What is Yoga Education?

What is Yoga Education?

While our mission at Yoga Ed. is to empower change in education, how we seek this change is through yoga.

It’s at the core of everything we do at Yoga Ed., from the way we educate, to the tools and resources we share. However, with so many different definitions and perceptions of yoga out there, we’ve come to realize that it’s important to define just what yoga means to us, and how it’s implemented through our programs and curriculum. So, what is the yoga in Yoga Ed.?

Yoga = Union

One common definition of yoga is “union.” For Yoga Ed., this union comes into play through the joining of physical poses and breathing techniques. This is what’s known as hatha yoga, and is what most people think of when they think of a yoga practice. Hatha yoga involves the physical exercise of moving through different types of yoga poses, while maintaining awareness and control of breath. Taken together, the breath and movement create a flow that leads people through the yoga class seamlessly.

Our hatha yoga practice is backed by a firm evidence-base.

Grounded in anatomy, physiology, and neuroscience, and taught through a lens of child development, our curriculum is created to optimize the physical, mental, emotional, and social benefits that yoga can bring to children and teens. By understanding how children grow and learn, we believe that we can develop tools to best support their academic achievement and success, in conjunction with their overall health and wellness.

Why not Mindfulness?

We’re often asked why we don’t refer to our programs as mindfulness practice, and the answer is pretty simple: while we do teach some of the principles of mindfulness, it’s done within the context of yoga.

Through breath and movement, students cultivate self-awareness and practice mindfulness techniques, but equally important are the other physical, mental, emotional, and social benefits that come from yoga as a whole.

Plus, because our curriculum meets National Standards for P.E., the physical element to our programs is important. More than ever, children and teens need tools to support their health and wellness, and we believe that yoga can provide a safe, accessible, and non-competitive option for children and teens to be active for the long run.

Our Guiding Principles

At Yoga Ed., we’re committed to creating safe and respectful yoga classes, resources, and tools to cultivate health and wellness in children and teens. In order to do so, we adhere to guiding principles which set best practices for yoga programs, while not intending to supersede the policies and values of any individual, yoga studio, school, or other organization. We agree to uphold the following Guiding Principles: