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Yoga benefits children with autism as well as children of all levels of development,  thinking, and processing.

As a teacher and yoga instructor, I find that more and more parents are becoming aware of the benefits of yoga, especially for children. In my yoga classes that I teach I have children of all ages, ethnicities, and development. I teach children at –risk, children with autism, and children with behavior issues. What I’ve noticed is that yoga works. Parents often ask me what the benefits are of yoga. For me, I wanted to know how yoga benefits children who may have Autism Spectrum Disorder. Here are a few more things that I’ve discovered.

1. Managing Stress: Yoga teaches children how to relax the mind and body, especially when there’s stress or anxiety in life. For example, we talk about how mouse pose or child’s pose is a great pose to do when one is feeling sad, overwhelmed, or upset. Since yoga focuses a lot on breathing, we share how taking deep breaths can help relax the body and mind. In yoga, we also use a lot of imagery or visualizations-another way to help deal with anxiety or stress. These are excellent coping tools that children can take with them and apply in their everyday life.

2. Brain-Work: Through story-telling, songs, and chants, yoga is an emotional journey as well as a physical one. These experiences help children with their emotional development, giving them opportunities to share and experience gratitude and positive experiences with peers. Through sharing stories, children share ideas and feelings with each other, which helps them gain identification with each other.  

3. Body Self-Awareness: Yoga teaches children about their bodies. We learn what our bodies are capable of doing, how to listen to our bodies, and our bodies as a human instrument. Children continuously learn about where their bodies are in space, which helps with coordination, stability, and balance. When children move through the poses, they move slowly, which engages and strengthens their muscles. This in turn helps with fine and gross motor skills.

4. Positive Habit-forming: We are creatures of habit. It’s important for us to find habits that are good for us, such as brushing our teeth in the mornings and evenings, exercising, and reading. Yoga is a great habit and can be a great substitute for watching T.V. or dwelling on the negative. Certain “ticks” that children adopt, can be replaced with yoga movements. Children love the songs and chants in yoga. The deep breathing and meditation are also habit-forming, which is a great alternative to some of the other not-so-good habits that kids are forming these days.

It seems as though yoga's benefits are infinite.  Yoga has something to offer everyone and can be done anywhere. Our children today are so fortunate to have all of these tools to use throughout life.  They are life skills to share with everyone, especially those with any sort of special need. It's a connection that we all have, as everyone can incorporate it into their daily lives.  Enjoy sharing it with your friends and family.

Yoga and Autism

I’ve been a teacher for the past 15 years and have worked with a lot of different types of children. I’m still always amazed by yoga’s seemingly endless benefits, especially when working with children at-risk, children with special needs, and kids with autism. Autism Spectrum Disorder is nothing new, and we’re finding that it’s more common than we thought before. Some people say 1 in 68 children have autism, while others say more. After talking with my co-workers, friends, and other compadres we all agree that yoga’s benefits are worth sharing. So, here’s a shout-out to all those who want to know how yoga can help a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder. By the way, as you will notice, these benefits can also empower the child in all of us.

1. Routines: I teach yoga on a regular basis to children. We go through the same poses, while adding new ones when appropriate. Yoga is orderly and consistent. This element of order is very important for a child. It speaks highly of continuity, which is preferred by children and most of us. We like routines and need them in our lives. It keeps our brain calm, so that we can observe things better and deeper. You can still add variety, such as small variations in Sun Salutation (a sequence of 8 poses that are done for 4-5 times). For example, we say our Sun Salutation poem using different voices. This was a technique that my yoga instructor taught me and the kids adore-though they often times pick the same voice (squeaky voice).

2. Sensory Input: As we know it, yoga is very sensory oriented. Yoga provides a nice balance of sensory integration. Children with autism often suffer from a highly sensitive nervous system and are easily over stimulated by bright lights, new textures, loud noises, strong tastes and smells. Yoga is usually done in calm settings with dim lights, organic materials, and soft music. Either that, or it’s outside in an environment conducive to yoga. The other thing that is often done in yoga is talking about and recognizing how our senses play an important role in our lives-whether they trigger memories, make us feel happy, or trigger something else such as being irritating. The yoga poses help release nervous energy and the breathing helps the children calm their bodies and minds.

3. Fine and Gross Motor Skills: Yoga helps develop both types of motor skills. Yoga helps children with balance, stability, and focus. It provides lots of opportunities to work on coordination and body awareness. Yoga also strengthens and tones the muscles of the body, thus making a more sound and secure body to work with.

