The teenage years are a difficult time. I can only imagine how tough it must be for parents and the child-adult. I have kids too and I find myself thinking that if at 6 and 2 they can be so difficult imagine, what 15 will feel like! However, as the old saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining, and so it is with teenage troubles too. The myriad changes that the body goes through during the transition from childhood to adulthood can be bolstered by yoga.
The effects of “growing up” can be effectively tempered by a good asana practice topped off with a simple meditation practice. Teens yoga includes an exacting asana regime and could really minimize the effects of hormonal changes that teenagers inevitably go through. Sun salutations are an amazing asana that would leave them both energized and calm at the same time. The breath awareness techniques of yoga help teens take their gaze inwards and become more aware of their bodies. In this way they feel somewhat in control of what is happening to them during the transition. The idea is to help them undertsand their body better so that nothing that goes on is a mystery or a confusing series of events.
Teens yoga, as the name suggests is for teenagers. However, to introduce a child of three to pranayama is a suggestion from the yogis that parents would be wise to follow. In other words, it is great preparation for yoga during teenage. The simple bee humming breath is something a three-year old will delight in practicing and from there on, it can only get more interesting for them. At the age of seven they can be introduced to more yoga and after that the sky is the limit. Teens yoga can be started around the age of 12 for both boys and girls.
Balancing asanas are great for helping anyone feel grounded, but only more so in the case of teenagers I would imagine - therefore, they are an indespesible part of any teens yoga program. The shoulder stand is wonderful for balancing the hormones and together with the plough pose and the fish pose, it is most effective. The fish pose acts as a counter asana for the shoulder stand because the spine gets flexed both ways and so do the glands in the neck and chest. The endocrine system gets a bit of a workout too and that could only be a good thing.
Yoga nidra and relaxation techniques of different kinds could also be used to generate a feeling of self love and acceptance commonly absent through the teenage years. Yoga helps to develop a positive body image, acceptance of the body as it is, and a positive attitude toward life.