With violence and bullying reaching epidemic proportions in both the real world and cyberspace, many people are looking for ways to reduce violent outbursts in children. Yoga is proving to be an inexpensive but effective solution to violence problems and has shown great promise. By allowing youngsters to learn control over both their physical body and emotional processes, yoga provides a much safer outlet for negative energy and thoughts than many other activities. Here is a look at why and how the practice helps children.
Like other sports and physical activities, yoga provides youngsters with a chance to move their bodies. Doing so expends energy that can release itself in unacceptable ways if not properly channeled. Due to its noncompetitive nature, however, yoga is able to offer many of the benefits of sports without the anxiety and apprehension that gym classes and team sports induce in the less physically fit.
Even when the endorphin rush of yoga isn't enough to counteract all of a child's negative feelings, it still teaches him or her how to deal with those feelings. The meditation aspect of the practice allows instructors to lead children through a series of meditations and exercises designed to help them find inner peace and learn how to let go of negative feelings before they become overwhelming or overpowering.
Based on feedback from students participating in yoga classes, the practice is especially beneficial to those in low-income families and dense urban environments. These children rarely get much time or space to themselves but report that yoga gives them this. Learning yoga and meditation provides these children with a way to access their own private inner world when they need a level of space and quiet that their external environment is unable to provide. Unfortunately, school districts in urbanized and poor areas often cut funding to programs like music and yoga instruction due to a lack of budget, leaving volunteers to step in and help students in need of physical and emotional outlets.
It has already been shown that kids who practice yoga are more focused and engaged in school and have fewer behavioral problems. While more research is needed before it can be conclusively stated that yoga reduces violent tendencies in youth, it is certainly a logical place to start.