4. Confidence and Social Skills: Whenever we have a yoga class, we always start off by asking the children a question, which gives them an opportunity to share their thoughts and/or feelings. For example, we may ask the kids: “What is something that makes you happy.” Not only does this give the children lots of opportunities to speak in front of others and build their self-confidence, but it also helps with social skills…such as taking turns, listening to our friends, and sharing. Children also feel confident when they learn challenging poses such as Eagle Pose or Crow Pose. Yoga fosters an environment where everyone works together as a team. Partner poses also help children gain confidence with their peers.

It seems that every day we’re trying to understand our children more and more, and rightfully so. The better we understand their needs, the happier they are and the happier we are. When we meet their needs, it teaches everyone about empathy. And that is something that we can use more of these days!

There are a variety of different types of yoga, and new categories which are added practically daily.  Sure, you can add your own twist to yoga, such as yoga on a Stand-Up Paddle Board, or yoga in the dark and why not?  We like to take things that we know are real and reliable, and then add a uniqueness towards them to make it fit our lifestyle and needs.  Here are some of the main yoga styles that we see and hear about in our world today.

1. Anusara

Developed by American yogi John Friend in 1997, anusara yoga is a relative  newcomer to the yoga world. Based on the belief that we are all filled  with an intrinsic goodness, anusara seeks to use the physical practice  of yoga to help students open their hearts, experience grace, and let  their inner goodness shine through. Classes, which are specifically  sequenced by the teacher to explore one of Friend's Universal  Principles of Alignment, are rigorous for the body and the mind.

2. Ashtanga

Ashtanga is based on ancient yoga teachings, but it was popularized and  brought to the West by Pattabhi Jois (pronounced "pah-tah-bee joyce")  in the 1970s. It's a rigorous style of yoga that follows a  specific sequence of postures and is similar to vinyasa yoga, as each  style links every movement to a breath. The difference is that ashtanga  always performs the exact same poses in the exact same order. This is a  hot, sweaty, physically demanding practice.

3. Bikram

Approximately 30 years ago, Bikram Choudhury developed this school of  yoga where classes are held in artificially heated rooms. In a Bikram  class, you will sweat like you've never sweated before as you work your  way through a series of 26 poses (like ashtanga, a Bikram class always  follows the same sequence, although a Bikram sequence is different from  an ashtanga sequence). Bikram is somewhat controversial, as Choudhury  has trademarked his sequence and has prosecuted studios who call  themselves Bikram but don't teach the poses exactly the way he says  they should. It is also wildly popular, making it one of the easiest  types of classes to find.

4. Hatha

Hatha yoga is a generic term that refers to any type of yoga that  teaches physical postures. Nearly every type of yoga class taught in  the West is hatha yoga. When a class is marketed as hatha, it generally  means that you will get a gentle introduction to the most basic yoga  postures. You probably won't work up a sweat in a hatha yoga class, but  you should end up leaving class feeling longer, looser, and more  relaxed.

5. Hot Yoga

Basically the same thing as Bikram. Generally, the only difference  between Bikram and hot yoga is that the hot yoga studio deviates from  Bikram's sequence in some small way, and so they must call themselves  by another name. The room will be heated, and you will sweat buckets.

6. Iyengar

Iyengar yoga was developed and popularized by B.K.S. Iyengar  (pronounced "eye-yen-gar"). Iyengar is a very meticulous style of yoga,  with utmost attention paid to finding the proper alignment in a pose.  In order to help each student find the proper alignment, an Iyengar  studio will stock a wide array of yoga props — blocks, blankets, straps,  chairs, bolsters, and a rope wall are all common. There isn't a lot of  jumping around in Iyengar classes, so you won't get your heart rate up,  but you'll be amazed to discover how physically and mentally  challenging it is to stay put. Iyengar teachers must undergo a  comprehensive training – if you have an injury or chronic condition,  Iyengar is probably your best choice to insure you get the  knowledgeable instruction you need.

7. Restorative

Restorative yoga is a delicious way to way to relax and soothe frayed  nerves. Restorative classes use bolsters, blankets, and blocks to prop  students in passive poses so that the body can experience the benefits  of a pose without having to exert any effort. A good restorative class  is more rejuvenating than a nap. Studios and gyms often offer them on  Friday nights, when just about everyone could use a little profound  rest.

