Lisa Faremouth Weber

I am currently using the Radiant Child Yoga Program at Rose Hall Montessori School in Wilmette IL. I have been teaching once a month for the last two years to children in preschool and kindergarten there.  The response has been amazing by both the children and the teachers.  The administration hired me because they see that the Radiant Child Yoga Program is rooted in peace and respect which is congruent with the teachings of Montessori education and teaching the “whole child".

Next, I have been invited but have not yet executed a yoga program at Children’s Memorial Hospital for the partially hospitalized and fully hospitalized children with behavioral disorders.  I have also been asked to teach yoga and meditation to the parents of these children.  I intend to get this program off the ground this year.

Also, I presented Yoga and Meditation for Children at the Pangea Conference for Integrative Medicine here in Chicago. This conference allowed me to interface with pediatric physicians associated with Children’s Memorial Hospital (oncologists, General Internists, etc. were present).

My credentials include B.S. in Speech from Northwestern University; international workshop presenter, RCYP Facilitator, book author, writer/producer, environmentalist, philanthropist, entrepreneur and yoga studio owner.
 
Blessings,
Lisa Faremouth Weber
Chicago, IL

Tania Frechette / Meher Kaur, yoga instructor

My brother Ajit and I are going to North Bay, Ontario in a few weeks to teach teachers how to incorporate yoga at school. We will be teaching teachers in the french public school board. The registration is going well. They have bought 30 of your Fly Like a Butterfly books. My father, and his wife are making this possible. He is a recently retrired super-intendent of the French Public School Board for Northern Ontario and she is a teacher.

There is a lot of interest for yoga in North Bay and the surrounding areas. If you ever wanted to teach your workshops there they would surely be a hit and they would be sooo grateful. Let me know. It would be fine to teach in
english. It may be a great opportunity to have Fly Like a Butterfly published in French.

Thanks and blessings,
Tania Frechette / Meher Kaur

Keturah Collins, Montessori Educator

We teach yoga to all 40 children in our school once a week for 30 minutes.  The children range from 3 - 6 years, and we break the children up by age.  We use mats on the floor, and the are now using the new CD's put out by Shakta.  Our teacher has taken RCYP I, II, and  III.

Keturah Collins
Children's House Montessori School
Reston, VA

Linda Hagood, Speech-Language Pathologist

I have used the Radiant Child Yoga program in the Texas School for the Blind as well as with speech therapy patients who have autism and Asperger's syndrome.  The program has been effective in building nonverbal communication skills, improving parent-child and peer interactions, developing shared reference and joint attention, improving emotional regulation and developing creativity through symbolic play and yoga story activities.  

The music and activity pictures have helped to develop continuity between therapy and home settings.  Radiant Child Yoga has helped to develop a school program which is used in residential and instructional settings with students who need consistency and structure to benefit from instruction.  The program has also provided a nice context for inclusion with typical peers and siblings.   

Linda Hagood, M.A., CCC-SLP, speech-language pathologist
Austin, TX

Mary Keel, AMS Montessori Educator

Dear Shakta and Kartar,

I want to thank you both for the wonderful course--RCYP level 3-- this past weekend. I have seldom experienced such lucid direct transference of spiritual information. It contacted me on many levels and rang so true.  My soul said, "yes, finally you are speaking to me and I hear you!”
Consider Heart and Soul Work with Children, level 3 as possibly being the first course before Radiant Child 1 and 2 in order to help lay the groundwork within the parent’s and teacher’s heart and mind before they proceed with the children.   It had that effect on me, I felt much more focused and prepared to teach this week.
Thank you again for providing the platform for my heart to release and my mind to expand in such a natural and loving way.  This was a “for real” experience and I will always remember to remember " We are all angels."

Namaste  
Mary Keel,
AMS Montessori Educator
The Children’s House,
Reston VA

Yolanda R. Oliver-Yancey, Mental Health Coordinator

As a Mental Health Coordinator and as a member of the Governor’s Mental Health Steering committee I am always looking for new ways to address mental wellness for children especially those reared in the inner city.

