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!
Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® + Wanderlust Wanderkind Kids Program = OHMazing Summer Fun!
Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® will provide kids programs at Wanderlust Colorado July 5-8! The Wanderlust Wanderkind Kids Program is the number one spot on-site for kids ages 4-10 to have a safe and exceptionally cool Wanderlust experience all of their own. Custom tailored to the interests of Wanderlust families, the Wanderkind kids program, is held…...
Yamas, You’s & Yoga for Youth
Photo credit: David Perrone by Elizabeth Reese, PhD, E-RYT, RCYT Sometimes, when I share with people that I weave Pantajali’s Eight Limbs or paths of yoga into Yogiños: Yoga for Youth classes, I get “the brow.” You know “the brow.” And you know the variation accompanied with a…...
3 Breaths for the 3-Year-Old in Each of Us
By Elizabeth Reese Learning how to mindfully breathe was tough for me as an adult. My mind tugged on the rest of me to knock-this-off and return to old habits of reacting rapidly rather than responding responsibly. The key that unlocked my paths to pranayama first and foremost was counting. One, two, three. Three, two,…...
OHMazing A-Z Kids’ Yoga Coloring Book press release and book signing!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW for the formal release and book signing of OHMazing A-Z Kids’ Yoga Coloring Book: Saturday, May 12, 10am-3pm, Art Center of Corpus Christi100 N. Shoreline Blvd.Corpus Christi, Texas 78401 Families and yogis of all ages: come pose and play to bilingual music and check out the *NEW* bilingual wellness book, OHMazing A-Z Kids’ Yoga Coloring Book!…...
Yoga in Schools Aligns Body, Mind & Heart.
by Elizabeth Reese, Ph.D., E-RYT, RCYT Photo credit: Elizabeth Reese It brought tears to my eyes. And when I say tears, I mean the streaming ones with trembling, smiling lips. In a PE class at a Corpus Christi elementary school last spring, about 40 kids took…...
Eating Close to the Earth
By Elizabeth Reese, PhD, E-RYT, RYT During our kids yoga classes at Yogiños, we talk about making good, or “OHMazing” choices for ourselves, others and the earth. Often this includes discussing food because making healthy choices for our whole bodies on and off the mat is definitely part of yoga. For simplification, I invite…...
I am OHMazing!
Elizabeth Reese, PhD A major facet of Pantajali’s Yoga Sutra is an eight-limbed path that forms the structural framework for most yoga practices. These theories and practices also form the foundation of Yogiños: Yoga for Youth®. Using the 8 limbs of yoga not only teaches youth to have respect and awareness for self, others and…...
Yoga Room Management
Teaching 60 students at a school can be more successful when the kids know what is expected of them. Here they demonstrate Mariposa/Butterfly/Bassha Konasana with Flower Power breath to start each class. by Elizabeth Reese, PhD Having a solid plan—as well as a back-up plan or two—is a critical component to teaching yoga in any…...
Together at the Table: A New Winter Snack
by Meredith Blanks Paterson Today I want to tell you about my rather unholy obsession with… dun dun dun… kale. I love it. I used to hate it, but that was because I didn’t know how to prepare it. It can be a finicky little green, but when it’s treated well, it becomes so tasty,…...
Mindful Holidays
Damla plays in double boat/barco doble/navasana with variation. by Damla Eytemiz While holiday events may encourage us to eat, drink, and be merry, we can be mindful about how we participate. Moderation in all things is necessary. Here are some of my reflections on how to have a great healthy holiday. Exercise regularly. Eat well…....
Poised for Possibility: Strike a Pose to Rock the Butte
Meredith (right) and I have tons of fun transforming traditional asanas into playful partner poses! by Elizabeth Reese, Ph.D., RYT, RCYT It’s no secret that I love to practice yoga-off-the-mat: brushing my teeth, waiting for coffee, in-line anywhere, traveling…. you name it! I also enjoy traveling to new places to meet new friends and experience…...
