WELLBEING
body through these postures is ultimately to quieten the mind – or as the founding father of Ashtanga , Patanjali , put it : Yogas citta vritti nirodha : The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga ( Satchidananda , 2012 ).
The benefits of yoga in a school setting
Eva Coddington , Head of German , Teacher of Yoga
Even before a global pandemic impacted on our lives , there was a growing sense in education that the school leavers of today are often ill-equipped to enter life outside the school gates in terms of managing their own wellbeing . The now familiar term of ‘ snowflake ’ to describe a generation of youngsters struggling within the ‘ real world ’, as well as educational initiatives to teach ‘ mindfulness ’ and ‘ soft skills ’ are all manifestations of this concern . With the arrival of Covid-19 , the worry for the mental wellbeing of our teenagers has rightfully moved to the forefront of educators ’ awareness . One underexplored area of equipping young people with practical techniques and skills to address their physical and mental wellbeing is the ancient system of Yoga .
What is yoga ?
Common perceptions range from ‘ sitting in a circle chanting om ’ to ‘ a bit of stretching ’. Traditionally , a Yoga practitioner should engage with eight different aspects of Yoga training ( as defined in the term Ashtanga , or the eight limbs of yoga ). Attending a Yoga class today will largely embrace only two key elements of ancient Yoga philosophy , the focus on the breath and the idea of consciously , and in tune with that breath , putting the body into specific shapes . The postures are designed to challenge the body for flexibility , strength and balance , and although different types of Yoga attach different significance to these shapes , the aim of working the
Yoga in a school setting
There are numerous specialisations a Yoga teacher may bring to a class , such as Yoga for athletes , restorative Yoga , or Yoga for anxiety . Most Yoga classes today are structured along a combination of standing poses , seated poses , reclined poses and what is broadly termed as ‘ relaxation ’ but can be anything from breath exercises to guided meditation . The instructions of moving on an ‘ inhale ’ or ‘ exhale ’ are designed to place the body into positions with awareness , whilst focusing the mind on the breath thus eliminating distractions from the outside world . Another core element of most practices is drsti or finding a focal point for the eyes . At a very basic level , spending an hour or two a week in a yoga class can give pupils the opportunity to switch off from the rest of the school day , to focus on the present , and to calm the mind away from an often heightened state of anxiety over exams , assessments and deadlines .
Yoga and athletic performance
The Welsh Rugby Team famously made the headlines when they announced they were using Yoga as a preparation technique for their matches ( BBC News , 2011 ), and many professional athletes have turned to Yoga as a tool for improved performance , injury prevention and injury rehabilitation . A study testing a group of college athletes over a 10-week period looked at defined performance measures such as shoulder flexibility and joint angles . Increased range of motion and flexibility are achieved in Yoga through the incorporation of gentle , static postures held for several rounds of breath , thus safely lengthening muscles and tendons . After introducing weekly Yoga sessions to the test group over the 10-week period , researchers concluded that ‘ Yoga as part of traditional training methods enhances the components of fitness that are the essential components of sports performance ’ ( Polsgrove , Egglestone & Lockyre , 2016 ). Which seems to suggest that in a school setting , far from being an option for those ‘ not keen on competitive sports ’, adding Yoga to some of the performance athletes ’ training might bring tangible benefits .
Yoga and mental wellbeing
Increasingly , studies are being undertaken to prove the effect Yoga has on stress , anxiety , PTSD , ADHD and other areas of mental health . A vast amount of academic literature on ‘ Yoga and Stress ’ is available , but even to a lay person a very simple explanation as to the benefits of Yoga can be found in what the modern Yoga
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