Tag: yoga for children

Ode to Miss Joyce

December 13, 2014
Posted by Sharon

Miss Joyce is the name that I gave, as a young child, to my teacher-ego.  It was clear to me at a very young age that one of the greatest values of knowing anything was to be able to share that knowledge with as many people as possible.  I forced my younger sister to take my reading classes.  Having just learned to read myself, I was quite a passionate teacher.  Whatever I lacked in experience, I made up for in my soul’s dedication to sharing.

The journey continues as I am spilling over with renewed passion for sharing everything I know about yoga and meditation with you.  Even as the news reports of savage pain, increasing violence, poverty and grief beyond measure, I know that we have the ability to gather as a community to embody and disperse healing energy and light.  It is not selfish to make time for your practice.  It is, perhaps, the most powerful thing you can do to make change in the world–one cell at a time.  Yoga and meditation help us build key skills that are necessary for peace.  These skills include awareness, compassion and loving-kindness.  Sure, there are people who may appear to be more inclined towards or talented in these skills than others, but the truth is that they are learned skills.  And, like any skill, whether you have talent or not, the key to improving skill level is practice.  So, please join me as I put on my Miss Joyce hat and share from my heart-mind the wisdom of my practice and the gifts that my own teachers have passed on to me.  All that I have, I share with you.  And, I know that when we are all together, what I receive is an overflowing well of joy, happiness and peace.

Our practices are on Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at the Irma Freeman Center for Imagination. Drop-in fees are $15, but these are collected on a sliding scale.  You can pay with cash on site on the evenings of class or pay online with a credit card.  These classes start on Thursday, September 8, 2016.

My teaching schedule can be found HERE.

Matrika Yoga Studies and Teacher Training Program information for 2016-2017 can be found HERE. 

Who Has the Potato Now

April 27, 2014
Posted by Sharon
Leave a comment

Adults, in general, are concerned about doing yoga “right”.  We want to become not only proficient, but good at the skills that we invest time, energy and money into.  This desire is fundamentally at odds with the true nature of yoga and meditation.  It is a practice.  You will never do it “right” as there is no “right” way to do it.

Children, on the other hand, have no concern at all about doing yoga or meditation correctly.  I imagine this may be because they are so newly proficient at almost every skill that they have and they daily are faced with the realities of their limitations—-all the things that they WISH they could do independently, but can’t.  Therefore, they can connect with the practice aspect of yoga and meditation on a much deeper and authentic level almost immediately.

I have found that between the ages of 5-8 that many children, including my own, start to have new anxieties and fears.  Many of these surface at the end of the day and around bedtime and some are illuminated through nightmares and sleep disruptions.  Without really understanding development, my best guess is that this is the time when most children start to feel more independent from their families of origin.  They have friends and teachers and coaches and a personality including a new portfolio of identity markers that are all their own.  In addition, the fact of mortality becomes more available.  That the stability of their life is based on circumstances that could potentially shift and change without notice and at any time is a new possibility that they are aware of.

When this anxiety started to happen in my house at night, I turned to my own yoga practice and offered my son a modified ritual that I use myself.  At night, right before bed, I would lead my son through this ritual:

1. Verbal instructions to relax body: from toes to head, relax body, let body be heavy, relax.
If you try this, be very patient!  Relaxation for a child looks and feels different from an adult.  They will squirm and fidget and toss and turn in bed as you verbally guide them in relaxation.  Do not insist that they stay still.  Allow your child to find their center in whatever way they need.  They are actually listening to their body and it seems to me that some, not all, children require movement to calm the body rather than stillness (adults too!).

2. Ring the bell
I ring a bell three times over my son’s body.  As I ring the bell, I say a prayer or intention that he be free of fear and invite a beautiful sleep.

3. Ask for protection and help from Ganesh
I invoke Ganesh and ask that Ganesh remove any obstacles to peaceful sleep.

4. Chant to Ganesh ten times
Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha

I have placed a small statue of Ganesh given to me as a special gift on my 30th birthday by my friend Tina on my son’s nightstand and some battery powered votive candles around it.

