I'm not the average mom I work hard and I play hard I can juggle 100 tasks and get them done. I manage to cook clean work full time exercise, volunteer and Blog so I need my Yoga. I have a lot on my plate, and from time to time I hear my son Brandon whisper things like ADD Psycho or my mom is a freak. I have to count to 10 at least 20 times a week. (Breathe Lanita remember you were a teenager too be thankful he's not a girl)
Teenage Boys (and girls) go through many changes during their teenage years. While these changes are developmentally appropriate they also keep teenagers in a constant state of agitation, as intense emotions surface at the drop of a hat. For boys this often brings a lot of aggression to the fore and they may discharge this energy, which can seem intolerable. It is sometimes enough to make me just want to drive far away and never come home. The most important benefit of yoga for teenage boys is to regulate their affect, in other words to calm them down. When any of us are agitated, and particularly teenage boys who do not have much experience negotiating situations that are unfamiliar to them, good decisions are not likely to be made. Every morning my son is in a bad mood agitated for any little reason. I'm on the verge of a nervous break down with his anger and moodiness, every morning and after school. I am so glad I am not the only one that is experiencing this, other mothers are telling me there horror stories. I am glad other moms can relate to what I go through.
Yoga is not only beneficial for girls but also for boys. I became interested in yoga as a way of developing mental and physical fluidity many years ago. I've wanted my son to practice with me but he wasn't so easy to convince.
"Yoga is a waste of time Mom it's for girls"
How can a parent motivate their teen to try yoga?
This is what I did to get my teenage son and all his friends to do Yoga with me. I had read somewhere that Teenage boys might think and say that yoga is only for girls, but after they are given examples of sportsmen doing yoga exercises they became a bit more interested. Not my son he hates sports he is a musician and a computer nerd. It was a hard sell. Led Zepplin Pink Floyd Beatles Bob Marley. Ok son let's talk about Music and Yoga. "Brandon your an artist so am I and many artists like the Beatles practiced Yoga. So I'm having a little music theory one on one with my 17 year old son and we start discussing how Yoga inspired the Beatles one of his favorite groups. Yellow Submarine inspired my son to become a musician and at the age of 5 he sang Bulldog on stage at Newmans he got a standing ovation and everyone in the place asked me how he knew that song. My reply he loves the Beatles.
While the Beatles were filming HELP in the Bahamas they met founder of Sivandana Yoga, Swami Vishnu-Devananda, who was there at the same time. The yogi presented the members of the band with autographed copies of his book, George Harrison became very curious about yoga and Eastern religions. Harrison traveled to India in 1966. His wife, Patti Boyd, became acquainted with the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who founded Transcendental Meditation (TM), and she and Harrison purchased tickets for all of the Beatles to visit him in London. Some of the music on the Beatles' "White Album" had its inspiration in the yogi's teachings, as well. "Ok cool mom I get it but I don't care about Yoga and your still not cool or Indian " he tells me. But there's more Brandon all those cool songs from The Beatles were inspired by Hindu music. George Harrison went to India to take sitar lessons from Pandit Ravi Shankar, and that had a deep influence on albums including Rubber Soul, Revolver and Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Sitar sounds later featured on The Rolling Stones hit Paint it Black and Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours". Ravi Shankar also happens to be Grammy winner Nora Jones father.
Yoga and music are both artistic expressions of the heart Brandon. To be proficient in either, one must have intention, technical knowledge, and wisdom of experience. When the musician loses himself in playing beautiful music, it is a similar state of consciousness to the yogi losing himself in performing a beautiful asana. "Maybe mom maybe" After that Music theory lesson from Mom he became a little more interested, he shared my teachings with his friends.
I became inspired by another Yogi to try some Asanas to the tunes of Pink Floyd. "Wow Super Cool mom!" He Likes it He Likes it!! To combine Music like Pink Floyd Beatles Led Zepplin Lenny Kravitz with my little yoga community in my back yard along with a Vegetarian/Vegan Potluck is now a monthly practice and he wants more!!!! My son now has been introduced to a community of young adults passionately trying to live a mindful life — a life that is better for them, the people around them and the earth. We practice once a month but space is limited I would love to do this for a big group of teenagers.
Yoga practice sequenced to the mind-melting music of the legendary Pink Floyd. This 1-1/2 hour long class will be specifically sequenced to the music of Pink Floyd. Just like the cutting edge music of Pink Floyd, this is a new concept in Yoga. I am a long-time fan of Pink Floyd's music.This was a way to get my teenage son involved in Yoga. He Loved it and so did all his friends. I am a Pilates Instructor and Yoga Enthusiast with over 25 years of experience in Fitness and Nutrition. I combine the best of Kundalini Yoga, Ashtanga. Hatha, Pilates and Meditation. That is how I got my little Rock Star to do Yoga with me and I have seen the change in his behavior.
