Well! I started my after school yoga class at Creekside Elementary again today. It was great and amazing to see all boys! One boy has been with me for three years and he is always eager to go into headstand or something fancy. He can't wait through the basic warm up poses, and that's pretty normal! But I make them of course: I am the techer after all!

We started with breathing and feeling our feet as we walked to the gym to get the mats. Our class is in the library! Of course these fifth grade boys are "cool" and so forth, but they got it for the most part. I just tell them to pay attention to their feet and body and breath and that at least gets their attention. I still allow them to be young boys.

Then we had "conscious snack" to eat the snack silently, really chewing well, noticing the food and giving thanks to it! To this moment! Wow! I'm alive!

I still use a puppet with these "cool" boys. It's a bigger alligator puppet that I named Albert Billy. He's there to chomp on them if they don't follow the rules. But they get it. And it ads a bit of comic relief. And as the teacher and storyteller, I'm allowed to be a bit wacky. It keeps them young and connected to magic and the imagination a, rather than left to the soul-challenged technological jungle of X-Box and TV to claim them.

 Then I did relaxation with them. These kids really need it. I noticed a few have very twitchy eyes while closed; their nervous systems are out of whack. I took them down with breath and a light version of yoga nidra, then told them the Sufi story of Fatima the Spinner and the Tent. I brought up the theme, that life has its challenges and joys, throughtout the class, mentioning that they are like Fatima on this journey of yoga. This is the first day and they have lots of practice to do and will have challenges and joys but with lots of classes and practice and time they will, like Fatima, get what they want, just not the way they expected. The hardship was all part of the end result. But to work on their bodies with discipline and patience, they will be strong and powerful and healthy! 

I noticed weak legs, weak inner thighs, tight upper backs. Lots of stuff! Kids need serious yoga practice by this age to correct the mal alignments in their bones and muscles! They need to do it now to prevent pain and agony down the road! Start young! That is the best preventative health care I can think of! Even my son, who is big and strong going on 11, is knock-kneed and needs to strengthen his legs. He has foot pain from not walking correct. So he has to come to my yoga class too!

We did a few standing poses to strengthen the legs, but then moved into bakasana, crow, because these kids get ancy. My son, included, who went from crow to headstand. I also prepped the boy who has been with me for three years in pinchurmayurasana, peacock, with the arms. Their arms are not strong enough to go all the way up yet, so I told them to practice at home and we'll see with practice when they are ready.

We ended with meditation. And these kids, some who are low-income and I asked to come at the last minute because I know them so well, maybe they won't come back. But yoga works on you on the inside, the unconscious. It just makes you feel good no matter what. I think they will be back! I sure hope so!

But really, these kids are amazing and pure potential. It's an honor to work with them. They are the future. And I want every kid to succeed.

Love and Peace,

Sydney Solis