The Use of Mantras in Children Yoga Classes
Mantras are an inherent part of Yoga traditional practices and can be translated as Repetitions or Affirmations. When Mantras are quoted in Sanskrit, and are related to religious texts, you should take careful consideration prior to bringing in cultural and religious texts. In particular when teaching in UK State schools, we should be aware that we need to be partial and inclusive. Best err on the side of cautions and remove religious statements or Sanskrit from your Children Yoga classes.
However Affirmations that are appropriate, non cultural or judgmental can be used. Trust your instinct and try out experiment in your classes.
I use a little rhyme with a dynamic sequence ‘Up-Salut to Forward Bend’ that says ” I am happy, I am good, stretching up high, rolling down low’. I asked the children what they thought and whether they would be happy to participate in a little experiment. We practiced 3 rounds and on the 3rd round, I asked that we really smiled at each other.
At the end of the practice, most children felt good (ie better) just as the Affirmation said, even though the older children felt that the rhyme was a little childish for them. They understood the experiment and were surprised to feel the benefits first-hand. This gave us the opportunity to discuss how smiling is a technique ion positive attitude that can actually make us and others feel better.
Sometimes, as Mr Jon Kabat Zinn would say himself ‘we do not have to like it, we just have to do it ‘ 🙂
You may find lots of other affirmation that the children could participate in co-creating, linking emotions or ‘state’ to particular Yoga poses or characters.
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