YogaSkills for Children:
A Guide for Teaching Children the Science of Internal Self Regulation (ISR)
By, Yirser Ra Hotep (Elvrid Lawrence), MSW, MCKYT, RYT
Yoga has been demonstrated to be a tremendous tool for the physical, mental and emotional development of children. Studies show that children who practice Yoga and meditation (which is an integral aspect of Yoga) have better grades, better test scores, better social skills, less behavior problems and greater consciousness, personal insight and self awareness. Children who practice Yoga are also less likely to suffer from high blood pressure, asthma, obesity, diabetes and other common illnesses that are rampant at epidemic levels in American society. These youth perform better in athletics and other activities such as dance, martial arts, gymnastics and the fine arts.
Yoga is the foundation of stress management and personal self-development. Yoga operates in both children and adults through a process I call Internal Self Regulation or ISR. ISR denotes an individual’s ability to access the parasympathetic aspect of the autonomic nervous system and to regulate those aspects for the central nervous system and the endocrine system that are normally outside of the control of those not trained in ISR techniques.
The parasympathetic aspect of the autonomic nervous system controls the response to stress and activates the body’s natural ability to heal itself and bring about a state of homeostasis. Homeostasis is a state of balance where the myriad of systems that regulate the body are in harmony with each other. When under stress the body/mind complex perceives a state of danger and emergency. Hormones such as adrenaline and cortisone are secreted raise blood pressure, increase heart rate, tense muscles, sends blood away from the core to the limbs and floods the blood stream with stored fats and sugars. All of this is and more is done in anticipation of what is commonly called flight or fight, a primitive response programmed into us from pre-historic times that is useful only when we are in physical danger. This response is not needed for the kinds of non-dangerous stressors that we experience, yet these physiological response still persist as a consequence of our evolution.
Yoga teaches children to activate the parasympathetic nervous system through controlled breathing, postures and concentration. The parasympathetic aspect of the autonomic nervous system has the opposite effect of the sympathetic. It causes a reduction in blood pressure, directs blood into the inner core organs to stimulate digestion, assimilation and elimination which are essential for growth and health maintenance. Fats and sugars stored in the body are not secreted into the blood stream thus lessening the chance of hypertension, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. In fact other hormones and chemicals called endorphins are secreted by the endocrine system (system of ductless glands that regulate body functions chemically) that enhances healing and provides a psycho-emotional sense of serenity, self-control and inner harmony. The ability to create this state within oneself is what is called ISR, Internal Self Regulation.