This ritual seemed to work wonders and not only relieved my son’s nighttime anxieties and fears, but also gave us something sweet to connect with at the end of the day.

Then, one day, I heard my son (who is 7) with his two year old sister ask her if she wanted a meditation.  She agreed that it was a good time for meditation and he told her to lie down on the floor and I could hear him leading her through the relaxation.  From the sound of it, my daughter must have been following his verbal instructions because he continued and I didn’t hear any other sounds.  He lead her through a relaxation of the whole body and then I started to hear him chant.  He was saying, “Who’s Got the Potato Now?  Who’s Got the Potato Now?”.  It seems that my chant of mantra to Ganesh sounds a lot like “Who’s Got the Potato Now” and this is how it was interpreted by my son.

Is he wrong?  Actually, no, he is not wrong.  While an adult would want to get the words right, my son found a deeper connection to the sound vibration and created a meaningful way to express that vibration through a mantra.  I did tell my son that the words he had chosen were not the actual mantra to Ganesh, but now we have a special phrase that we use when anyone feels overwhelmed and needs to calm down that is unique to us and our family “Who’s got the potato now?”.  And, really, I can almost feel Ganesha smiling on us as we invoke the spirit of liberation from fear and worry in our own special way.

Do you want to learn how to make yoga and mediation a part of your family’s culture and daily life?  Do you or your children experience anxiety or worry at night that interrupts the quality of your sleep? Please sign up for a FREE 20-minute consultation and consider a Matrika Strategy coaching program that will give you the ritual and skills you need to improve the quality of your life and your entire family’s well being.  While my personal ritual as described here does involve a chant to the Hindu deity Ganesh, I am happy to design a ritual for you that reflects your own spiritual and religious commitments and beliefs or a completely secular ritual.

Written by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, MA, a Pittsburgh-based yoga and meditation instructor specializing in mindful meditation for women and families.

Toddler Yoga

October 4, 2011
Posted by Sharon
Leave a comment

Looking for a yoga class for toddlers in Pittsburgh?

Sharon Rudyk will teach a Toddler Yoga series starting on Friday, October 28 and continuing through December 9, 2011.  These classes are held from 11:15 am to noon.  Toddlers should be accompanied by an adult who will participate in the class and help to facilitate the toddler’s experience in the class.  Yoga experience is not required.  Please bring a yoga mat if you have one, but it is not absolutely required.

These are fun classes that include stories, songs and yoga poses and concepts that have been modified to be age-appropriate for one to three year old children.  Just the right combination of action and relaxation, you will be amazed at how much your toddler delights in yoga.  Adults will learn tricks for using yoga during the day and in the evening with their toddler for help in communication, eating/digestion and sleep habits.

We ask that you not take out snacks or toys for your child during class so that they can focus on the class and participate fully.  Of course, favorite comfort items are welcome.  You may want to bring snacks or a favorite toy so that, if your child needs a break, you can provide what they need to feel better and return to the group.

Cost: $10 to drop-in or $50 for a package of 6-classes
[Please use Mom and Baby class package for payment.  Please note that the package is only valid for 3-months and there are only six classes scheduled.  There will be no refunds for classes missed if you purchase a package of six classes and use less during the valid period. ]

Teaching Children Peace

March 1, 2010
Posted by Sharon
Leave a comment

When I was young, not sure how old, but definitely younger than 11 since my memory of this activity includes me in the bunkbed that I shared with my sister in a small room in an apartment in Brooklyn, my mother obtained a book of guided visualizations for children.  This was probably my first experience with meditation and I still remember the very calm way I would enter sleep after one of those “stories.”  I was searching for this book online and haven’t found it, but I did find the following two guided visualizations for children online.  If anyone knows about a book of guided visualizations just for children, please feel free to comment on this post.  ENJOY!

