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How yoga helps make 11 year old certified grounded Clare feel like a better person

Smiling girl in a pink hoodie with palms pressed togetherHow Yoga Makes Me Feel Like a Better Person

Yoga makes me feel like I’m fearless, more important to this world than I thought I was. It teaches me to be proud and positive, to respect others and understand what they may be going through.  It tells me to do what I need to do instead of holding it in~such as crying.

Because of yoga, I know now not to let people judge me, to listen when someone is speaking to me. Instead of hiding in my own world I should shine but with confidence.

I don’t know what my life would be like if I haven’t done yoga, but I know I have become respectful, thankful, loving, friendly, and fearless.

Child's handwritten essay titled How yoga makes me feel a better person

My name is Clare. I am in the 5th grade. I work hard in school thinking about my future. I have a learning disorder that makes it hard for me to learn fast, but I only study harder because I’m not going to let a little devil saying, ” I can’t do it.” hold me back.

Next year for middle school I’m going to Druid Hills. My best subject is math. I’m interested in animals and nature. I want the earth creatures to be respected.

My favorite color is red. Some people  say that red shouldn’t be my favorite color because it means stop, but I think of it as stop disrepect.

My name is Clare. I am 11 years old, and I do yoga.

Editor/Teacher note: Clare has been in yoga club since she was 5 and has had all these heart virtues all along. She just didn’t see it. Her perseverance, her loving family, and her open-hearted school environment, and of course her mindful breathing have helped clear the dust covering up the real Clare.

More will be revealed, I’m sure.

I feel so lucky to have witnessed her transformation and am delighted she wanted to share her journey with you.

Sat Nam

More to Explore

  • Snow White Yoga

    {Tada drastuh svarupe vasthanam}
    Patanjali’s Sutra Chapter 1, verse 3
    Then the SEER abides in it own NATURE
    Surely, it’s meant to BE~
    To ABIDE in our own SPLENDOR~
    The mind must get real quiet;
    it needs to uncover the truth
    and go on a Cloud free Diet.
    No need to grasp for light
    For it is already here and there.
    Let’s thin out the distorted clouds
    Of ignorance and despair.
    Let’s work with the muddled mind,
    Accept that clouds are blocking,
    Train to be more observant
    Of thoughts that keep on talking.
    Just like the sun up above
    Our LIGHT never dims to slur.
    It does get covered up.
    And distortion may occur.
    Dwarfs mine for diamonds
    In the classic tale SNOW WHITE.
    We mine for JOY
    It’s our undivided RIGHT.
    SNOW WHITE sings joyfully,
    As she tidies up the cottage.
    Birds and animals dance along
    And MiIRROR her BLISSFUL wattage.
    SNOW WHITE glistens KINDNESS,
    and undisturbed PURENESS,
    That exists at the core of her being
    Her true SELF, that’s for sureness.
    In yoga, we use our practice
    To support the removal of clouds~
    To ground into our inner brilliance
    And shine out free from the shrouds.
    “Just whistle while you work
    And cheerfully together we can tidy up the place
    So hum a merry tune
    It won’t take long when there’s a song to help you set the pace ”
    Keep your ankles in line with your knees
    And your knees in line with your hips.
    Clasp your elbows behind your back
    And rise up high on your toe-tips.
    Bend steady your knees.
    Stay high up on tiptoes.
    Whistle or hum a tune
    While you work to hold this pose!
    “And as you sweep the room
    Imagine that the broom is someone that you love
    And soon you’ll find you’re dancing to the tune
    When hearts are high the time will fly
    So whistle while you work”
    Clean the sand trap of cluttered thoughts
    With camel pose in a chair.
    Sit on the edge of your seat
    Place your hands behind you with care.
    Lift the sides of your heart up
    And the back of your heart high.
    Pull your head of the arm bones back.
    Soften both sides of your throat and sigh.
    Sigh your throat back,
    And LIFT YOUR HEART HIGH.
    WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK
    And allow time to fly.
    Place hands on your lap
    Lift your head back over your heart
    Ground your thighs and feet,
    And Feel the clouds depart.
    May we whistle while we work.
    May we notice our inner states.
    May our inner states be bright.
    And lighten our outer updates.
    May the sound that whistles tunes
    from within our deep heart’s abyss
    Ring loud and ring clear~
    OUR OWN TRUE NATURE IS BLISS!