Together at the Table: Allergic to the Holidays
by Meredith Blanks Paterson Holidays are fraught with emotion for everyone, and those emotions can be particularly heightened around the subject of food. Holiday celebrations revolve around food, and the preparation and eating of the food is a ritual sacred to many households. When you or a family member has food sensitivities, food allergies, and…...
Together at the Table: What’s on Your Plate?
by Meredith Paterson I wanted to write today about two OHMazing™, tenacious activists who were curious about something and set out to find answers. And they were only 11 years old. Sadie and Safiyah, © Aubin Pictures In the documentary What’s on Your Plate?, produced and directed by Catherine Gund, Sadie and Safiyah, two friends…...
Creating Connections: Día de los Muertos
by Meredith Paterson Happy Halloween! What are you doing tonight to celebrate? A skeleton does half-lotus– look ma, no muscles! This past weekend, I had the great treat of being in downtown San Antonio and taking part in some of the Día de los Muertos festivities that were being held at El Mercado. Día de…...
Together at the Table: Happy (Healthy) Halloween!
by Meredith Paterson The countdown is on! Just a few more days until one of my favorite holidays of the year. I’m still putting a few finishing touches on my costume. Check out our monthly Yogiños newsletter for more fun Halloween tips! Halloween is definitely a holiday to be celebrated with gusto. I am a…...
Poised for Possibility: Off the Mat and in the Museum
Me and the OHMazing™ Meredith Paterson! Meredith is the Director of Yoga Trainings and Austin. She also is my dear friend, an incredible colleague, and dedicated yogi. Mere: NAMASTE! by Elizabeth Reese, Ph.D. One of the best and most unexpected opportunities for me and Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® is our OHMazing™ partnership with Crow Collection…...
Integrating Journeys with Schools, Museums and Beyond
The first CCISD/Yogiños Teacher Training was part of a 3-school Pilot Program. by Elizabeth Reese, Ph.D. It brought tears to my eyes. And when I say tears, I mean the streaming ones with trembling, smiling lips. In a PE class at a Corpus Christi elementary school last spring, about 40 kids took their new journey…...
Online Yogiños Classes Now at YogaVibes!
by Meredith Paterson Today, we are so excited to announce our collaboration and partnership with YogaVibes. Yogiños: Yoga for Youth classes are now available on YogaVibes so that you and your family can take a class anytime, anywhere. Download the classes and have a yoga party at your house! These unique classes were filmed in…...
Hero at Home: Create an OHMazing™ Day
by Beth Reese In Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® we spend a lot of doing yoga off the mat. In fact, I was happily surprised when I learned that yoga is a way of life not “just” poses or asanas. Asanas are 1 branch of the yoga tree. The overarching philosophies pf yoga are known as…...
Together at the Table: National Food Day
by Meredith Paterson Monday, October 24, 2011 marks the first National Food Day! How do you plan to celebrate? Keep reading for links to recipes and resources below. All across the country, friends and families will cook and eat together; farmers’ markets and local food organizations will host parades, parties, gardening demonstrations, cooking classes, and…...
Love the way nature serves us
by Damla Eytemiz A sunny Friday… Wind comes and goes… Definitely a good day for outdoor activities… I love the nature and I love the way it serves us… However, I believe we should give something back to it if we want this world to last long. I am reading a lot about ways to…...
Drinks with Problems
During the first Yogiños Instructor Training in Corpus Christi, Damla and Claudia practice double boat pose. by Damla Eytemiz Nowadays… We are either watching our weight, diet or we all just want to be healthy. Yesterday I came across a game online, called FATWORLD. It is a video game about the politics of nutrition. It…...
Poised for Possibility: Off the Mat Svadhyaya – Self study
Meredith Paterson, Jennifer Buergermeister, and I celebrate the Second Instructor Training at CuraYoga last June. We will have another one in June 2012. by Elizabeth Reese, Ph.D. Last Friday I had the pleasure of dining with my dear friend and colleague, Jennifer Buergermeister, in Houston. We have shared a pot of tea, a morning cup…...
