Mind and Body Awareness for Kids

Changing lives with meditation and yoga

According to its website, the MBA Project "teaches essential life skills to at-risk youth through the practices of meditation and yoga." Why, you might ask? Because given the tools to stop and reflect on their thoughts and emotions before taking action, they're betting kids will veer away from abuse, crime and violence.

And it seems like they're right. Program leaders say "We are constantly inspired by the changes these young people are willing to make in their lives."

The project itself sprung from the questions:

What if the teenagers of our communities knew how to respond to life's challenges with a calm and clear mind? How different would our communities be?

Most of the time, kids who fall into an at-risk category haven't been given opportunities to get in touch with themselves. They're surrounded by violence, it's no wonder they become a part of it. But by teaching them the time-honored practices that help individuals achieve more inner peace, they're learning to reduce stress and manage their anger. This in turn helps them avoid violence, even when it's all around them. Imagine what these practices can do when you're not in the middle of a maelstrom.

Included in the MBA Project's lessons are healthy forms of relaxation, how to deescalate a conflict before it turns violent and how to transform negative emotions into positive social action.

Sounds like a lesson for us all.