YOGA FOR CHILDREN: Teacher's Handbook

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The Yoga Institute, Santacruz has been striving hard to educate the public and to emphasize that Yoga is more than Asanas. Yoga strives to help one experience certain feelings and states of mind. Asanas are useful in achieving these states, if performed with understanding and awareness.

Starting with the awareness of one's own limitation, Yoga lessons in the book, slowly but steadily help the student to discover his inner strength and develop several positive attitudes contributing to personality development. Emphasis in this book is not so much on intellectual understanding as on experiencing various states of mind, such as concentration, relaxation and tranquility.

This is the first of a series of books planned as per the NCERT syllabus for teaching Yoga in schools; Yoga institute was actively associated with the NCERT in preparing the syllabus. In addition to the publication of books and posters., the institute also conducts 15-day residential and non-residential camps for teachers to train them to teach Yoga in schools.

Preface:

This book is dedicated to the children of this nation, who need a firm foundation to grow into responsible citizens of tomorrow. We have failed today in providing children with building blocks from which they could build a lasting edifice to live and grow in. We are unfortunately just providing children with information and skills that does not help them to live a meaningful and contented life.

The external chaos we witness today is a projection of the internal chaos, viz. irresponsible lifestyle (Adharma), ignorance of a higher level of consciousness (Ajnana), materialistic attachment (Avairagya) and the resultant incapacities (Anaisvarya).

The aim of Yoga is to remove obstacles and move from Adharma to Dharma, Anjana to Jnana, Raga to Vairagya and Anaisvarya to Aisvarya.

According to Yoga, there are eight Bhavas or states of Buddhi, the Intellect. They are:

1. Dharma or Self-directed discipline.
2. Jnana or knowledge of one's body, mind and soul.
3. Vairagya or detachment which enables one to be objective in his perception.
4. Aisvarya or capacities resulting from pursuit of the first three.
5. Adharma, opposite of Dharma.
6. Ajnana, ignorance.
7. Avairagya, attachment.
8. Anaisvarya, incapacities.

The scope of this book, is Jnana, which is achieved by increasing body awareness. It aims at helping students to create certain positive mental states by developing one's own body awareness. As this cannot be fruitfully achieved without self-discipline and self-direction certain activities are provided for the same. There is also an introduction to the other two Bhavas, viz.
Vairagya and Aisvarya.

We are thankful to Kum. Suchitra Pareekh and Shri Subba Rao who took the help of Smt. A. N. Desai, Shri N. P. Desai, Shri Kartik Vyas, Smt. Falguni Harkishandas, Shri Niranjan Gogia, Shri Kaushik Joshi, Smt. Neha Sonpar and other Sadhakas in preparing this book.

Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra
Director
The Yoga Institute, Santacruz

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