pick up the blanket for 10 seconds to reveal the objects. Next, quickly cover them up again and ask each child to name one object they saw. Ask, “how did it make you feel to only have 10 seconds to look at all the objects on the blanket?”

Sound :Ask children to be very quiet. Sit for about 20 seconds in complete silence and then ask children to tell you all the sounds they start to hear. For example: birds, clock ticking, wind, people talking, cabs honking, other people’s breathing. Ask them if the noticed how once they shifted their attention they became aware of sounds that were there all along. A great reminder of energy flows where attention goes.

Touch: This game introduces the concept of mindful touch. Take an empty bag or box and fill it with different objects. For example, cotton balls, feathers, tin foil balls, etc. Pass the bag around the circle and give each child a turn to put his/her hand in the bag and describe what s/he feels. Encourage children to use descriptive words or adjectives such as soft, hard, rough, prickly, squishy, etc.

Taste: Tell children you will be practicing mindful eating with a raisin. Explain that you will be using each of your five senses to explore the raisin fully, and that this takes patience and self-control. Have the class sit down at a table or desks, and hand out one raisin to each child. Ask them not to touch the raisin, but rather use their sense of sight to look at it. What does the raisin look like? What shape is it? What color is it? Next, ask children to use their sense of touch to pick up the raisin. What does the raisin feel like? How would you describe its texture? Now, ask children to close the raisin in their palm and shake it. Is the raisin making a noise? Did you ever think you would listen to a raisin? Next, ask children to smell the raisin. What does the raisin smell like? Does it smell sweet? Does it smell fruity? Now ask children what kind of fruit makes a raisin? Who do you think put the grapes in the sun to have them dry out?

Smell: Fill 5 small bottles with the following scents. (Alternatively, you can use any spices or scents you have on hand)

Cinnamon

Tea Tree Oil

Peppermint Oil

Lemon

Vanilla Extract

Cumin

Pass one scent around the room and ask the children how the scent makes them feel, if it brings up a memory or thought, and if the scent is pleasing or displeasing, Remember there are no right or wrong answers. Just like our sense taste everyone’s sense of small may have different preferences.

After performing any of these activities.