Yoga and Its Relation to Speech-Language Development 17mindfulness in general. The National Scientific Council of the
Developing Child states that excessive stress damages children’s
developing brain, which leaves them susceptible to learning,
behavior, and health issues. Fortunately, evidence is building that
the mindfulness practice present in yoga is an effective way to
promote healthy brain development and function, as well as stress
relief (Flynn 2013; Flynn and Ebert 2013). Current research
also shows that teaching mindfulness in the classroom reduces
aggression and other challenging behaviors while increasing
calmness and concentration. Furthermore, scientific research
indicates that mindfulness practice increases the density of
gray matter in brain areas linked to learning, memory, emotion
regulation, and empathy (Greater Good Science Center,
University of California, Berkeley n.d.).
In summary, yoga strengthens the connection between
the body, mind, and spirit. With a strong, flexible body and
balanced mind, the practitioner connects to the inner spirit.
Additionally, through a consistent yoga practice involving all
three components—poses, breathwork, and meditation—the
practitioner creates space for acquiring new ideas.
Yoga and speech-language development
Contemporary interest in and research on yoga has increased in
recent years. The fields of medicine, education, physical therapy,
occupational therapy, and psychotherapy embraced yoga, which
is recognized by the United States National Institutes of Health
(NIH) as a complementary, integrative treatment method. The
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
(NCCIH) of the NIH provides a list of selected references on
this topic.
The benefits of yoga for adults are documented in the scientific
literature (e.g. Broad 2012; Lee 2006; McCall 2007; Yurtkuran