8. Vinyasa

Vinyasa (pronounced "vin-yah-sah") is the Sanskrit word for "flow",  and vinyasa classes are known for their fluid, movement-intensive  practices. Vinyasa teachers choreograph their classes to smoothly  transition from pose to pose, and often play music to keep things  lively. The intensity of the practice is similar to Ashtanga, but no  two vinyasa classes are the same. If you hate routine and love to test  your physical limits, vinyasa may be just your ticket. 

A lot of times people will ask what type of yoga you practice.  Perhaps it's more than one.  Or, as mentioned before-maybe you have put a twist on your yoga practice, making it unique to you.  Share your story with the people that ask.  They are probably very interested in hearing your thoughts and ideas about yoga.  Namaste.

Types of Yoga found from Gaiam Life, by Kate Hanley, March, 2014 .  Thank you Kate for your insight and wisdom.

Whether you need to just relax at the end of the day or you feel stressed and need a good 10 minutes to regroup, here are some poses to help you.  These poses are perfect for adults and children.  They can be done at home, at the beach, at the office, or just about anywhere. I've actually done them in the back of the airplane on a long flight to stretch out my muscles and calm my nerves (not about flying but about how long the flight is from Asia to America).

Child Pose or Mouse Pose:  This pose is a pose that we tell our children to do when they are feeling upset, stressed, or just need a safe, calm place to go in the middle of chaos.  Focus on feeling your belly rise and fall as you inhale and exhale slowly.

Happy Baby Pose:  If it doesn't calm you, it sure will make you feel good getting on your back, lifting your feet up in the air, and grabbing your ankles or feet.  Rock side to side like a happy baby. 

Bridge Pose: This pose stretches your back and legs.  It is associated with helping reduce anxiety, fatigue, and headaches.  It also forces blood to your heart and your brain, which in turn sends oxygen to the cells of your body. 

Extended Triangle Pose:  If you need a full body stretch, this one is great.  It opens your heart and relaxes your body. It can also help improve digestion. 

Eagle Pose:  This pose gives the body a boost of confidence, which can help in stressful situations.  It is a powerful pose which takes a bit of energy (you will feel the heat rising when you are in this pose for a few breaths).  Your heart will thank you, as you give it the power to pump oxygen and nutrients to your brain and the rest of your body. Don't forget to do this pose on both sides.

Lying down with feet and legs up against the wall: I'm not sure what this pose is called, but my mom loves it and does it every day.  It's an inverted pose, which is good for the heart and the brain.  It relieves stress and stretches the legs gently.  It also improves posture and gives your spine a rest. 

Puppy Pose:  This is a version of child pose.  It stretches the arms and shoulders, a place where we hold a lot of stress.  The back and spine are given a counter stretch, which also relieves stress.

Corpse Pose:  This is the pose which you can lie down on your back and take a nap if you want to.  It's a great place to meditate, breath deeply, and relax.  Think of 5 things to be thankful for and relax a bit more.  Our bodies need rest in order to function, so enjoy this pose as long as you need to. 

Strengthening your core has many health benefits.  An unbalanced, weak, or tight core can cause a lot of problems, so it's important to not only strengthen your abdominals, but also your back muscles and the muscles in between. 

Here are just a few of the benefits of maintaining a strong core.

Good Posture:  You will not only stand taller and look more confident, but you will also feel more confident.  You will be able to breath better and your spine will thank you.  Good posture helps the spine and the plates in between the spine align and feel less stressed.

Stability and Balance:  By having a strong core, you will have better balance and stability.  This will allow you to move more freely on all sorts of terrain.  Increasing balance and stability helps decrease accidents and falling.  Thus, you will have more independence.

Sports and Activities: Your core is your powerhouse.  The stronger your core, the stronger you will be in the sports and activities that you do.  Whether it's golf, swimming, skiing, snowboarding, rowing, tennis, or just playing around with your friends-be the best that you can be with a stronger core.

Healthy Back:More and more people today have back pain.  It's a debilitating, excruciating pain which can be prevented or treated with core strengthening and exercises.  It's best to prevent back problems from happening by keeping a strong core. 

Every day activities will become easier and safer to do when you have a strong core.  House-cleaning, getting onto a bike or train, getting in and out of a car, or bending over to pick up a ball all require your core muscles.  We want to maintain our health and be able to do things with ease.  This is why it's important to strengthen your core and thus, have more power.