  • Roadmap to Lucidity

    Or
    The map to LUCIDITY
    Inspired by Yoga Sutra 1.33 which reads:
    maitri karuna mudita upeksanam sukha duhkha punya apunya
    visayanam bhavanatah cittaprasadanam
    The map to LUCIDITY?
    YES! Have you heard?
    Takes four states to get there~
    Not that absurd.
    The first is of FRIENDSHIP
    toward those who are happy.
    Even when you feel distant,
    resistance and slappy.
    The second is of COMPASSION
    toward those in distress.
    Tough when annoyed,
    imposed on and stressed.
    The third is of JOY
    toward those who are good
    through roadblocks of useless
    and misunderstood.
    The fourth is of EQUANIMITY
    toward those who are foul
    who are lacking in virtue,
    and react with a growl.
    Here in our mapping
    Four residents are mentioned.
    How we perceive them
    Is our fierce contention.
    Our attitudes we go for
    From composure to kind~
    Get us closer to LUCIDITY
    Where we STABILIZE our mind.
    Memorize these four~
    And observe in daily life.
    During times of quiet,
    Noise, and even strife.
    So buckle up~
    And prepare for a ride~
    To align your attitude,
    And try the untried.
    Close your eyes~
    Feel the state you are in~
    Soften your heart~
    your throat, and your skin.
    Drop your breath
    right into your heart~
    It’s made up of LOVE~
    And that’s where you start.
    Inhale with the thought~
    May I be friendly~
    Exhale with the thought~
    May I give friendship.
    .
    May I be COMPASSIONATE
    with your next inhale
    May I give COMPASSION
    with your next exhale.
    Inhale with the thought~
    May I have JOY~
    Exhale with the thought~
    May I give JOY.
    May I have EQUANIMITY
    with your inhale.
    May I give CALMNESS
    with your exhale.
    When someone comes to mind
    Offer these prayers
    No matter their issues,
    Their stains, or their stares.
    May you be LOVING~
    May you be LOVED ~
    May you be PEACEFUL~
    May you give PEACE~
    Your states of envy and mean
    Get smaller each time~
    Intolerance is removed
    You get closer to SUBLIME.
    Once your mind is CLEAR,
    And you’re CENTERED and FREE
    Skillfulness in ACTION
    Will be … Will be~

  • Go Ahead – Push My Buttons

    push (one’s) buttons verb •    Make one react, or react unfavorably; to aggravate; to show off another’s character faults; to taunt. She knows how to push all his buttons. Unfortunately, most “button pushers” get a bad rap.  They’re considered rude and inconsiderate. They are the difficult people in life.  Teachers send them to the principals…

  • Peaceful Kids

    In 2017, Alpharetta Lifestyle magazine interviewed Sedef Dion, co-creator of Pre-Grounded Kids Yoga, for an article called “Peaceful Kids.” At the time Sedef taught children’s yoga at Life Time Fitness Alpharetta, in classes for children as young as 3. Sedef spoke about what yoga gives children: strength, flexibility, self-awareness, self-regulation and focus, along with tools…

  • Fear On The Run

    Found: This Fear escaped from a very Grounded 9 year old’s first chakra. Her thighs were rooted and her connection to the earth was solid. She faced her fears, and actually whispered to herself, “I have the Right to be Here.” After the Fear escaped she felt even more Grounded and Elevated and aware of where she was in space.

  • Shames, Shames, Go Away! And Don’t Come Back Another Day!

    Inspired by Yoga Sutra 2.16 Heyam dukham anagatam
    Avoidable is the suffering
    that has not yet to come~
    That feeling of shame
    That sticks like chewed gum.
    How do we get through places
    That are stuck deep inside?
    Where the holdings, the collections
    The patterns reside?
    The patterns of feeding
    Our suction cupped shames~
    With secrets and silence
    And judgements and blames.
    Attract the energy of movement~
    And comfort with movement~
    Comfort with change~
    Comfort with improvement.
    Create space between impulse
    And action that binds~
    The stuck feelings that resists
    Our meetings of minds.
    Space is the experience
    Of minds open and bright
    The Wisdom of Grace
    Is filled up with light.
    Grace is the knowing
    Our mistakes serve an aim~
    Instead of allowing
    Our mistakes to serve shame.
    So to prevent future suffering~
    And the feeding of shames~
    Create a steady practice
    Of breath work and aims.
    Here’s a mantra for you
    To embody and embed~
    Press thumb into each finger
    And say in your head~
    {I inhale to prepare~
    I exhale to share~
    I inhale to release blame~
    I exhale to transform shame~*}
    {Repeat 11 times}~
    Keep your sitting bones rooted.
    Slowly rotate your core ~
    Counterclockwise 3 rounds
    Your breath? Don’t ignore!
    Inhale going backwards,
    Exhale going forward .
    Your movements ride on your
    breath~
    It’s pretty straight forward.
    Pause and move clockwise.
    Repeat 11 times.
    Close eyes and listen.
    To your heart beat like chimes.
    Find someone you know,
    You love and you trust
    Show them your shames
    And watch your blames turn to dust.
    May we have what it takes
    To transform all our shames~
    To allow our mistakes
    To serve our Great Aim~