Om with kids

We did a yoga camp for the children of S.O.S. Village, Bhubaneswar and here is something on that program.

The 'hall' where we did the classes

I have been meaning to do something like this for a long time. One day, nearly a month back, I had an urge to go to the Village and had a word with the administrators there. They were very keen on a yoga program for the children in the Village.

S.O.S. is a worldwide NGO, and according to a website – the organization’s work focuses on abandoned, destitute and orphaned children requiring family-based child care. Millions of children worldwide are living without their biological families for a variety of reasons including:

• parental separation,
• domestic violence and neglect
• they have lost their parents due to war or natural catastrophes
• disease

A little more about the Children’s Village – this was founded by Hermann Gmeiner, an Austrian, after WW2. He had the misfortune of losing his parents and his numerous siblings were brought up by the sacrifice of their elder sister, who remained a spinster.

The horrors of the war and the great numbers of orphans and childless women that were the consequences of this bloodletting got him to start this organization. It works on a beautiful concept: there are plenty of children who don’t have the luxury of a family. There are, as well, many women who have no children, or are in an unfortunate situation in life. The organization works to bring the two together – the children have a home with a ‘mother’ and the women get shelter and get to work on the upbringing of children, a rewarding work for sure.

It is not a school; it is a home for the children. The one in Bhubaneswar has about 20 homes, each with a mother who takes care of the nearly ten or twelve children. These ladies get a thorough training in SOS’s own institute in Delhi for two years on child care.

It is fashionable these days to decry the achievements of NGOs and spiritual organizations. If one goes by popular media, NGOs are fronts for accumulating money and spiritual organization are even worse! However, I believe that SOS is doing a great job. Most of these children are either orphans or their parents cannot or will not support them. The organization provides them with good homes (they live better than most middle class children), good education (some of them go to the best schools in my hometown) and it also arranges for their marriages after they finish their studies. Many of the children are pursuing engineering, medicine and other vocations – all at the expense of the organization.

To my reckoning S.O.S. spends not less than Rs. 5,000 (USD 100) a month on each child. This is considerable money in India and a lot more than what an average family can spend on a child.

S.O.S. has more than 40 such villages in India.

You will find more about it on this link http://www.soscvindia.org/charity/index.php

When I proposed the idea to the members of my ashram, everyone thought that it would be a great idea and we got the go ahead to conduct a seven day program. This kind of activity is complimentary to our objectives and what is more, it is great fun to be around with bubbly children! It is our dream to set up a gurukula, a residential school for children, someday.

The classes were from 5 am to 6:30 am daily and Gurucharan Bhai of my ashram and I were the instructors. We took turns at instructing and demonstrating the poses. Apart from the yoga and pranayama practices, we used to start the session and end it with kirtan.

Kirtan is the devotional chanting of the Lord’s name. Of course, it is a devotional practice; but if you look at it from another view, it is a great ice-breaker and does wonders to improve the mental disposition of the individual.

A lot of people (including me, before 1997), especially the educated ones are quite stiff about singing and chanting with abandon. Not so the children; they responded to the kirtan with gusto and it was wonderful to behold. By the way, I was the lead singer and drummer, though I am good at neither! In any case, the point is not a musical rendition of the songs, but to plunge into it with enthusiasm.

We had a great time. On arriving at five in the morning, we would find someone waiting for us. In particular, there was a nice child called Devraj, who would be at the gate for sure. The children would clean the place, set up the sound system, and roll the mats – all before our arrival at 5 am.

Devraj is a very bright student; he is in Standard V and achieved 100% in Math in his school and stood first in his class of 93 students. Mind you, this is a normal school and there are children of all backgrounds in it. The children of SOS Village are only a small fraction of the total students in it. I pray that he does well in life. All of us grew quite fond of him and of the others as well.

As for the classes, most of the children were quite eager. Of course, four or five were a bit too ‘energetic’ and we had to watch out for them constantly. Though they would act up and try to distract, I had no heart to reprimand them. Life has dealt all of them a rough hand; our prayers are with them.

Hermann Gmeiner, the founder of S.O.S. Children's Villages

I was explaining the effect of an asana here

After classes - the children would insist on carrying our things to the gate

On the last day - you can see some of the mothers and administrators in the last row, along with us

The corpse pose - as you can see, some of these kids were rather 'original' in their interpretation of our instructions

Devraj and Sriprasad Bhai (of my ashram)

Doing the 'bhramari', the humming bee - a wonderful pranayama for kids

Shavasana

Bhujangasana - the cobra pose

Tiryak Bhujangasana - cobra pose with a twist

I am explaining the effect of an asana on the stomach

Gurucharan Bhai - the great yogi!

