Keeping Our Kids Healthy Through Yoga in Schools

The Wellness Initiative’s 4^th Annual Yogathon

Cheribundi is pleased to sponsor The Wellness Initiative’s 4^th annual Yogathon Saturday, April 27 at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. It is the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year and goes toward bringing yoga programs to kids in schools throughout Colorado. Mara Rose, Executive Director of The Wellness Initiative (TWI), provided us with some insight on the event and the organization that it supports.

The Wellness Initiative

TWI was founded in 2006 in order to provide low-income area youth with the opportunity to improve physical, social and emotional health, and increase overall academic performance. “TWI was founded to provide yoga to students in Colorado and address the growing concern that students of all ages suffer from increasingly stressful and unhealthy lives,” says Mara. “Because many of the students in our programs lack the opportunities and tools to relax, reflect, strengthen and focus, their self confidence,

physical health and academic performance suffer.”

During the 2012-2013 school year, TWI is providing almost 2,500 students in 37 schools throughout 6 counties with yoga-based wellness programs. The students are introduced to ways to relax, control their anger and gain awareness about their health. These programs helps to keep kids from developing mental health disorders, and off of psychotropic drugs for conditions such as anxiety, ADHD and depression. The program also keeps kids exercising and healthy, which is important considering that more than 9 million children in the US are overweight and will be at a higher risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

The Yogathon

This is the fourth year that the Yogathon has taken place. The event has been held at Naropa University in Boulder for three years. Mara describes the location as “warm and welcoming with values that align with our values, although the work we do is totally secular.”

Over the year, the event has grown to provide almost double in funding. TWI’s goal this year is $40,000, which will fund almost 600 yoga classes. The Yogathon expects 200 participants this year, and each pledged to raise at least $108. The event’s success is mostly because “awareness among yoga practitioners has grown, corporate sponsorship has increased, and the whole process is much easier now that it was a couple of years ago,” according to Mara. All of the proceeds raised will go towards paying for The Wellness Initiative’s programs.

The event features 108 sun salutations by 10 yoga instructors from around the area, live music, all-levels yoga classes, a silent auction

and food, drinks and other goodies (including Cheribundi!). Cheribundi is proud to be part of this event, and the movement of promoting yoga and wellness in schools. Good work, TWI!

Guest Blog—Yogathon to Benefit Kids

By Lori Flynn

Full Circle Yoga

This Saturday marks the return of the Wellness Initiative’s Yogathon in Boulder, Colo.  


Participants in the event pledge to complete 108 Sun Salutations—either as individuals or as part of a team—to raise money and awareness for the organization's commitment to providing yoga, meditation and mindfulness programs to youth in low income school systems.

Why the need for yoga in schools?  Yoga has been recognized for providing many benefits beyond the obvious stretching and flexibility so commonly associated with it. 


Yoga is often credited with providing improved memory function and learning efficiency, increased well-being and self acceptance and increased social skills, concentration and attention.  

A recent study conducted by Purdue and Indiana Universities in conjunction with Yoga For Kids in Central New York concluded that, “YogaKids Tools for Schools has a significant positive effect on the academic achievement, general health, personal attributes and relationships of students in Kindergarten through 5th grade.”  


The kids liked it too, as evidenced in their comments following the study:

I think behavior in the class has changed. It has improved after yoga because we are calm, relaxed and ready to learn.

When I get stressed out, I right away find a quiet spot and listen to music and then do Yoga. It has also made me more calmer [sic] and more patient. In school. I find that I am paying attention more and also raising my hand. Yoga has really not changed my life but is has helped my personality. I feel my confident about myself.

I don't just, out of the blue, scream at someone, I stay calm. I am getting better grades and I participate more. It helps me when my teacher made a Yoga zone in our room because I can go there during free time and silent reading time too.

If you are in the Boulder/Denver area, consider participating in the Third Annual Yogathon this Saturday. If you are not in the area, you can still participate by donating to the Wellness Initiative. 