I found these here:

http://www.learningpeace.com/pages/newsletter_18.html

__________________________________________________________________

Calming Exercise: The Magic Box

Have your children close their eyes, breathe deeply, and think about a place they’ve been that made them feel happy, peaceful and safe. Say, It can be as close as your own backyard, or far away as a vacation spot. Make sure each child has a peaceful place to focus on. Share ideas. If someone can’t think of one, have that child focus on the beach this time. An image of their own may come later.

Ask your children to close their eyes or look down and bring their peaceful place fully into their imaginations. Say, Picture every detail and pretend you’re back there now. Ask, What do you see, feel, hear, and smell? Allow time for the children to envision, letting the images expand and grow.

After a few minutes, say, Open your eyes and open your hand. (Model this part).
Say, In your hand is a magic box, and invisible magic box. Open the lid, reach into your imagination, and take out your peaceful place. Shrink it down until it is very tiny. Now put your peaceful place into your magic box. Close the lid and put your magic box into your pocket, and if you don’t have a pocket, put it in your shirt. Your magic box will be with your forever, and you will be able to use it whenever you want from this day on. Whenever you feel upset, angry, frightened, or tense, all you’ll need to do is reach into your pocket, pull out your magic box, open the lid, take out your peaceful place and put it into your imagination. Then close your eyes, breathe deeply, and let your peaceful place fill your imagination completely.

Follow-up: Your children can draw, paint, or write about their peaceful places. Hang up whatever they create to remind them of the power of their imaginations, and the power they have within to calm themselves.

Have your children make a list of several peaceful places they might want to put into their magic box. That way they’ll have a choice of places to envision.
__________________________________________________________________
Calming Exercise: The Beach
Close your eyes and take a nice slow deep breath in through the nose. Bring your breath all the way down into your stomach. Gently expand your stomach like a balloon as you breathe in. Slowly release the breath and let your stomach shrink. Now take another slow deep breath in, expand your stomach, and slowly release it. One more time: breathe slowly in, and slowly out.

Continue breathing slowly and deeply. With your eyes closed. Pretend your mind is a movie screen. Nothing is on it except for the color blue, light blue. Now the blue becomes a big, full sky on a summer day. The sky is filled with fluffy white clouds and a shining yellow sun. Beneath the sky is the beach.

Walk onto the beach and feel the sand under your feet. It is soft and warm between your toes. Look out toward the ocean. The waves are very calm. Watch them roll in and roll out, in and out. Each time a wave rolls back to sea it leaves a shiny imprint on the sand. Touch the cool, wet sand.

Now let water cover your feet. It feels cool and refreshing. Put your hands in the water and feel the droplets of a wave splash on your body. Now walk into the water and let a tiny wave lift you up. You are floating. Another wave comes along and lifts you higher. Your body moves with the gentle motion of the water. And as you float you feel each wave rolling under you,

lifting you up

and lowering you gently down.

The water feels warm and soothing.

The sun shines on your face and arms.

You hear the sounds of seagulls,

you smell the salty water.

You feel a deep sense of peace as you float on the waves.

Now return to the shore. Rest on the beach and let the breeze calm you even more. When you open your eyes you will be perfectly calm and relaxed. This feeling will stay with you throughout the rest of your day and will follow you into your dreams.

Reprinted from Hope and Healing: Peaceful Parenting in an Uncertain World by Naomi Drew, 2002
__________________________________________________________________

Posted by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, owner and director of the magnificent Matrika Yoga in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Located on the border of the Squirrel Hill and Point Breeze neighborhoods of the City of Pittsburgh, Yoga Matrika offers drop-in classes, comprehensive stress reduction programs, massage and professional level workshops and trainings.  https://www.yogamatrika.com/ and http://www.advancedyogapittsburgh.com

OPEN HOUSE: Saturday, December 5

December 2, 2009
Posted by Sharon
Leave a comment

You know you’re curious—-what’s going on in there at 6520 Wilkins Avenue? 