Gurucharan Bhai again

The kids posing with two administrators of the Village

I am off to Delhi for a week; after I come back, we are planning to do a yoga program in one of the prisons of my hometown. It is an ‘open air’ prison – no barbed wires, towers or bars. The inmates live in barracks,  grow crops and it is not at all like a prison at all. It should be a great experience.

Ardha Matsyendrasana

Ardha Matsyendrasana (half spinal twist)

This asana takes its Sanskrit name from the great Yogic Sage Matsyendra. It is one of the yoga poses that rotate the spine. It is the ninth in the sequence of 12 basic postures of hatha yoga.

Ardha Matsyendrasana

Procedure:

• Sit on the mat with both legs outstretched in front of you.
• Bend your right leg place the right foot to the outside of the left knee. The toe of the right foot should point forward.
• Bend your left leg and place the left foot on the mat under the right leg and to the outside of your right hip. The sole of the left foot should touch the right buttock.
• Step the right foot over the left leg and place the sole of the right foot on the left side of the left knee. The sole of the right foot must rest firmly on the mat.
• The right knee should be pointed toward the ceiling.
• Take a deep breath, exhale and slowly raise your left hand over right knee and reach out for the sole of the right foot. In this position, the left shoulder should be to the right of the right knee. Don’t strain.
• Adjust your arm and body position a bit to get more comfortable. In this pose, the whole of the left arm should be in touch with your right leg and your left palm should be hooked under the sole of the right foot.
• When you perform this asana correctly, the left arm will act as a lever to twist the trunk and spine.
• Slowly twist your left arm across your back; the back of the right palm should try to reach for the abdomen or navel button.
• Leverage your left arm to accentuate the twist and gaze over your right shoulder toward the wall behind – this is the final position.
• Breathe normally in this position and remain in it for a few moments.
• Release the grip of the left hand and bring the right hand to the side of the body.
• Straighten both legs, slowly and gracefully, without resorting to jerks.
• Repeat the pose on and twist to the other side of the body.

Beginner’s variation: This is a relatively difficult asana and beginners may find it difficult to achieve the final pose. In such an event –

• Keep the left leg straight instead of bending it.
• If you have difficulty in reaching out for the sole of the foot, you can grasp the ankle or any point on the right shin with the right hand.
• If it is too difficult to bend the left arm across the back, you can place it on the mat behind you.

With time and practice, it will become possible to attain the final position.

Note:

1. It is easy to strain oneself in performing this asana. Flexible legs and legs, a leaner stomach and a supple spine are required to perform this asana. Keep in cognizance your own limitations while attempting this asana and never strain beyond limits.
2. Keep the spine passive to achieve greater flexibility.
3. In the final position, both shoulders should be at the same level.
4. Many people make the mistake of twisting the trunk in the wrong direction.

Breathing: Exhale while grasping the sole of the feet and while getting into the final position. Breathe normally in the final position.

Precaution:

Those suffering from hernia, peptic ulcers and hyperthyroidism are advised not to do this asana.

Though this asana is beneficial for those suffering from back troubles, you should be careful, especially if your problem is severe.

Women should not practice it after two or three months of pregnancy.

Benefits:

Ardha Matsyendrasana is one of the best twisting postures. It exerts a powerful pull on the back and the abdomen. Because of the twisting position, it stretches the muscles and nerves of the back and the spine.

This abdominal twist also has positive effects on the secretion from the various organs in the abdomen, resulting in better digestion and regulation of blood sugar. The small and large intestines also function better, thus helping to overcome flatulence, constipation and many other ailments of the gastro-intestinal system.

Those suffering from constipation are advised to twist to the right side first and then go on to the left. An initial twist to the right activates the nerves associated with the colon, thereby helping to bring about easy bowel movement.

This asana has been found to be beneficial in the treatment of backache, neck ache as well as stiffness of the spine.

Ardhya Matsendryasana brings about an almost instant release of tension. If done for long periods of time it leads to a wonderful sense of relaxation and introspection.