Cheribundi will be there, with bottles of juice for all of the participants! To register, donate or simply learn more, please visit http://www.wellnessinitiative.org/. 

Namaste!

Lori is a musician, yoga teacher and gypsy currently residing in Lyons, CO. Visit her on Facebookor at FullCircleYogaOnline.com.

Guest Blog—The Gift of Knowing Yourself

Being Present—It’s All GOOD

By Lori Flynn

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” ~Anais Nin

I teach yoga. As a yoga teacher, it is my passion to guide people into the present moment, help them watch their thoughts and start to feel and sense rather than spend so much time “thinking.”

The meditation and movement work we do in a 75-minute class, over time, begins to find its way into the lives of students in the world outside of the yoga studio. It is through this work that we begin to notice the “ruts” our thoughts create in our lives and the automatic responses that follow certain triggers.

At first, this can be frightening for people. Many people approach yoga as a strictly physical practice. When I lead a meditation at the beginning of class I can almost hear the mind chatter of students. Once it begins to die down, there is a calmness that takes over the room—followed quickly by a panic of sorts: eyes suddenly opening, nervous glancing around the room, hair fixing and outfit manipulations.

After a few classes, though, a new student begins to settle quickly into the meditation and remains calm for the 8-10 minute period of stillness. Week after week, students return, their small talk at the beginning of class evolving from “Hi. How are you? I am fine,” to “I’ve had some major shifts in my life in the way that I’ve been dealing with stress at my job.”

When we start any practice centered around the concept of watching the mind, a new world opens to us. We first are met with the concept of what is commonly referred to as the “witness consciousness.”

As soon as we notice we are “watching our thoughts,” we are faced with the question of WHO is watching. Am I not my thoughts? If not, what ARE these things?

It is our minds’ duties to create stories and assist us in making sense of the world. Once we start to tune in to that process, the new territory can be both thrilling and scary. We are creatures of habit and can be extremely attached to our coping mechanisms, crutches, addictions and behaviors. Without taking the time to sit with ourselves for even a few minutes a day, these deep ruts can actually nurture behaviors that are no longer serving us. This is what drives us crazy.

When we learn to be present with our thoughts, we can start to look at the way we integrate experience into our lives. If we are not seeing the results that make us feel safe, secure and valued, we can pinpoint a reaction to our thought stream that is no longer serving us.

Then, we can start to experiment with new ways of “being” in our own lives. The good news is that because what we’ve been doing up until now isn’t working for us anymore, we get to try any number of approaches that just might. The ‘not so good at first’ news is that it is scary. Changing life-long habits requires stepping out of a comfort zone.  But think about it—is it really that comfy if we’re seeking a way out? Probably not.

We live in a busy world of reactive decision-making. Remember to take time for yourself throughout the day to simply take a deep breath and stop for a minute. You really don’t need any formal guidance to simply sit, tune in to your own thoughts and bring yourself into the present moment.

If you want to explore and go deeper, then certainly shop around for a teacher and practice that resonates with you. Either way, giving yourself the gift of knowing yourself and integrating daily experience into your personal evolutionary path is one of the best things you can do for your physical, emotional and spiritual health.

Have fun!

Lori is a musician, yoga teacher and gypsy currently residing in Lyons, CO. Visit her on Facebook or at FullCircleYogaOnline.com.

Guest Blog—My current recipe for exercise success:

Variation and Rewards

By Bobby McCullough

It was a little over a year ago that I decided to get proactive about my health and integrate exercise into my daily life. As someone who was aiming to be mentally healthier, I recognized that improving my physical health would be a crucial part of the solution.

  

With all the traveling that I do, I initially had concerns about whether I would be able to maintain any kind of exercise schedule.  As it turns out, I found that the inconsistencies in my whereabouts and schedule could actually help keep things interesting!  

First and foremost, I have had some of the most amazingly scenic runs while on the road: on the trails of Redwood National Forest, in the mountains of Colorado and through the urban landscapes of cities like San Francisco and Seattle.  