I participated in the Radiant Child Yoga Training program and acquired a new sense of mental wellness for youngsters.  During the 2001-2002 school year I taught yoga for 403 children (3-5) enrolled in the Anne Arundel County Head Start program. I broke the children up into groups of 17 with an assistant and what started out as 30 minutes, progressed into hour-long sessions. They loved the purple mats, challenges, and adventures of each class.

After one of my first classes a little girl informed her teacher during small group time that she felt so beautiful. Other children made comments such as “remember to use your imagination” and “working out makes you feel  good.” Aggressive behaviors decreased especially among children with ADHD/ODD.

It is safe to say the Head Start children gained a wealth of knowledge and are equipped with new tools that will allow them to have more self control, respect for others,  the environment and problem solving without the educational  staff having to always be the coach or referee.

Yolanda R. Oliver-Yancey,
Mental Health Coordinator,
Head Start, Annapolis, MD

Martha Gold, Pediatric Physical Therapist

Dear Shakta,

Hi.  I am writing to you because I recently received your e-mail announcing your "Happy and Cozy" CD. Congratulations!  I am so looking forward to hearing your CD and sharing it with the children I work with. Please let me tell you a little bit about myself and the work I am doing.  Before I begin, I want to tell you that your Radiant Child yoga workshop was the first training I attended more than four years ago and started me on this wonderful journey and life path that I am so blessed to be on.  You made a deep impression on me at that time, not only with the knowledge you shared with me, but with your gentle and loving spirit, and you have served as a role model for me ever since.  I saw you at Kripalu a couple of years back when I was doing the Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training and I thanked you for your guidance at that time.  I can imagine how many individuals you talk with every day and help along their path so of course I don't expect you to remember me.  I just want you to know what big influence you have made in my life, and in hundreds of children's lives as a result, and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.

My name is Martha Gold. Currently, I am working as a pediatric physical therapist in a New York City public school, with children who have multiple handicaps, in the South Bronx. Many of the children I work with have cerebral palsy, impairments secondary to stroke, Down's Syndrome, spinal bifida, mental retardation, autism, and other neurological diseases. The children range in age from 9-21. We have approximately 600 children in our school, with about 300 children who are wheelchair dependent. Our physical therapy department consists of approximately 25 occupational and physical therapists. In addition to providing physical therapy for the children, I implemented a yoga program more than four years ago. The yoga program I began is a great success and I  lead several large group classes each week with as many as 40 children with physical, mental and emotional handicaps in attendance. I have trained several therapists at my school to teach their own yoga classes. Today, the majority of the therapists at the school are involved in some way with the yoga program and the teachers and Principal have been very supportive. The popularity of the program has grown immensely. The program started with five girls with mild to moderate cerebral palsy doing yoga and has grown to this. The children really adore the classes and can't get enough of yoga. I have found my life purpose and I can't get enough of sharing yoga with them.

In addition, to teaching yoga classes to children (with and without physical disabilities), I provide trainings to therapists, teachers, parents, and other like-minded individuals on how to teach children of all abilities yoga.  In fact, I played a major part in creating a workshop entitled Yoga for All:  Finding the Ability in Disability.  This workshop was presented to approximately 200 physical and occupational therapists within the Department of Education two years ago.  As a result of this workshop, several yoga programs started in District 75 schools (special education schools) throughout the five broughs.  Because of the overwhelming positive feedback, I decided to make it available to interested individuals outside of the schools.  I am so excited about this because as a yoga practitioner, as well as NYU graduate with a Doctorate in physical therapy and a Kripalu Certified Yoga Teacher who has taken several certification courses to teach children yoga, I know the benefits of yoga. I have witnessed the amazing physical, mental and emotional changes in myself, as well as in the children I have worked with over the past four years, since I have implemented the yoga program. What is more, they can't wait to do yoga and many say it is the highlight of their week. One beautiful 14-year-old boy I work with named David is challenged with spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy. He is very bright and sensitive. He has a beautiful aura about him and a smile that can brighten anyone's day, but often he falls into a depression because he is all too aware of his limitations. He constantly tells his mother, "its not fair that I can't walk and my brother can." Well his mother told me that David talks about yoga class all of the time and how much he loves it. She said that David said to her, "yoga class is the only thing that takes my mind off of not walking." Talk about bringing tears to my eyes and touching my heart. No amount of money could inspire me to work harder at what I am doing than that one statement.

