I have shared yoga with children for so many years now there is no question for me that it is my dharma in this life.
I was so touched when Gabbi got in touch with her testimonial (below) because her words express how I feel every day and its so beautiful that more and more wonderful people like her are now helping to make the world a better place.
I have been blessed with the presence of children of all ages and of all needs. The children have always been my teacher.
Through them I learn more and more about myself. They teach me unconditional love. how to trust myself more deeply, patience, and they teach me that when I meet myself with compassion that I can meet everyone with compassion.
They teach me humility and they take me to a place of deep gratitude. They make the world a better place.
I know I am blessed. I get to be in the presence of amazing children some of whom have very complex needs, I get to travel to share the teachings of special yoga worldwide and to sit with the families as they see ‘possible’ redefined for their children.
I truly believe that all children are special and that all children deserve to experience inner peace and comfort and fulfilment of their potential and purpose. This is what we share at Special Yoga.
We love it when our trainees and teachers share their thoughts with us.
Thank you Gabbi for your following words. I hope they inspire you too.
“After doing my adult yoga teacher training and because of being a nanny to 5 wonderful children over the last 5 years, 2 of which had special needs I was nagged (yes incessantly nagged) by the now 5 year old little boy I nanny to learn to teach kids.
After seeing the way he responded to yoga after a summer yoga club I decided to give it a go. I started my special yoga for special children training and then went on to do the yoga and mindfulness for children training at Special Yoga (because the 5 year old is on the spectrum and had been displaying quite drastic anger problems) and quite honestly you go into these trainings thinking you’ll just learn how to teach kids.
How wrong was I.
I probably learnt more about myself and what MY needs were, of course the teaching and knowledge from all the wonderful teachers is so valuable, relevant, eye opening and taught was the most passion. But as soon as I learn what my needs were, what held me back etc I actually found teaching kids the most freeing and fun thing I’ve ever done.
Upon finishing each one of the courses I felt 100% equipped enough to begin my journey teaching children, of course it’s a journey that you never stop learning, but in no way did I feel unprepared. I would recommend this course to anyone, anyone at all, not necessarily a yoga teacher/parent/school teacher but literally anyone.
Both these courses came at a time in my life that I needed to get right into my core, and every time my self confidence, self worth, enthusiasm, energy and pure pure love has been replenished and reenergised.”
If this feels like your path, please do come and join our community of special yoga practitioners and teachers”
Jyoti Jo Manuel was captivated by her first yoga class at aged 17 and has been practising ever since. She started teaching yoga in 1992 and has been the UK’s leading practitioner and teacher trainer in therapeutic yoga for children with special needs since 2001.
Jyoti Jo founded The Special Yoga Centre in 2004 to give a nurturing, inclusive and welcoming home for the work with the special children and to make yoga accessible to all.
Her aim is to develop and implement therapeutic yoga programmes that allow all children to receive its significant benefits and help each child to reach their full potential. As the Special Yoga Centre closed, Special Yoga Ltd was born to as a Centre of excellence for Yoga Teacher Training and to serve the special children and their families.
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