6 Reasons To Practice Yoga And Meditation With The Family

One of the best lessons we can teach our kids is how to take care of their health, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

And that’s not just because it’s beneficial for us, as parents, to live a healthy lifestyle. Involving the whole family helps our children understand their well-being is important and should be a priority.

Of course, different fitness levels and areas of interest can sometimes make it hard to improve overall well-being together as a family. That’s why starting with a simple yoga and meditation routine can be a great option!

Yoga uses slow, controlled movements to improve balance, strength, and flexibility. Meditation focuses on improving peace and mental clarity through mindfulness.

When practiced together, yoga and meditation can be an ideal way to help everyone in your family enjoy better physical and mental health.

Here are 6 reasons why practicing yoga and meditation with the family is something you should consider:

1. Promotes Good Physical Health

Yoga promotes good physical health by strengthening the muscles. It also improves blood flow and helps in muscle toning.

Yoga is a great way to improve your body’s flexibility. And higher flexibility results in improved posture, better coordination, and lower risk of injury.

When trying to improve your physical health, it’s recommended to practice yoga at least twice a week to get its full benefits. 

2. Brings Peace To You And Your Family

Both yoga and meditation are used as a way to quiet the mind and encourage inner peace. Many people practice both solely for the calming benefits. 

The best thing about both yoga and meditation is that neither require a complicated setup. Yoga requires only a little space on the floor, while meditation can be done in any space you feel relaxed and at peace.

And while no equipment is required, you may eventually want to consider adding accessories to enhance the experience.

Some people find their inner peace enhanced with singing bowls, while others might prefer to incorporate aromatherapy scents or healing crystals.

The benefit of these accessories is that they can help provide more guidance for your meditation, so that you’re better able to achieve your goals.

For example, if you’ve decided to incorporate crystals into your meditation and are currently going through a life change, you may want to use labradorite, since the meaning of labradorite is often thought to be courage and transformation. 

3. Improves Mental Health

Both yoga and mindful meditation have been shown to reduce stress and increase the body’s production of serotonin, resulting in better overall mental health.

By controlling your breathing, moving with deliberation, and clearing your mind, you help to drain any tension from your body.

The end result is less stress, more mental clarity, and an improved mood.

4. Brings The Family Together

Planning activities together as a family is a must for family bonding. And yoga and meditation can easily be practiced together as a family at any time, and with any ages.

When children are younger, sitting together quietly practicing basic mindful meditation can be a great starting point.

For older children and teens, consider trying some two-person yoga moves that require cooperation to complete.

5. Teaches Important Values 

Teaching your children about the importance of self-care may be one of the most valuable lessons you pass along.

In a society that often sees people stretching themselves too thin and trying to do too much, the simple act of taking time for your own overall health (and encouraging your children to do the same) will help them learn that their needs are important.

Yoga and meditation teach some great lessons in and of themselves, including control, discipline, and mood management in times of stress.

But perhaps even more important is the lesson that taking time to improve your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being should be a priority.

6. Promotes Healthy Habits and Relationships

It’s a simple fact that one healthy habit tends to lead to others. A regular exercise routine often helps to encourage positive habits like a healthy diet and a good night’s rest.

And, in addition to encouraging the development of other healthy habits, time spent together as a family doing positive things leads to an overall better family relationship.

Members of the family may also be more conscious of their actions and considerate of others, because yoga and meditation teach the value of mindfulness and self-consciousness. 

Yoga and meditation have many benefits for you and your family. And starting can be as easy as setting aside 30 minutes a couple of times a week!

Find a quiet spot that gives everyone enough room to move, and start with a few basic poses and a few minutes in quiet reflection.

You may be amazed by just how quickly you see the entire family benefiting from this simple routine!