News Updates

Our Littlest Yogis Learn About Chakras

Published on December 30th, 2019 in Fair Share Housing Development

By Jesuit Volunteer Kaitlyn DeVeydt

“You’re messing up my chakras!” sends a ripple of giggles through the room. Everyone is bent into their own beautiful version of downward dog, playing in the posture. For me, yoga has been a love, a lifeline, and a friend for the past five years. Whether you agree with the power of yoga or not, there is no denying the exceptional effects it has had for me and for my small group of mini yogis. My first yoga class began at the base, literally, with an overview of chakras. In yoga, chakras are seven energy points that run from the base of our spine up to the crown of our head; certain chakras are associated with specific colors, emotions, body parts, and even foods! For a child (myself included!), they’re a wonderful way to simplify the physical world we embody. In a society where we’re bombarded with images and feeds and comments, the chakras bring us back to seven simple points: Home, Play, Strength, Love, Voice, Wisdom, and Spirit. However, knowledge of this yogic stripping down was a privilege afforded through years of counseling and classes, and while I am in no position to counsel our kiddos, it’s been a blessing to offer them yoga this past year—to see a group of jumping beans look forward to lying in meditation for the last fifteen minutes of class, to discover what essential oils make them feel most at home and at peace in their bodies, and to enjoy moving our bodies together in a safe space.

Figuring out who we are and what “makes sense” for our bodies, what yogis call our “inner teacher” or “gurudeva,” is a journey we all understand. The practice of yoga is a way for us to literally feel out what feels good, what is “too much” for us, and what does it mean to focus only on the here and now. I loved laughing with my mini yogis as they mooed in Cow Pose and then hissed in Cat Pose. I loved watching them affirm themselves and each other in our post-class chats. I loved seeing peace wash over their tiny, beautiful faces during final meditation. I’ve learned so much from these kids—how to laugh at myself, how to play in a pose, and how to truly relax in a space—and I can only hope that in times of anxiety or worry, they return to the seven simple yogic points and remember that nobody has the power to really mess up their chakras! (Kaitlyn’s yoga workshop took place last fall at the Education Center.)