OHMusings Blog

Using Loving-Kindness to Disrupt Negative Patterns
This week, I was lucky enough to practice mindfulness and yoga with a small group of teens. The theme of our class centered on creating freedom: within ourselves (physically and mentally) and off the mat, in the world. We discussed the importance of awareness and acknowledgment as a first step in creating change. Another part

Our commitments to anti-racism and equity
Dear Friends, In the last few weeks, the Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® leadership team and I have grappled with the realities of the ongoing issues with systemic racism, violence, and oppression toward BIPOC—and especially the circumstances and experiences of Black people—in our country. This led us to question how our mission to provide mindfulness and

3 Tips to STOP to Disrupt Habitual Thoughts and Actions
This article shares STOP as a mindful tool to disrupt habitual thoughts and verbal outrage, including 3 tips on how to use it in your daily life and with kids! by Elizabeth “Beth” Reese, PhD, E-RYT, RCYT, YACEP As a mom of 3 kids, I do not like being late to school—and especially not

Catch the shift!
by Beth Reese, PhD, E-RYT, RCYT, YACEP During one of our online trainings last year with faculty from City Year in Chicago and Philadelphia, we taught a yoga-off-the-mat tool we call “Hand Hat.” Here youth breathe in reaching arms up, and breathe out as they clasp hands together resting hands on top of their head.

3 Breathing Tools for Pre-Schools and Beyond!
by Beth Reese, PhD, E-RYT, RCYT, YACEP Earlier this week I had the honor of leading a MOSST (Mindful and OHMazing® Strategies for Students and Teachers) training at Goldberg Montessori School in Houston. Similar to many schools and faculties I work with, a few teachers at Goldberg were already using some yoga poses and breathing

Mindfulness with Test-Taking: Five Tried and True Tips
by Beth Reese, PhD, E-RYT, RCYT, YACEP A few years ago I taught yoga and mindfulness at an urban Houston elementary school. The school was considered low-socioeconomic with a majority of English Language Learners. Additionally, It was a highly international and transient community. Growing up is already stressful enough without so many external factors. During

OHMusings: Self-care as Self-less Love
While giving love, cards and gifts, let’s consider including ourselves in the celebration—and not just for Valentine’s Day, but everyday. by Beth Reese, PhD, E-RYT, RCYT, YACEP Self-care is never a selfish act—it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer to others.” –

Mindfulness with Test-Taking: Five Tried and True Tips
A few years ago I taught yoga and mindfulness at an urban Houston elementary school. The school was considered low-socioeconomic with a majority of English Language Learners. Additionally, It was a highly international and transient community. Growing up is already stressful enough without so many external factors. During my “Health and Wellness” classes, students learned

Parents Practice Mindful Action
“So what is the one action from today’s discussion you will put into practice,“ I asked a group of parents toward the end of a discussion at The Village School in Houston. I was there as part of an initiative with their Middle School where the Yoginos: Yoga for Youth® (YYY) program MOSST (Mindful and

Just keep sharing, just keep sharing!!!
by Beth Reese, PhD, E-RYT, RCYT, YACEP In the 2003 digital pic, Finding Nemo, Dory coaches Nemo to “just keep swimming“. Nemo, lost and in search of returning to family, hesitates and then eventually gets the importance of moving forward. You and I, me and you: let’s move forward in 2019 and create ripple effects about

Family Time Friday: Back-to-School Bliss, Part I
As we prepare to kick off a new, OHMazing® school year, many of us—including parents and our kids!—may be feeling mixed emotions. Some of us may be feeling nervous, anxious, excited, ready, not ready, some or all of the above! Emotions are not good or bad: they just are! And when we do not feel

Me Gusta Yogiños!
Welcome to OHMusings: The Yogiños Blog! Here we play, laugh, pose, ponder and practice making OHMazing® choices for yourself, others and the environment! Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® is a research-based, trilingual, mindfulness and yoga program designed to empower people of all ages to make OHMazing® choices for their bodies, minds and hearts on and off

Happy Independence Day!
Celebrate Independence Day with this OHMazing® class from Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® instructor, Emily Aven!

Together at the Table: Farmers’ Markets
by Meredith Paterson I decided to call these Saturday posts “Together at the Table” because I wanted to use them to talk about all of the ways food factors into our lives. What we eat, how we purchase or grow our food, and how we eat it are decisions that reflect so many of our