Friday, February 3, 2006

Small stretch

Yoga for children, already popular elsewhere in the United States, is catching on in Tucson.

HILLARY DAVIS

Tucson Citizen

Isabel Gutierrez kneels on her brightlycolored yoga mat, tucking her legs in and gently falling forward with her arms relaxed at her sides, compacting herself into a yoga position called child's pose.

Her teacher praises her as a natural, and she should be - Isabel is 7 years old.

Yoga for children about ages 4 to 10 is already popular elsewhere - studios with classes just for children are common in the eastern United States - and Tucson is catching on.

Locally, young yogis can find an outlet at The Providence Institute, so far the only studio in town to offering year-round regular children's classes. Yoga Connection offers summer children's classes and at least one other summer program is being developed.

Isabel is one of seven kids gathered at the midtown yoga studio on a recent Saturday afternoon, partaking in the centuries-old pursuit that seeks to join the body, mind and spirit through a ritual series of movements and postures. Many parents participate alongside.

Instructor Peter Lund guides and encourages his little charges with the gentle, uplifting approach that comes with 35 years of yoga practice, 18 years of working with youths - and four years teaching children yoga.

"Beautiful, very nice. Excellent," he says as he tenderly nudges tiny arms, feet and backs into proper alignment.

Sharon Discorfano also teaches children's yoga at Providence, 3400 E. Speedway Blvd., and is developing a summer yoga camp for older children through the University of Arizona.

The stress relief and self-centering of yoga that draws many adults to the practice can also benefit kids, says Discorfano, adding that she is pleased to empower youngsters with techniques that will enhance their all-around well-being.

"I think people underestimate the stress children are under nowadays," says Discorfano, who integrates yoga into her day job as an English teacher at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper St., where she breaks up her 85-minute classes with stretching breaks and shares breathing exercise tips with students to help calm them before exams.

"(Yoga) gives them tools early on . . . in terms of coping with the day-to-day stresses," she says.

Longtime practitioners such as Lund and Discorfano easily list other benefits of yoga for youngsters, including: improved focus, discipline and self-acceptance, as well as creating body awareness, a positive body image and a distinct focus on noncompetitiveness.

Plus, it's fun.

"They're like sponges," Lund says. "They like to learn things. Moving their bodies is something they like to learn."

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