Story-time: A Child's Journey Through Nature’s Asanas
Yoga has played an important role in my life since my early 20’s. I used it for stress and pain management as well as an outlet for non-competitive fitness. It helped me get through law school, trauma, the bar exam, and the joys of beginning a family. When I started my family I wanted yoga to be an essential ingredient to all of our lives. When my babies were little, I gave them baby massages and exercise routines that incorporated as many “on the back” yoga poses as I could get them into! We went to several mother-child yoga classes and “played yoga” around the house as they grew. This story I wrote was our primary choreography as it brought yoga to their level. I also used it with with children in a Detroit Charter School where I volunteered to teach yoga for a year. They adored it!
Over the years, we have continued to practice yoga together but I had forgotten about this story and never really “printed” it out. I pulled the story up for the kids to read and while they didn’t recall it, they were inspired to edit it with the addition of their favorite poses. I tried to get it published way back when, but never found an illustrator. So, they volunteered to be the illustrations and now want to create a yoga book for their little cousins for this year’s X-mas gifts. It also felt like the perfect first blog post. Hopefully other young families who want to find yoga can inspire their kids to start the practice with a little sparkle of fun. Here it is, hope you and your family can enjoy it as much as we have!
Yoga Warrior Adventures
© 2008 by Amy Parekh, © 2019 updated by Xander and Annika Shah
Come let me take you on a yoga journey,
Where we breathe, observe and admire all of nature’s beauty.
Our journey through the world will be quite an adventure,
For we are warriors and feel no pressure.
Warrior Pose Series - Virabhadrasana I and II
Leaving the city where pigeons prance,
Grab your toes behind you and take a chance.
Three phases of pigeon - Kapotasana
Slowly making your way from half pigeon, to mermaid pigeon and finally to King Pigeon
We’ll walk through the farmlands of bushes and trees,
and pose along under a warm summer breeze.
Tree pose - Vrksasana
High above us sits a bird of prey,
The old bald eagle won’t lead us astray.
Eagle pose - Garudasana
Now get down on all fours through the yoga maze
and join the cows out on their graze.
Cow pose - Bitilasana.
Xander automatically moos always making his sister laugh!
And like a kitty cat we’ll say meow,
and slowly depart as we take a bow.
Cat pose - Marjaiasana
(Yes, he meowed here too!)
We’ll curl our toes under and look behind,
at the doggie next door who is always kind.
Downward facing dog - Adho Mukha Svanasana
Lead by the sounds of a burping frog,
We jump right through onto a nearby log.
One rendition of frog pose - Malasana
From here let’s fly across the lands high and low,
And perch for a break along with the crows.
Crow pose - Bakasana.
The crows heard their calling and decided to photo-bomb us!
This pose is doable even at a young age, and when the kids find that balance, they feel like they can fly! (Adults too!)
We land in the desert with a single purpose,
So that we can visit the endangered African tortoise.
Tortoise pose - Kurmasana
Flying through the darkest night,
Our path is lit by the fireflies’ light.
Firefly pose - Tittibhasana
Greeting us next are the scampering lizards,
But then we must leave to escape the sand blizzard.
Lizard pose - Utthan Pristhasana
Over to the rainforest along a tropical trail,
A sparkling blue peacock raises his tail.
Peacock pose - Mayurasana
Kids with strong butts, backs and balance will find a way!
We’ll make a stop past the African villas,
And jump along with the mountain gorillas.
Gorilla pose - really jumping along in downward dog - I made this one up!
Will never get old, and your yoga “class” may stay in this pose for a while because it’s fun and silly.
Jumping passed the sounds of slithery hisses,
a cobra arches up and blows us kisses.
Cobra pose - Bhujangasana
Stick your tongue out and hiss on the exhale!
We escape up ahead to the shimmering sea,
on our boats we embark and row with glee.
Boat pose - Navasana.
Partner up with your child for a double boat!
Here, we made a symbolic A for my little “A Team” (Amy, Annika and Alexander!)
Discovering the sea creatures along our ride,
we mimic the fish as they swim and glide.
Fish pose - Matsyasana
Guided through the deep by The Lord of the Fishes,
We hold our breath and make more wishes.
Lord of the Fishes Pose - Marichyasana C
The flapping fins of a giant blue whale
Spray us and soak us with his fountain-like exhale.
Whale pose - Shalabhasana (AKA superhero pose & locust pose)
Passing us by through webs of seaweed
Is the soothing sound of a dolphin stampede.
Dolphin pose - Ardha Pincha Mayurasana
Another fun partner pose, add some dolphin echolocation on the exhale!
We wonder a while if we’ll spot a fantastical mermaid
As the dazzling ocean begins to fade
Mermaid pose variation - in front a a shark tank no less!
AKA Cobra pose variation
When we reach the land, by foot we travel,
over a bridge our bodies unravel.
Full bridge pose - Urdhva Dhanurasana
We pretzel our legs into a lotus flower,
Our journey of peace leaves us empowered.
Lotus pose - Padmasana
Annika and Xander partnering with me since the beginning! For as little as Xander is, he certainly took up a lot of space and kicked my belly button right out of my belly!
Now we lay back with our arms east and west
and reflect on our journey and get some rest.
Resting pose - Savasana
I love holding hands with my kids during savasana. And when they were babies they instinctively climbed on top of me, tummy-to-tummy. Another amazing way to partner this pose (no irony there).