Ananda Dhara Yoga Village: Helping People Attain Bliss, Part 3 of 3

In today’s show, he discusses positive changes that have happened to some of his young students with special needs and their families while practicing yoga. “I think the most beautiful thing that I see is families become more peaceful. Because yoga basically, ultimately, is about growing love. And that loving feeling, that unconditional openness, is what yoga gives you.” “That, I think, is the most beautiful gift that we see with yoga for children and yoga in families. It changes the whole family dynamic.” “The first thing I think children learn is they don’t just get excited, they also know how to cool down. And they know how to find their peace. Now, I think this is something all the children should learn is how to find their own peace. We have a teacher in Malaysia; she is very wonderful. And she tells her children you must find your ‘peace button.’” “So actually this is a very nice thing. The first benefit. Now, the second benefit is children who do regular kids yoga, whether it’s with the parents or in the class, they don’t get sick so often. They don’t easily get colds; they don’t easily get fevers, they have better digestion, their lungs are stronger, their immune system is better. And I think this is wonderful. The third benefit I can think of now is emotional stability. Because yoga is about learning who you are, your feelings, and your thought. You have to learn to observe them, and analyze them, and then work with them.” “And another benefit is that children who are connected with their inner universe, they make better choices in life. Yoga gives this wisdom to make better choices in life. And I wish that for everybody. I think we can have a better world. So we have a slogan: ‘Yoga in schools, peace in the world.’ Yoga practice can uplift our lives tremendously. As more and more people take up yoga, we may see a positive, global shift in consciousness, leading to a more balanced and harmonious planet.”