Journey in the Rain
Sandra and her youngest son Jeremiah work together to create “My OHMazing™ Space” at the Corpus Christi Montessori School. by Sandra Golaszewski South Texas is one of those corners that does not get a lot of rain during the year. So when it does rain, we fully embrace this natural occurrence and as a family…...
Creating Connections: Yoga Rocks the Butte!
by Meredith Paterson Mark your calendars now because this February 10-12, 2012, Yoga Rocks the Butte will be happening in the insanely gorgeous Crested Butte, Colorado. If you haven’t visited Crested Butte before, go go go! Beth and I were there this summer for a Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® training at Yoga for the Peaceful,…...
Together at the Table: New Research on Eating Together
by Meredith Paterson These Saturday Together at the Table blog posts are intended to start or sustain a family dialogue about food, cooking, and eating, and we’ll be sharing recipes, food-related research, food events, and other fun food-related tidbits. This week, I came across newly-published research about the benefits of eating together as a family…....
Poised for Possibility: Off the Mat
by Damla Eytemiz Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® changed my life and I think it can change the world, too. Last week I was reading “Bringing Yoga to Life” by Donna Farhi and she writes, Andersen finds joy in asana off the mat. “Regardless of what stage of life we’re in, Yoga practice should serve to…...
My OHMazing Journey: Musings on Museums and Journeys
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } by Amy Lewis Hofland If you’ve been paying attention to art museum education in the past two decades, you know how much has changed. Gone are the sleepy galleries, dark after five, the tour guides who are “walking and talking,” and the inescapable hush of a silent space. To be…...
Creating Connections: BreatheCure Conference
Today, I want to bring your attention to a exciting opportunity that is happening right here in Texas this month. The BreatheCure (BTC) Conference will be held at Rice University on October 29, 2011. The BreatheCure Conference will feature presentations and workshops from yoga teachers, medical professionals from many different fields, health and wellness professionals,…...
Hero at Home: Big Wheels Keep on Turning, part IV
Rebuilding faith in Split, Croatia. by Beth Reese Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is…...
Together at the Table: Great Blogs for Cooking with Kids
by Meredith Paterson ©2011 Super Healthy Kids. Amy Roskelley provides resources on feeding your family healthy food. Visit Super Healthy Kids for more ideas I have recently found some OHMazing™ resources that I wanted to share with you. There are many days when I have no idea what to cook for dinner, and then the…...
My OHMazing™ Journey: Self-Discovery Through Art
by Kristina Hilliard Seated Buddha on a Lotus China Ming Dynasty, 15th century Bronze, gilding, and pigment Trammell and Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art 1976.3 I have always been fascinated with art– making it, studying it, and teaching it. Works of art have the ability to take us on journeys of self discovery as…...
Creating Connections: YogaVibes!
by Meredith Paterson This past weekend, we had the OHMazing™ opportunity to work with YogaVibes to film some Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® classes among the inspiring carvings and sculptures in the galleries of the Crow Collection of Asian Art in Dallas. We filmed several classes that revolved around ancient Indian stories and myths depicted in…...
Together at the Table: Meatless Mondays!
by Meredith Paterson This series of Saturday posts are all about making OHMazing™, mindful choices each time we sit down to eat. One way to raise awareness about what we eat and where it comes from is to start Meatless Mondays with your family. The history of Meatless Mondays from the Meatless Monday website: “Presidents…...
Everyone’s Earth: Make OHMazing™ Choices
Me and my youngest daughter Andersen when she was 18 months. by Beth Reese Earlier this week I reflected on my experiences with International Peace Day. Today I wish to expand on that and share ideas I have encountered about OHMazing™ Choices we can make every day to make the world a healthier, more peaceful…...
