Nirodhaḥ Yoga Blog
I found an old article in Yoga Chicago about Sonia Sumar, who trained Jennie and I in the Yoga for the Special Child (YSC) method. Sonia is the "guru" of teaching yoga to children with special needs. She developed YSC after her daughter was born with Down Syndrome in 1972. This article shows her working in her center in Evanston - where she taught for many years - though she now lives in Florida. At Five Keys Yoga, we aim to continue her legacy in Chicagoland by providing the Yoga for the Special Child method and classes that welcome adults with special needs. We are honored to serve the special needs population in Chicago. Are you interested in Yoga for the Special Child? Check out information about our kids classes here.
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This uplifting article on Quartz reports on a successful program to teach yoga to ex-militants and victims of the war in Colombia. Understandably, many of these Colombians are experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is especially exciting to see that the organization running this program, Dunna: Alternativas Creativas Para la Paz (Creative Alternatives for Peace) collected data on the participants' experience. I am looking forward to seeing where Dunna's research goes.
This is what yoga is all about! Teaching students to be aware of the universe of sensation within us and to dis-identify with the pain that eventually comes when our inner world confronts the outer world. This is especially important for people who have experienced violent infringements on their inner world. Yoga also offers a safe space for those who have committed these infringements to practice acceptance and responsibility. Moving through the body and breath to confront violence and trauma is proving to be a powerful practice. Imagine if we were to offer yoga to anyone recovering from the trauma of violence. I, for one, believe the world would be a more peaceful place. Can you see this kind of program expanding stateside? An interview with Sonia Sumar was published in Illumine Chicagoland last year. Sonia describes how her interest in yoga began, her relationship with her daughter, who was born with Downs Syndrome, and how Sonia developed Yoga for the Special Child. This inspiring woman ignited my passion for yoga and kindled my interest in breaking down barriers of access to yoga. Sonia teaches that anyone can benefit from a yogic lifestyle. Yoga isn't about contorting your body into esoteric positions. The goal of yoga is "striving to live harmoniously as members of one universal family." If you'd like to be inspired by Sonia, you're in luck! She is coming to Chicago in late April. Visit Yoga for the Special Child for information about this incredible training.
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