What is parenting if not another name for disruption? It’s what all parents go through but it doesn’t have to be that way. If you are eager to bring back order to your life and spend quality time with your children, then invest a little time in yoga.
Yes, you read that right. Yoga is not only for individual wellness but for family and community too. It’s the practice of being mindful to health, mental state and overall wellness. That’s why it’s such a revered practice in the East, and fast becoming one for the Western audience too.
So, what is really the yoga way of wellness, and in particular how can we integrate it into parenting? Read on.
The Yoga Way of Wellness
Yoga enthusiasts understand that for leading a healthy life and having a balanced mental state, people need to develop an awareness of their surrounding, as well as about themselves. It is a way of exercise of the body and mind by combining physical activities with mental focus. This can be achieved by implementing the five basic principles of yoga: diet, exercise, breathing, spirituality and meditation.
Cultivating it into Parenting
That’s just the individual aspect of yoga. What about cultivating yoga into parenting? According to an International Journal of Yoga article, “Regular practice of yoga promotes strength, endurance, flexibility and facilitates characteristics of friendliness, compassion, and greater self-control, while cultivating a sense of calmness and well-being.” For this reason, it is worth exploring and integrating into our everyday life, channeling to our children for their well-being and healthy growth, and here’s how to do it.
1. Spirituality
One of the first principles of yoga is that we are all connected beings whether it is the self, people or the environment. By adapting the spiritual mantra and allowing your child to learn through this practice will help them adjust to their environment, community and social surroundings more readily. There will be less chances of conflict, fights and meaningless bickering at home and school.
Practice: By teaching your child that there are no adversaries, everyone is a part of the universe, and connected with each other. We all have a purpose and role in life.
2. Conscious breathing
“Breathe in deeply, count to ten, and breathe out,” may sound familiar, something your kindergarten teacher must have taught you. There is great wisdom in this practice and what do you know, it’s a yoga principle.
By consciously focusing on your breathing, you allow your mind to concentrate on one problem at a time instead of reacting to multiple stressors. Children of today in particular are in a lot of social, academic, media and home stress. For this reason they tend to break down easily and look to parents to survive.
Practice: Instead of always being there for them, teach them to breathe and develop a coping mechanism to fend for themselves.
3. Mindful Meditation
Related to breathing is meditation. Meditation and mindfulness is one of the most sought after practices today, even by top tycoons. This is because meditation helps combat stress, and allow us to recharge from negative energies.
As parents when you’re stressed out, you also tend to dispel those energies to your children. For this reason battles of shouting, banging and unnecessary scolding occur regularly in households with kids.
Practice: Consciously take time out of your busy schedule and make your children do the same to develop a positive habit of meditation. Just five minutes is all you need to get the family to quietly meditate: think of the reasons why you’re stressed; find your Zen zone; and stay there until you have calmed down.
4. Diet Changes
This goes without saying. What you eat is what you are. Food can change your mood, thinking capabilities, and stamina. Yoga encourages diets that contribute to physical, emotional and spiritual health.
Practice: Learn and then educate your children to develop healthy eating habits. Encourage them to leave behind toxic food items, and embrace organic, healthy and balanced diet. When their bodies are healthy, their minds will be too.
The yoga way is not a rigid system of wellness that you might find difficult to adjust to. In fact, it’s quite flexible so that anyone can adapt into their lives, even parents with busy and outlandish schedules. All you need is take the first step. Why not try with breathing?
To learn more about yoga way of mindfulness try our online self development program here.