Strength in Gentleness

Kate Bartram-Brown created multiple programs that utilize principles of kids yoga and mindfulness, for children and adults, that cultivate strength in many ways!

In each of the workshops, we talk about physical strength and focus on mental & emotional strength. To illustrate how Mini Me Yoga helps build mental & emotional strength let’s look at the tale of the North Wind and the Sun:

One day, a man was walking along a meadow and he was wearing a coat. The North Wind and Sun were up in the sky and the North Wind challenged the Sun saying “I bet I can make that man take his coat off!” And the Sun agreed to the challenge and replied “Ok! Show me how you’ll do that!”

The North Wind took a deep breath and blew and blew and blew on the man in the coat. The man in the coat began to pull on his coat, holding onto it tighter and tighter! Soon the North Wind was worn out and stopped. The North Wind looked at the Sun, and the Sun knew it was time to show how the Sun would accept this challenge!

The Sun smiled a big smile and beamed all of its beams. Soon enough, it was too warm for the man to wear his coat! He took it off and continued on his way.

In this story, the Sun is very much like how mental & emotional strength is fostered in children and adults. Mental & emotional strength is embodied as the Sun did not have to explain itself, it just did it’s job and did it with joy. Mental & emotional strength means allowing yourself to take up your space you need to be the best you- as the Sun grew bigger and warmer. Mental & emotional strength balances the body and the mind by opening the heart- as the Sun had to shine with warmth in order to achieve its goal. Mental & emotional strength is gentleness because it is all of these things and more!

The 15 Minutes to Meditation, Mindful Kids program taught in the Meditation Workshop for Adults hones in on and lays the ground work for mental & emotional strength. It is one of the many tools we offer worldwide for children and adults to create a more peaceful inner world.