When I toured last summer, I also used running as a way to explore the small towns that we tour through.  I would wake up early on Saturdays to shop at the local farmers markets or I would find some interesting local stores I wanted to visit and base my run around them.  I also get to visit so many different gyms and yoga studios, the change of atmosphere is something I now look forward to.  

On this past tour with Benyaro, I went to about 15-20 different yoga studios, took a variety of types of classes and practiced with all kinds of people.  With all these variables, exercising on the road becomes more fun and interesting.  Also, between meeting people after the band’s performances and meeting people the next day at markets, stores and yoga classes, I feel like I haven’t just seen a town but have been able to get small sense of the community there.

The other focus that has kept me going for the last year is creating rewards for myself.  The first thing I focused on was how great it felt after exercising in the morning and feeling like I had earned my breakfast.  

When I first started, my goal was just to “do something” before breakfast—simple.  Whether it was a short jog, some weightlifting or a yoga class, I would find something to do before I ate breakfast.  

I love feeling like I have earned my food that day and also enjoy the feeling of actually being hungry, not just eating out of habit. Also, if I exercise at some point during the day, I feel like I can go out and not have to be as cautious about how much I eat or if I have too much dessert, because I have earned it.  I’ve found that it’s amazing how much you can eat when you exercise regularly!  

Focusing on rewarding myself enjoying the rewards that naturally come from exercising are what fuel my motivation to keep moving.

Bobby McCullough is a touring musician living in NYC, who has recently refocused much of his energy on healthy and happy living.

Guest Blog—Spring Cleaning for Your Mind and Body

By Lori Flynn

Full Circle Yoga

Spring has arrived and brought with it a transformative energy that can be found in and around us. In tune with nature, our stored energy from winter introspection is now bursting at the seams to be nurtured and materialize in one way or another. 

With spring, comes the participation—willingly or not—in noticeable internal and external shifts. Some of us find ourselves moving, buying a new car or switching jobs, while others start new relationships, pick up a new instrument or just generally seek new ways of “be”-ing. Whatever the change of seasons has brought your way, there are some crucial areas of life to nurture that will help you maximize how this time of shift and transformation can best serve you.

Be Selfish – when we board a plane and are given the emergency instructions we are told to secure our oxygen mask before helping others. That is the kind of healthy selfishness needed to nurture change in ourselves. Make time for you: walking in nature admiring spring's abundance, setting aside a space in your home for meditation and quiet reflection, or visiting an art museum are all soulful solo activities that connect you to your source, allowing you to really become in tune with where your path is taking you. We all want to participate in our chosen communities; there is no greater gift we can give “the whole” than showing up as the best version of ourselves.

Fuel – Just as walking in nature helps to neutralize our human emotional frenzy, having a diet as close to nature as possible is one of the best ways to honor our minds and bodies. Take inventory of what you’re eating and recognize that food is your fuel. Cultivate a relationship with your food when possible; grow veggies, visit an organic farm, get to know your local farmers. Eat mindfully; set aside a time and space in your home or in nature to eat your meal and fully enjoy it; honor all the elements of nature and humans that participated in getting your food to your plate. Most importantly, opt for food and drink with as little alterations from nature as possible.

Exercise – Movement helps us to relieve stress, clearing our minds and allowing us to establish our center. Not exercising? Start now. Bored with your current routine? Try something new! Possibilities are endless year round: hiking, skiing, yoga, stand up paddle boarding, dance, running. Remember, what works for others may not resonate with you; try a variety of things in order to find something that fits…or embark on an adventure to try one new thing each week.

Sleep – Get some. Preferably eight hours per night. While ongoing research has yet to nail down the exact reason that we sleep, we really don’t need to know the reason for it to know that it’s good for us. Theories include body-based muscle recovery and brain-based information integration—both of which are crucial for maintaining and establishing wellness.

Create –Find an outlet for your creative energy—drawing, painting, dancing, journaling, cooking—and let your right brain do the driving. Keep the energy flowing!

Lori is a musician, yoga teacher and gypsy currently residing in Lyons, CO. Visit her on Facebook or at FullCircleYogaOnline.