Shine On

Limber Llama Yoga teacher, Jennifer Weiss teaching at Girls Inc. of Washington County.

Shine On

Confidence Sparkles

What would my childhood have been like if I had been exposed to yoga at age 10?  This very question is what led me to begin volunteering with pre-teens and teenagers in Hagerstown.

When I pose this question to my adult students, they sigh, and say life would have been so much easier.  “I would have more confidence in my body.”  “I could have taken more time to react to situations.” “I may have been a more authentic me.”  And the list goes on and on.

All the benefits adults enjoy as a regular yoga practice, teens can experience too.  From the ability to act consciously instead of reacting to a situation to redirecting negative thoughts into positive ones, yoga is a toolbox of movement, breath and mind practices.  This toolbox aids in building self-confidence, gaining greater depth of enjoyment of life, and giving courage to be the real you.

It may not seem like all of these benefits are possible, but let’s break it down.  When a student begins practicing yoga poses (asanas), she first has to let go of what’s happening outside her mat in order to do the pose correctly.  Once she gains some confidence in her Downward Facing Dog, she’ll start to connect her breath to each movement.   Then, she stops the movement, but continues to focus on the breath while calming the mind.

The student then begins to practice self-awareness (paying attention) off the mat.  She takes a breath before speaking.  She understands and communicates the feelings she’s experiencing.  She takes more time to make smart decisions.  She gains more confidence in herself as well as her support system.

Who wouldn’t want these benefits?  And who wouldn’t want to give them to their son or daughter?  During the month of March 2014, teens (ages 10-18) can practice for free when accompanied by a paying adult to any Limber Llama Yoga class.