Y O U T H Y O G A.

I always get excited when I am asked to share the powers of yoga with a new group of people, but especially so when it’s with children in school who otherwise may never have thought to give it a go or have the opportunity to attend a class.

It was an absolute honour and pleasure to have been asked by St. Mary’s Catholic School - Goondiwindi, to teach the most wonderful group of year 9 & 10 as part of their physical education studies as a way to open their minds to different ways of exercising from traditional sports, running or going to the gym.

A huge thank you to Mr. Goodes who invited me into his class. It is teachers like Mr. Goodes that are making valuable changes to the way our children think about their health, wellness and mental health and I hope more follow his lead.

Yoga can provide young people with so many crucial benefits aside from 'the physical' fitness, strength, stamina, balance and flexibility.

Yoga can be a real confidence booster promoting self-awareness, belief, and trust, stimulating the mind, increasing concentration, and teaching mindfulness all whilst posing no judgment or competition which doesn’t occur often in today’s social media age.

THE BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR TEENS:

• Improve fitness and physical health.

• Build strength at a time of rapid growth that helps protect and support the joints & bones

• An alternative form of exercise to the usually promoted team sports at school.

• Perfect for the more introverted personalities.

• Encourages good and healthy choices

• Reduce stress and anxiety. An excellent coping mechanism through exam time.

• Improve optimism.

• Better quality sleep.

• Improve focus and school performance.

• Improve self-esteem and body image. Vital at a time of so much change physically and mentally

• Promotes creativity.

• Develop discipline and self-regulation.

• Builds self-awareness and contentment with yourself

• Creates the ability to just be and to let go, to live in the moment.