My intention is to open up an after-school yoga program called Yoga Wonderland, specifically for inner city kids of all abilities. Eventually, I would like to see this program spread to several inner city neighborhoods. I have been blessed to work with so many amazing children from the inner cities, ranging in ages from a few months old to 21. I recognize that given the proper guidance and a safe place to come to participate in a positive practice such as yoga, these kids will have a better chance to "shine their lights" and resist the negative force that the streets and their life circumstances can have on them.  My vision is to make Yoga Wonderland a community for children of all abilities to get in touch with their divineness. 

The children I work with are so amazing. I have a DVD of the kids participating in yoga classes and whenever I show this to people of all backgrounds, they are very moved and inspired. I have watched the footage hundreds of times and I myself am moved every single time.  I am continually looking for new and exciting things to bring to the children to deepen their knowledge of yoga.  This year I implemented chanting and a drumming circle to the class.  These kids are so spiritual and open - I am completely convinced that they are enlightened souls that are here for the evolution of all the souls that care for them.  Isn't it funny, people pity them when in reality they are probably here for the evolution of our souls, not theirs. 

I, along with my colleague Jessica Rascoll, DPT, teach a one day workshop entitled:  Yoga Wonderland:  Creating a Fun and Therapeutic Yoga Class for Children of ALL Abilities.  We teach this workshop using space donated by Columbia University.  We also teach this workshop to the Doctor of Physical Therapy students at Columbia each year (for the past three years) as part of the pediatric curriculum.   We look forward to teaching this in additional physical therapy programs.   In addition, we do on-site workshops at pediatric facilities, schools, day care centers, etc.  Your workshop is listed in the section I have in my manual for Educational Resources.

Thank you so very much for taking the time to read this long e-mail.  I look forward to hearing from you.  Also, if there is anything I can ever do to assist you in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me. I would be very honored to be your assistant in one of your workshops if you ever need help.

With respect and gratitude,

Namaste,
Martha Gold

Joleen Parker

I would like to incorporate art into my children's yoga classes. Has anyone done this and would you mind sharing your ideas?

Thanks so much.
joleenlparker@aol.com <joleenlparker@aol.com>

Sandy Honkus, Educator

I teach at a preschool in Crofton, MD to ages 3-4 (at the moment). Currently I am teaching yoga to just my class of students but soon will be offering yoga to all children at my school. I started because my children were very energetic and unfocused at circle time. After your training at Spiral Flight this past December I began teaching yoga to my students for about 10 minutes before circle each day. This doesn't seem like much time but I am with them 5 days a week and am with them all day also. Our yoga consists of teaching a few postures ,at this point in time they usually make requests for their favorite asanas, and breathwork. Along with treaching balloon breath and blowing out birthday candles, the children also know why and when we breathe (when we are: angry, sad, scared, worried) They know that breathing makes you feel AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! When a child is angry, sad, frustrated.... we breathe together in our class. All of my students have either experienced the power of breathing or have observed it in my class. Yoga isn't just something that we do before circle.

My students are learning how to live more yogically (without me actually stating it for them). I model ahimsa by showing love and respect for all living things: not causing harm to my students and others, not harming bugs that end up in our room or else where, not harming the earth by recycling. As I do these things I explain the reason behind non harm. After a while, they get it. "No, don't hurt the spider he is going home to his family!" I won't go into great detail, but I try to model the Yamas and Niyamas taking every opportunity to explain what I am doing and why in words that they can understand. I also teach them how to live this way when the oppurtunity (child ) presents a situtation. For example, Aperigraha. I have twins who compete with each other constantly for anything and everything. When the brother beat the sister to line up, she fell apart. First we breathed until the crying subsided and she was readly to talk. Once she explained that she wanted to beat her brother we began working on "letting it go". I asked he: would she still be able to go outside, would she miss out on anything, is it causing her harm, is being upset causing her harm. From our conversation we got to the point that being behind her brother in line really doesn't change anything, but being angry, jealous and upset about it is causing her GREAT harm. this is how I teach my students how to live yogically.

