Music and Yoga in Harmony

Sounds are all around us, some beautiful to the ear, some grating, soft, loud, melodic, harmonic, lively, slow and the list goes on.  Music opens the heart and elevates the soul.  It is a joyful opening of voice, body, mind and breath in the presence of spirit. Children learn to listen by having the experience of various sounds e.g. ringing a bell, hearing various animal sounds, different chakra sounds, or chanting the universal sound OM.

Yoga and Sound naturally fit together. When we are born we do not enter the world silently but with a cry and fill the air with our own voices. We are music from the first cry, humming, cooing, creating our own song of life.  Every child has a unique expression of sound through his/her own voice.

Have you noticed that we lose touch with our own voice and rhythm as we get older and silence ourselves and quiet our children? So singing does awaken what we have let go, in some dusty place in our minds.  Have you noticed that we do vibrate when we sing or speak and these vibrations are heard or felt?

Singing is not only a release of energy but is also transformation of energy.  Have you noticed your children singing  for comfort if upset or hurt and feel better, happier after.  They then move on freely in the moment to express themselves. I have seen children rock themselves and sing at the same time.  They love to make sound effects with their mouths and bodies.

For example we can make our bodies sound like musical instruments  e.g. gently slap top of head, cheeks etc., use the fingers, mouth and feet.  Just emphasizing a sigh or yawn engages children.  The list is infinite and kids love when the yoga teacher exaggerates a sound like a snore, whistle, or makes a buzzing sound like a bee.  The sound brings a story alive whether making the sound of a frog, rabbit or lion. So a children’s yoga class becomes very fun just combining yoga movement with sound.

Also, children love to experience the world through touch so respond to playing some music using shakers, small drums and various acoustic instruments. It also helps them to develop rhythm when they stand and shake a rattle, as an example. As the same time, they are developing motor coordination, thinking skills, practicing patterns and language skills as they move their body and sound their voices in rhythm to the sound of the shakers.