Most of us found yoga as stressed out and tired adults, seeking a way to calm our busy minds and find peace in an otherwise non-stop world. For me, I found yoga as a college graduate – completely frazzled, trying to find a job and worried about everything. Yoga helped me manage a chaotic life and learn to breathe.
As I grew stronger in my practice I would always wonder, what if I had found yoga as a child or a teen? Would I have been more relaxed and focused? Would I have learned to manage stress and make better choices as I was presented with the challenges of growing up? While I don’t know for sure, my gut tells me that having the practice and teachings of yoga as a child would have been very beneficial, especially in today’s world.
The latest generation of children and young adults need yoga more than ever; their worlds are far more complicated than ours were at their age. Our youth are faced with societal stresses and over stimulation at earlier ages than ever. That’s why Bella Prana Yoga & Meditation, through the Young Yogis Program, is committed to building a strong yoga community for Tampa Bay children to learn and enjoy yoga. Youth classes focus on increasing strength and flexibility, building self-esteem, and learning to manage stress through relaxation methods. The classes are designed with both structure and creativity to keep young minds focused and engaged. Check out all the benefits and class outlines on our web page under the Young Yogis Kid’s Program!
I recently had my first child, and even though she is only 3 months old, I have already started doing yoga with her. It is never too early to start our kids on the path of yoga! My wish for her, and all the other young yogis out there, is that they are able to find balance and peace in a world that can sometimes have our head spinning. I hope that they will learn earlier in life how to manage and grow from the challenges they will inevitably face and that they will learn to simply breathe.
For more information on Bella Prana’s Kids Yoga Program YOUNG YOGI”S!
Article By Michelle Elrod
Michelle is a Bella Prana Kids Yoga Instructor (currently on maternity leave)