Why Yoga for Teens?

Teenage years are a period of significant change as children grow into young adults. This process can bring a sometimes bewildering array of life stresses. I believe yoga has the capacity to bring a sense of stability, empowerment - crucial to mental wellbeing, offering a safe haven for teens to simply be themselves. There is no pressure to conform, to be a certain way. Yoga’s non-competitive ethos is a perfect antidote to the comparison trap of social media - an escape from the pull of Instagram, phone scrolling and FOMO.

By allowing opportunity to routinely share questions, worries, experiences and insecurities in class, teens might air feelings that could otherwise be squirrelled away and internalised. Yoga offers a safe space in which to quietly soul search in a supported space, finding strategies to process feelings and to grow from the process, within a nurturing group.

Class affords time for face-to-face connection - especially important in the aftermath of the impact of Covid-19 restrictions. There has been a significant increase in teen mental health issues as a consequence of lockdown measures.

Here is where partner yoga and sharing circles really come into their own. To be able to connect and practice "asana" postures together with peers, under the gentle guidance of a supportive teacher, allows the chance to practice acceptance - of both their own and other's bodies, rather than falling into the dreaded comparison trap. Time away from the filtered images presented on social media is invaluable. Breath-work and meditation techniques learned in class, week-on-week, can really make a difference to being able to recognise downward spiralling thoughts and keep them in check.

In our modern day society which places so many demands on teens, yoga can bring calm back to the body and mind. Asana (postures) move the body to get the muscles working and blood pumping round the body as it should, oxygenating and working the physical body. Pranayama (breath-work) and relaxation techniques can then pass on their optimum benefits. These can be drawn on at times of particular stresses such as exams. Pranayama teaches how to signal to the body to tap into the parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system. We want teens to be able steer away from the sympathetic nervous system (fight, flight, freeze) and into the parasympathetic nervous system. If students begin to recognise the link between body, breath and mind – “the breath is the bridge between body and mind”, they realise they have some tools to draw on, an element of control, in times of extra stress. Feeling out of control makes everything ten times worse, and vice versa.

A good yoga teacher has the capacity to steer a young person and guide them towards realising their own potential, their best unique self. Through yogic philosophy we can encourage an openness, kindness and quiet inner strength. Teens need to establish their own identity within their peer group and ultimately society. At a time of massive hormonal fluctuations, yoga can be a grounding force.

The physical aspect of yoga (asana) as mentioned before, helps teens to feel energised and motivated. The sense of achievement in mastering, or even just improving, a regular asana practice, without comparing to others in the class, can be a great life lesson. The fact that yoga is non-competitive supports this process wonderfully. A competent teacher will bring that focus to the class, releasing any need to compare with others in a negative way. There are many opportunities to encourage this – personal gratitude, others appreciating others in a sharing circle, individual students recognising how far they’ve come, what they CAN do. Partner and group yoga can be a great tool for acceptance and support.

Savasana (relaxation), often said to be the most important part of a yoga class, is a crucial part of the jigsaw, giving teens a chance to rest quietly, away from their overstimulated lives of instant gratification. It is the perfect antedote, signalling the importance of stopping, really letting go into true rest, recharging. All stresses internalised from the day or week, such as exams, social media demands, peer pressures and fall-outs, family difficulties and perceived expectations from all angles, can be released and let go.

In summary, teen yoga has the capacity to address the whole person; spirit, body, breath, mind. It can be said to offer the perfect partnership for a growing teen and can provide the foundation for a lifelong yoga practice. This time of growth can offer a wonderful window of opportunity, bringing in new routines and practices. Even if not right now, then at very least planting a seed for the future.