Sarvangasana

Sarvangasana (inverted shoulder stand)

Sarvangasana is the second of the twelve basic poses of Hatha Yoga. It is an inverted pose and sometimes called the ‘Queen of Asanas’. In Sanskrit, sarva means whole and anga means parts of the body; as the name suggests, this asana is an excellent tonic for the whole body.

It is highly beneficial to include an inverted pose in one’s yoga practice. Inverted asanas improve the blood circulation to the brain and help remove stale blood from the lower limbs. They also benefit the digestive system and many other organs of the body.

Though sirshasana (the head stand) is probably better known, sarvangasana offers all the benefits, minus the possible harms of sirshasana.

Sarvangasana

Procedure:

• Lie on your back on the mat with legs stretched out, palms near the body – this is the starting position.
• Relax the body for a few moments.
• Bend the knees and fold your legs, with the heels near the buttocks.
• Inhale and raise your legs off the ground by using the contraction of the abdominal muscles. Do not jerk and slowly raise your legs, taking about ten seconds to get the legs perpendicular to the ground – at this stage, the buttocks should be on the ground.
• Raise the buttocks and legs slowly and keep your legs together.
  • Lift the trunk, hips, and legs vertically. Support the back with the two hands, one on either side of the waist.
  • Rest the elbows firmly on the ground.
  • Make the body vertical to the ground; the body should be supported on your shoulders.
  • In the final posture, the chest should rest on the chin, exerting a gentle pressure on it (this is the jalandhara bandha).
  • Breathe normally in this final position – initially, it may be difficult to maintain it for more than a few seconds. With practice, it is quite beneficial to stay in this posture for two to three minutes.

From this position, you can either – a. go on to do halasana b. get back to the starting position.

Getting back to the starting position: Take extra care that you don’t jerk or fling your way back to the starting position.

1. From the perpendicular state, bend the legs so that they are over and behind the head and parallel to the ground.
2. Very slowly, release the position of the hands to let the body rest on the mat.
3. Rotate the legs slowly so that they come to rest on the ground. Try not to use the hands while doing this; without hands, the abdominal muscles will be nice massaged.

Notes:

• This asana calls for graceful movement of the body, while lifting the legs and while returning back to the floor. Please make sure that there are no jerks in your movement.
• The head should remain firmly on the mat during the whole practice.
• Try to ensure that the chest presses the chin – this will result in the jalandahara bandha, a highly beneficial practice. The main reason why some are unable to do so is because the trunk is not raised high enough. Use your hands to make your trunk perpendicular to the ground. Remember – the chest should press against the chin and not vice versa.
• Do not force or strain to touch the chin. Those with stiff necks will find this difficult initially; but they will be able to do so with practice and patience.

Breathing: Retain breath inside or outside while raising and lowering the body. Breathe normally in the final position.

Awareness: On the smooth movement of the body while moving in or out of the final posture. In the final position, on the breath process, especially at the throat.

Precautions: People suffering from slipped discs, cerebral thrombosis and severe neck injuries are advised not to practice this asana. Those with excessive high blood pressure, weak hearts, glaucoma or other eye disorders should not practice it. Though sarvangasana has a wonderful impact on the thyroid, those suffering from an excessively enlarged thyroid should not practice this asana, till the swelling is reduced.

It should not be done during menstruation or advanced stages of pregnancy.

Stop the practice if you experience any of these:

• Dizziness
• Excessive perspiration
• Palpitations of the heart
• And if you feel very uneasy

Benefits:

This asana is a panacea and provides immense benefits to the practitioner.

It influences the thyroid gland directly and thereby improves the metabolism of the body. It brings about hormonal balance and helps to normalize the body weight by balancing the endocrinal system.

It calms the brain and helps relieve stress and minor cases of depression.

Sarvangasana improves supply of blood to the brain, thus rejuvenating it.

It improves flexibility of the spine and particularly tones those nerves that pass through the neck.

Because of the pressure of the chest on the chin, it allows for deep abdominal breathing.

Sarvangasana is very useful for asthmatics since it promotes abdominal breathing.

It is used to alleviate piles, menstrual problems, sexual problems as well as constipation.

It relieves pressure from the veins of the lower body (varicose veins).

Those with mild cases of high blood pressure will benefit from it greatly, though people suffering from excessively high blood pressure are advised not to practice this asana.

Since the whole neck and face regions are flooded  with blood during this asana, it improves facial complexion and reduces wrinkles.

Above all, it is a very calming asana and brings about tranquility of the mind. It is an excellent asana to do before meditation.