Principle: action based on awareness and driven by compassion.
Skills and strategies combined with compassion and wisdom.
Children don't act up to make you angry, they do it because of the way they feel. Skilful action- pali kulsala. Skilful action has a technical and moral element. Unskilful or inappropriate action comes from suffering. If we look at this in our children then we can remain calm and choose a response. Compassion and wisdom lie at the heart of Buddhist philosophy. Idiot compassion is compassion without wisdom. (Buddhist teacher). The experience of mindfulness is one of clear alertness. Mindfulness will bring inner peace and children will feel this from us and internalise it.
Unmet needs are why children act inappropriately.
Partial reinforcement vs consistency. Consistency always!
Age appropriate expectations: 2-3yrs - egocentric, , I am the centre of the universe!' No, no and no. Autonomy vs mistrust
3-4- 'i can do it myself.
4-8 more competitive. Boys physically have a surge in testosterone and have heaps of energy due to this.
9-12 more aware of outside influences.
12- 17 peers are more important than anything. Finding out 'who am I?'
Building inner confidence not external. 'I am proud of myself'.
Empathetic listening: can you remember how it felt to be a child?
Can you remember what part you played in sibling order and in your family? Were you labelled? How did that make you feel?
Children can then become what they are told, self prophecy emerges this can set them up for hurt and low self esteem if they ever fail in that role or if it is negative, they can become that also.
Using self expression. "I feel" not "you make me feel". You are in charge of your feelings not your children.
Taking on the mood of others. It's effects on family.
Problem solving
Self discipline and ownership.
Resilience. What does it look like?
Compassion for self.
Trust in your intuition. Say sorry if you made a mistake. Forgive yourself.
Yoga for the whole family! Reconnect to your inner child.
Benefits: We are all part of the elements that made up the stars. The universal laws of nature has as its purpose to seek balance. Chinese medicine talks about energy lines (meridians) and energy vortexes ( chakras) (Hindu) and how the human body is more than purely its chemistry. It also includes our physical, mental and spiritual realms of existence. All our body systems are connected and although some asanas focus on different parts of the body, asanas also work the whole body. Understanding of anatomy helps yoga teachers be better at helping others in their yoga practice. Our cells are unique to us. 'True health starts at the cellular level and yoga can prana and Apana helps Balance within the cellular level and the respiratory system is vital for balance between nourishment and toxin elimination. Breathing oxygen in and carbon dioxide out. The throat shakra being the key to Pranayana as you breath more deeply you oxygenate your blood which facilitates energy production and waste elimination. The circulatory system carries this oxygenated blood around our systems. Deep vein thrombosis and sluggish movement of blood back to the heart can be avoided with physical activity, including inversions, due to stimulating the circulatory system. The Solar plexus chakra (the gut) is the hardest area to work on and relax. Sahasrara ( crown chakra) :in the brain Pranayana can affect the nervous system and the third eye is a gateway to intuition. The root Chakra and the sacral chakra relates to the reproductive system and are vital to human survival. Our Muscles, bones and having a flexible spine and shoulder region are all important to feeling healthy and young. Our joints and ligaments are also kept healthy and young by practising yoga. Yoga teachers should take care to protect knee joints, lower back and necks of students when teaching.
Other topics to be covered: Meditation- mindfulness , sensibilities, self-esteem, chill skills.
There is a story that goes like this:
Once upon a time, a student went to a great sage to ask about the meaning of life and how to attain the direct experience of the Highest.
He asked his question, but the sage gave no answer. He just sat there.
Again, the student asked about how to find and fulfill the Purpose of life. Again, the sage just sat there.
The student tried different words, and appealed with great emotion. The sage just sat there, as before.
Finally, the student became frustrated, and blurted out, in an angry tone, "Why don't you answer me!"
The sage smiled, and said, "I have been answering you, but you were not listening. The answer you are looking for is to be found only in Silence."
To sit in stillness and silence for even a few minutes each day is a very useful thing to do.
May you find that silence which leads to Silence.
Swami Jnaneshvara
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