As a yoga teacher and mother, I teach my own children yoga on a daily basis. I reinforce the importance of experiencing “sadhana” – personal daily practice to maximize health. "Yoga" means to unite and, as a practice, incorporates many different aspects of life: physically through movement; mentally through meditation and specific breathing techniques known as "pranayama;" and spiritually through meditation, relaxation and chanting.

Children of all ages experience so much stimulation that it becomes difficult for them to enjoy the simpler things in life. Experiencing yoga from a young age allows children to be with themselves. And, as with most things, the younger you begin the easier yoga becomes. As children learn, they absorb information with pleasure and enthusiasm and, at the same time, have a great deal of fun.

In this article, I will expand on the basics of yoga for children that I presented in Natural Life Magazine’s May/June 2009 issue. To help encourage a daily practice for children, I have, with the help of my daughter Kali, included some of the key yoga asanas (poses) and breathing techniques to help beginners from as young as five years of age.

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