Here’s your chance to check out Yoga Matrika’s new studio spaces, share some sweet holiday spirited refreshments and shop for some hand-crafted gifts.  There are many items that are under $10 that are great for office presents, gift exchanges, hostess presents and stocking stuffers.  This is a great craft sale with NO CROWDS, NO PARKING PROBLEMS and great snacks and activities for children!

EVERYTHING for sale is locally made and includes: jewelry, aromatherapy, herbal and green teas, eye pillows and scented sachets to create passion, promote peace and some even keep moths out of your woolies!  We have herbal products for pregnant and new moms like lactation support teas, belly balm and vegan nipple creams.  Fleece and knitted hats for babies and young children and felted wool hats—even some handspun and dyed yarn by our lovely local Cosy! 

You can also purchase discounted gift certificates and class cards during the open house or purchase a new yoga mat for a friend or yourself! 

Gift certificates make PERFECT gifts for expectant and new moms—we offer the only Prenatal Pilates and Exercise class in the city, two postnatal classes a week and five prenatal classes a week.  Moms can also use gift certificates for massage, childbirth preparation workshops and to shop for all natural items to keep them comfy and relaxed during pregnancy and after birthing.

We have some coloring pages and toys for young children to play with while you shop.  Sharon Rudyk, the studio owner will be around all afternoon to answer questions you might have about yoga in general or the studio. 

Hope to see you on Saturday!

Posted by Sharon Rudyk, Owner of Yoga Matrika located in Point Breeze, 6520 Wilkins Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217.  Check out our website: https://www.yogamatrika.com/

New Location

March 31, 2009
Posted by Sharon
Leave a comment

Yoga Matrika will be opening a second location at 6520 Wilkins Avenue in mid-May.  For some of you, this is a very welcome change.  For many others, you might be concerned that the warm feeling of the current studio as a home for your practice might be lost in the move.  I have complete confidence that this second location will just bring you more of what you love about Yoga Matrika and less of what you could do without (unpredictable schedule, crowded classes and tripping over that metal plate in the doorway to the back hall—-I know, I stubb my toe on it weekly too!).

Yoga Matrika is a community-based studio.  What does this mean?  It means that the space isn’t as important as the people who gather there—wherever “there” happens to be.   This is not a community defined by the neighborhood you live in.  We welcome everyone at Yoga Matrika!  This is a community defined by intention.  What do we intend?  We intend to practice with our full hearts, safely and intelligently.  We intend to be inclusive and offer support and kindness to everyone we share our practice with.  We intend to acknowledge that sharing the energy of our practice with one another is a gift that we give to one another.  We intend to learn more and expand our practice so that, in good times and bad, our practice becomes a source of calm and an oasis in these challenging times. 

A community studio also provides opportunities to support everyone in that community—families with young children, older adults, mothers, fathers, adults and children with special needs—everyone!  We must recognize that we are all connected through our humanity and acknowledge that our yoga practice has profound power in our own bodies and lives, but also in the lives of everyone we meet and those we may never meet.  This type of power needs to be created and supported by community. Sure, you can grab a class at your gym or drop-in and have an anonymous experience–but when you actively participate in a yoga community then you are really taking responsibility for the power of your yoga.   It’s not just a class you take–it’s a choice that you make!

The current location will become “The Annex.”  The Matrika Annex will be used for small-group classes, private sessions, children’s yoga classes, prenatal and postnatal classes and meditation.  In addition to a full schedule of drop-in yoga and pilates classes, Yoga Matrika will also start to offer advanced yoga training (advanced meaning anyone who has practiced yoga for 6-months or more) and a variety of teacher training programs.  Yoga Matrika instructors are some of the best trained in the city and continuing education keeps us creative and safe.  Yoga Matrika will also continue to offer regular Karmic Salon events so that we can have an opportunity to enjoy the creative efforts of our community and gather together “off mat.” 

Pittsburgh has many wonderful yoga studios and instructors.  We are so fortunate to have these resources here in the city and I am honored to be a part of this team of people and communities that support great yoga in Pittsburgh.