Social Emotional Learning

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

SEL can help address various forms of inequity and empower young people and adults to co-create thriving schools and contribute to safe, healthy, and just communities.

Social Justice

Social change takes intentional and sustained work. The practice and philosophy of yoga can be used as a tool to support social change. Gail Parker, PhD, a psychologist, yoga therapist, and president of the board of directors of the Black Yoga Teachers Alliance notes: the first step to dealing with racial stress and trauma is self-study: “Individuals make up the system. If individuals aren’t doing their own inner work around race and ethnicity, then nothing changes.”

Mental and Physical Health

Children can’t learn if their nervous systems are activated. Yoga helps children regulate their nervous systems so they can focus and learn. Regulating their nervous systems helps manage stress.

Yoga enhances focus, concentration, comprehension and memory. Poses support physical fitness by improving posture, balance, coordination, and body awareness. Yoga philosophy supports an atmosphere of confidence, enthusiasm and non-competitiveness by emphasizing the “we” over the “me.”