The benefits I can see of teaching my children yoga are many.

Now this doesn't apply to all 19 of my students, that is impossible. I feel I am planting the seeds of yoga with all of these children and even if they don't remember them they will always be there.

Two of my 4 year old female students actually "get it". In the past couple of months I have seen an internal shift. They strive to embody the lessons I have taught them. They see the beauty of it and how it affects others.

If the information I have shared is not quite what you wanted or need more email me.

Blessings,
Sandy Honkus

Carol Bernstein

Dear Shakta,

I was one of the attendees at your St. Louis Radiant Child Yoga Workshop. I want to tell you how much I enjoyed your presentation! I learned quite a bit too, and I use many of the things I learned with the kids I work with at the Missouri School for the Blind.I particularly wanted to tell you that I love listening to your Children's yoga CD. I chant along during my 1 hour trip into work. It gives ideas about things to do with my kids, but most of all, it helps me in dealing with traffic! I arrive at work much calmer than I used to! Even more importantly, I sing some of your songs with some of my kids. One little girl is non-verbal, (there is emerging communication) but now when I do physical therapy with her I sing "Fly like a Butterfly", and she is imitating the words and now moves her arms. She laughs and smiles and sings along in her own way to your music!

This has helped us both, because she had not been easy to work with. As a victim of "shaken baby syndrome" she has suffered severe vision impairment, gait dysfunction, inability to speak or eat regular food as well as behavior disturbance. She was making gains before, but the music has helped her tremendously. What a gift, Shakta! Thank you!

(Note from Shakta: I replied to her email a few weeks later and she sent me the following email.) To give you an update, this little girl now finishes the incomplete sentences we use with the words 'butterfly' and 'sky', and she has learned 'stop' 'go' 'walk' and 'outside' and 'yes' and 'ball'!

Thanks again,
Carol Bernstein

Ilana

Dear Friends,

I had the privilege of taking the Radiant Child Yoga program in Tucson Arizona. I have just been asked to teach in a new Yoga studio and have a bunch of questions for those who are more experienced. They are as follows:

1. What day and time do you think is the best time to offer a class?
2. What age ranges do you have in your classes?
3. How long is the class?
4. How much does it cost?
5. What is a typical class like? How do you begin. How do you close?
6. Any tips you can share from lessons learned.

Thank you so much. I hope to start teaching in August

Ilana
<IBM@eeexchange.org>

Deborah Bos, Yoga Instructor

I am a kundalini teacher and RCYP teacher who has just started up a new business called "The Yoga Garden for Children." I am going to be teaching daily classes to children between the ages of 3 and 16 out of my apartment studio starting the week of January 20th. I am also going to be teaching at a couple of elementary schools in my neighborhood starting in Feb/March.

I am getting requests for yoga birthday parties and mommy and me classes and I wondered if you have any suggestions — ways to make a birthday party more special than a regular yoga class and how to incorporate moms into the class. If you have any information that you could email I would be very appreciative. Or any resources you could suggest.
thanks so much!

Deborah Bos
deborahbos@msn.com

Elaina Sharp

I am an Occupational Therapist, Sensory integration specialist, Children's Yoga Therapist, and mother to a 20 month-old toddler yogi.  I have 7 years experience using yoga as a therapeutic medium in individual therapy sessions.

I have successfully used activities and meditations from the Radiant Child Yoga Program with children who have sensory integration dysfunction and other diagnoses including Autism, ADHD, Down Syndrome, Anxiety Disorder, and Seizure disorder.  Yoga is a wonderful tool in this setting to help children to become integrated to improve their coordination, cognitive abilities, and ability to self calm.

Recently I have been working within a Montessori classroom with children individually and in groups.  The yoga techniques have been embraced as an important part of the curriculum. The need in the classroom has been for improving focus and concentration.  The children benefit from lessons geared to teach how to use yoga in everyday situations to prepare their bodies for writing, calm and focus their minds, and energize their nervous systems.   They are able to choose to participate in independent yoga activities in a special yoga work area where there are yoga mats, activity cards, and  a music source.

Elaina Sharp
Seattle WA

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