About Christine...After graduating from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G.B. and pursuing a teaching career, firstly in France, then in Italy, Christine accidentally fell in love with yoga after completing her Dance Therapy and Masters of Movement Certificate in Milan. From that moment Christine realised how practising yoga was so much more than just a form of physical exercise. She had always enjoyed going to the gym, as well as doing various types of dance and movement classes but yoga encompassed a whole new path to emotional, physiological and psychological wellbeing. Something made her always want to go back to the next class! Although she had started practising yoga like any other physical activity, the effect it had on her was much more profound. When she moved from Italy to Sydney, Christine’s love and passion for yoga and teaching prompted her to obtain both a Yoga Teaching Diploma and a Meditation Facilitator’s Certificate. This allowed her to deepen her practice on all levels and also gave her the opportunity to share the amazing transformative benefits yoga can offer both adults and children alike. From there, Christine also successfully completed her Yoga for Kids and Teens Teacher Training Program in 2012 with the aim of integrating these fun yoga activities into the everyday classroom routine. | The importance of yoga early on in life...As a teacher, Christine realises how important it is for children to have the chance to develop greater body, mind awareness at a such young age. This is an opportunity which some of us do not usually encounter until mid-adulthood. In today’s busy, competitive world, success at school is too often based on one’s academic results with minimum emphasis on measures of wellbeing such as mental and emotional balance. Children with their quite demanding schedules are increasingly in need of time to regenerate. Learning how to be still and look within can be extremely productive in offering a renewed sense of motivation as well as an opportunity to balance out the stimulation from the outer world. Moreover, there is substantial evidence relating to scientific research undertaken to support the benefits of yoga in school age children, especially in relation to mental health, eating disorders, ADHD, children with autism. For reasons such as these, Children’s Yoga and Meditation Programs are readily available internationally within Primary and High Schools in Europe and the United States and are being valued more and more by educators and parents also here in Australia. The practice of yoga is holistic and affects all levels of a child’s being. The physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects are subtly brought into balance. Being very instinctive, it is certainly a wonderful time for children to embrace this path of self-discovery and encourage them to respond to their bodies, the world and people around them in an integrative way. Lastly, Christine believes that there is nothing more rewarding than watching children gain confidence, self- esteem, as well as a sense of inner calmness, while, at the same time, enjoying the fun and excitement a yoga class brings to students of all ages. |
