Hopefully, many of you are hitting the beach this month to disconnect from work and reconnect with nature, family and most importantly, yourself.
If you are looking for a few books to inspire your children’s yoga teaching journey, as well as texts to nourish your whole self – body, mind and spirit, check out what our teacher trainer team has been reading below.
Ann Biese: When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanthi. Talk about life becoming precious in matter of moments. Paul Kalanthi, a 36-year-old neurosurgeon doctor, is diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. He becomes the patient, now struggling to live versus treating patients. He writes: "The tricky part of illness is that you go through it, your values are constantly changing. You try to figure out what matters to you, and then you keep figuring it out." So thought provoking. A must read.
Colleen Smith: The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World, by the Dalai Lama. To hear their stories, memories, lessons learned, and teachings on how to find joy and peace in the midst of the turmoils of everyday life is very inspiring. I also think this book beautifully illustrates how people of different beliefs, cultures etc. can get along, be respectful of each other, and even become friends. So much of this book is the epitome of yoga off the mat.
Jennifer Mueller: It's OK Not to Share and Other Renegade Rules for Raising Competent and Compassionate Kids by Heather Shumaker. Heather discusses why applying adult sensibilities to small people doesn’t do what we hope and what to do instead. It’s engaging and really questions some conventional wisdom about appropriate behavior and imparting values to kids.
Lisa Flynn: A Daily Dose of Mindful Moments: Applying the Science of Mindfulness and Happiness, by Barbara Larrivee. I was introduced to this gem of a book in my research to find helpful resources for the educators we train through the Yoga 4 Classrooms program. Simply learning to develop the habit of pausing throughout the day to take a mindful moment can be incredibly helpful and accessible both from a personal and professional perspective. Larrivee shares the science in an easy to read format and offers solid, helpful tips for incorporating mindful moments throughout the day. Highly recommended for parents, caregivers, educators and really everyone!
Meg Durkin: Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult. I really enjoyed this book because it is a powerful reminder about the prevalence of racism in our country. This fiction book focuses on white supremacy and what it feels like to be an African-American in our society today. Jodi Picoult is gifted at showing both sides of the story and how it fits into our modern day American culture.
Megan Morris: The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, by Charles Duhigg. The studies referenced in this book alone are well worth the read! I am learning so many interesting things and am inspired to stay the course with developing new habits, knowing now that while old habits never really die, a commitment to new habits can literally retrain our brain. I recently lost 100 pounds and directly see how the power of habit influenced my every day choices to a healthier me. Can’t get enough of this book!
Michelle James: I Am Here Now: A Creative Mindfulness Guide and Journal by The Mindfulness Project. Not so much a read, more a “DO!” There are so many activities that can be done yourself as a teacher/parent/person to deepen your own personal mindfulness practice. These same activities can be used with many different age groups of children simply as is, or with just a slight adaptation. There’s something for everyone…whether you enjoy the creative or the analytic side of your brain…whether you like nice neat cut outs, or tearing the page right out…this book shares way to simply “Breathe the waves!”
Julie Davis: A Beautiful, Terrible Thing, by Jen Waite. This is a true account of one woman’s experience of being married to a sociopath. An easy read and was interesting to learn about sociopathology. Best part however is that it’s a story of strength and survival and was a reminder that we have ability to overcome more than we think possible.
Rochelle Jewell: Go In and In: Poems From the Heart of Yoga by Danna Faulds. I discovered this book in 2001 and have been reading from Danna’s books at the end of my yoga classes ever since I first picked this one up. I love that no matter which poem I choose to share, it speaks to someone in my group. Danna has used yoga, mindfulness and poetry to manage life stressors for decades.
Sally Delisle: The Law of Attraction, by Esther and Jerry Hicks. My sister loaned me this book after a two-hour conversation on her back porch regarding “humility”. Although it is intended to be read cover to cover, I open to a random page amazed to find it is exactly what I need to contemplate that day. Our thoughts become our reality. It is important to tend to them.
Our trainer team’s mutual pick? Lisa’s new release, the Yoga for Children-Yoga Cards: 50+ Yoga Poses and Mindfulness Activities for Healthier, More Resilient Kids!
Whether you are an educator, occupational therapist, parent or kids’ yoga teacher, Yoga for Children—Yoga Cards offers a fun and user-friendly approach to teaching and learning.
Complete with full-color, easy-to-follow photographs and step-by-step instructions, this interactive deck includes more than 50 cards divided into four, color-coded categories as well benefits information to make it easy for you and your children to choose a single practice or plan a sequence. Activities include Mindful Me mindfulness activities, Time to Breathe breathing practices, Strike a Pose individual and partner yoga poses, and Rest & Relax relaxation exercises.
Perhaps you’d like to connect with your child and help him wind down a bit before bedtime, or maybe your student is preparing her mind and body for test-taking. Use the noted benefits of each activity and the tips and information provided in the leaflet to create practices to suit the unique needs of your child and the situation at hand… And, most importantly, have fun!
Here are a few other things we love about this new deck:
1) Bright, colorful cards are in a larger 5×7 format and organized in a sturdy, protective pop top box
2) Uses photos of real children and lots of diversity making it easy for children to identify with the mindful models featured
3) Includes more than 50 of the 200+ activities yoga and mindfulness activities featured in the Yoga for Children book providing a user-friendly supplement to the book
4) Features unique activities from is already included in the Yoga 4 Classrooms Activity Card Deck
Order now and when you can, kindly leave a review on Amazon – your feedback is invaluable as we continue to develop products, trainings and resources to support you in supporting the children in your life!
Happy Reading!