Mindful Minutes: What is Yoga?
by Damla Eytemiz Your boss thinks what he does is the best, your husband is waiting for dinner, your wife doesn’t enjoy your being late from work, kids demand non-stop, parents are complaining, you have a headache, you don’t feel like doing anything, not in the mood, kids think you work so hard and don’t…...
Poised for Possibility: Turning toward New Perspectives
by Beth Reese My dear friend, Becca (right), helps me see new perspectives. The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself. ~Henry Miller One of my favorite ways to practice yoga off the mat is to explore new sites,…...
My OHMazing™ Journey: Hey Maa!
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } by Ahila Gulasekaram Hey Maa! Finally, my most favorite time of the year is here…BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL FALL!! Tree pose celebrating the return of fall! What’s not to like about the cooler weather, field trips to the pumpkin patch, and homemade Halloween costumes? It’s the time…...
Creating Connections: Yoga Energy Activism
by Meredith Paterson In every Yogiños class, we talk about making OHMazing™ choices. OHMazing™ choices are choices that support ourselves, others, and the environment. The mindfulness that youth learn through yoga helps them pause to check in with each decision that they make and ask themselves whether the choice is an OHMazing™ one. They learn…...
Hero at Home: Big Wheels Keep on Turning, part III
Me and my son, Cole, May 2011. We explored manipura and digestion at a Giants baseball game. We liked the garlic fries best. 😉 by Beth Reese Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent. ~Eleanor Roosevelt For our third Sunday of 108 Days of OHMazing™ Journeys in honor of the release of…...
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
Money Free Weekend with No Age Limit
Damla, Director of Marketing for Yogiños, is working on her MBA at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Damla is trilingual in Turkish—her home language—German and English. by Damla Eytemiz Last week after a great Yoga class, I came together with my friends. We sat and some of us thought, “fun is pricey”. I am definitely thinking…...
Poised for Possibility: Peace-In
A regular Yogiño student helps me teach Arbol/Tree/Vrksasana. by Beth Reese Peace begins with a smile. ~ Mother Teresa Today is International Peace Day. To celebrate, I spent my morning with the OHMazing™ students, faculty and families of Mi Casita Montessori School. My youngest daughter, Andersen, attends the school and I was honored to be…...
You are beautiful, yes, I’m talkin to you!
Another OHMazing™ Journey by guest OHMusings blogger Melissa Smith Anyone willing to go back to their teen years for a do-over? I didn’t think so. Those junior high and high school days for me were challenging as I tried to navigate the popularity food chain, figure out if I was good enough to make “this”…...
Creating Connections: MC Yogi
by Meredith Paterson MC Yogi with some of the stars from the new Yogiños DVD This past Friday, we had the long-awaited premiere of our new DVD Vishnu’s OHMazing™ Journeys at the Crow Collection of Asian Art in Dallas. The event was everything we could ever have wished for and more. The Yogiños, the stars…...
Hero at Home: Big Wheels Keep on Turning, part II
For the second Sunday in our 108 Days of OHMazing™ Journeys in honor of the release of our new DVD, Vishnu’s OHMazing™ Journeys, I will continue to reflect on the internal wheels in our bodies, also known as chakras. Here I would like to expand on our conversation with you about how we can activate…...
Together at the Table: Cooking for the $5 Challenge
by Meredith Paterson A teaser from the premiere: Beth, Jordan, Cole, and Andersen on the red carpet. More photos coming soon! Happy Saturday! The $5 Challenge that I blogged about last week is here! We are in Dallas this weekend for the premiere of the Yogiños DVD (see Beth’s post below), and I am staying…...
Red-Carpet Premiere Tonight with MC Yogi!
Red-Carpet Premiere Tonight with MC Yogi! Amanda Giacomini and husband, MC Yogi, enjoying playful art in the Dallas Arts District. Tonight, 6pm-12am: It’s almost here! Join us for a concert with hip-hip yogi-musician MC YOGI at the Crow Collection of Asian Art in Dallas to celebrate the release of our 2nd DVD, Vishnu’s OHMazing™ Journeys!…...
