Moksha Yoga in West London has started teaching classes to kids aged 6-12. Co-owner Diane Morgan, refers to all students as Mokshies and hopes to instill a set of tools that Moshkies can carry forward in all aspects of their life.
Morgan explains that in English Moksha translates to freedom or liberation, “So it’s an opportunity to come and feel free, enjoy the space and feel safe and secure – to be able to be yourself, and feel free to be yourself.”
This past summer Moksha offered a week long, summer yoga camp for kids, in both July and August. It was their first time offering a yoga camp for kids, and Morgan says both weeks sold out.
“We introduced them to meditation, to yoga practice” Morgan explains, “we introduced them to an opportunity to experience a Yin practice, which is more of a relaxation practice.”
She adds that the Yin practice was interesting for this age range, because kids don’t often like to sit still for very long, and it was a great experience watching them develop over the course of the week.
Morgan says in most cases, the idea comes from parents who already participate in yoga, and realize how important it is for kids to learn this at an early age, “you can quickly see how [yoga] effects your life in such positive ways, that as an adult, you’d want that for your kids.”
She says the Moksha series is nothing complicated, which makes it easier for kids, and each posture sets itself up for the next.
Building Confidence
Though yoga often teaches strength and flexibility, Morgan says that’s not what most kids get out of it, “for them, the physical part is not nearly as important as it is for them to just come in and be themselves, not have to worry about being judged, build confidence, learn the value of silence, and unplug and get away from technology.”
Morgan adds that often times kids’ problems are discounted because of their age, “what can they possibly be upset about, how can they be depressed? Sometimes we think, they’re kids, what do they have to be upset about? But they [feel] these things, and it’s not to be discounted.” 
She hopes that these sessions can give kids the tools to gain confidence and learn that they’re important no matter who they are, what they do or what they look like.
Morgan hopes that the weekly series will give the kids opportunity to establish a strong practice over time, and she looks forward to seeing them develop, and grow an appreciation of what yoga can offer to them.
