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What do we want? More yoga in schools! A new petition is keen to rally support
for our nation’s youngsters
A
new online petition has been raised to elevate
awareness of yoga and better posture among school
age children.
The new petition – Make Postural Awareness with
Pilates and Yoga part of the Secondary Curriculum- is part of a broad effort by the UK yoga community to include
more activity and body awareness within the nation’s thousands
of schools.
It states that the digital age has had a huge and adverse impact
on teenage posture, cognitive processes, emotional stability
and physical health. This has resulted in an increase in immune,
digestive and respiratory deficiencies, behavioural problems as well
as mental health challenges.
“We are proposing a multidisciplinary holistic programme which
brings together the most valuable benefits of Pilates, yoga, natural
movement and mindfulness,” the petition states. “Our programme
aims to support teenagers in developing their anatomical strength
More yoga in schools, please
changing their cognitive processes from negative to positive,
improving their emotional stability, behaviour and overall health.”
The petition – launched by well-known yoga instructor, Elena
Voyce (teachyoga.com) – also quotes one head teacher, David
Meyer, on how important the introduction of disciplines such as
yoga and Pilates into schools could be for students.
“Much effort is put into educating children’s minds but teaching them
how to use their bodies is often ignored. This is an opportunity to give
teenagers lifelong skills on how to look after their bodies,” he says.
There are many other initiatives and campaigns also running to
encourage the uptake of yoga in schools, championed by popular
teachers such Charlotta Martinus of Teen Yoga (teenyoga.com)
and OM’s Conscious Parenting columnist Siri Arti of Starchild Yoga
(starchildyoga.org), among others.Sign the online petition before April 18, 2018:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/