Poised for Possibility: Lotus Pose
This week’s Poised for Possibility is Lotus pose. In Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® we often discuss and explore how challenges can be our best lessons. When have you learned from a difficult experience? Do you experience life as glass half-empty or half-full? For me, Lotus pose is a lot like life. Like the real lotus…...
My OHMazing™ Journey: Meredith Paterson
by Meredith Paterson On Tuesdays throughout the fall, we will be blogging about our journeys in celebration of the release of our new DVD Vishnu’s Ohmazing™ Journeys, created in partnership with Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® and the Crow Collection of Asian Art in Dallas. Share your thoughts on your own journey in the comments below…...
Creating Connections: Divine Feminine Yoga Telesummit
by Meredith Paterson In our Monday posts, we’ll be letting you know about people and organizations who are spreading yoga and healing around our world. Follow these OHMazing™leaders, share them with your friends, and help them continue to make the world a healthy, thriving place for our future generations. Today, I want to tell you…...
Hero at Home: Big Wheels Keep on Turning
I admit it. It was difficult if not daunting to sit down and write about being a Hero at Home, our Sunday Blog theme, on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. And then I realized that what makes a hero a truly extraordinary person is not because they do one special act in their lives—though those…...
Together at the Table: The Slow Food $5 Challenge
by Meredith Paterson We are blogging this fall about our OHMazing™ journeys, and one of my journeys through the past few years (and even months) has been with food. Today, I want to tell you about a great event that is coming up next weekend to help us all make OHMazing™ choices about what we…...
Everyone’s Earth: Make OHMazing™ Choices
It is lovely indeed, it is lovely indeed. I, I am the spirit within the earth… The feet of the earth are my feet… The legs of the earth are my legs… The bodily strength of the earth is my strength… The thoughts of the earth are my thoughts… The voice of the is my…...
Daily Dose of Wellness: CEOs Do Yoga, too
by Damla Eytemiz Yoga, Yoga, Yoga… This week was my first week at teaching with Yogiños: Yoga for Youth®. Even though I began teaching this week, my journey with Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® started when last year I met Beth Reese, the founder and CEO of the company. In such short time, we became…...
Constant Companion
“Mommy, dis is my heart. You always in my heart.” ~ Andersen, age 4 As founder and CEO of Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® I spend a few days a month out of town. This regular travel started when my youngest kiddo, Andersen, was about 2 years old. It was still too abstract of a concept…...
108 Days of OHMazing™ Journeys
Welcome to our 108 Days of OHMazing™ Journeys! Today we launch our new DVD, Vishnu’s OHMazing™ Journeys, created in partnership with the Crow Collection of Asian Art, we invite you to participate in 108 Days of OHMazing™ Journeys. . Each Tuesday for the next several months, we will post about someone’s journey. Starting today, we…...
Winning is in the Process
This spring I decide I needed to increase the cardio in my life. I use the word “increase” with a slight smile because it was not going to take a whole lot to increase from nothing. Sure I did my fair share of yoga asana (poses) and kept fairly active through my own practice as…...
Be Authentic
Tomorrow commences our Yoga Training in Houston. As I gather and pack materials for the participants—mats, shirts, DVDs, CDs, manuals, guides, worksheets, resources to share, ummmmmm what am I forgetting!?!?!?!?—I become aware of my increasing heart-rate long after I close the boxes and load my car. What is it about meeting new people and sharing…...
Me Gusta Yogiños!
Welcome to OHMusings: The Yogiños Blog! Here the Yogiños Team looks forward to offering additional content and information toward nurturing those OHMazing™ choices for yourself, others and the environment! Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® is an OHMazing™ interdisciplinary curriculum in English, Spanish, and Sanskrit. YYY weaves in original art, music, games, stories, and other sensory-integrated activities…...