15 April,2025 09:21 AM IST | Mumbai | Devashish Kamble
Yoga can help teenagers deal with stress more effectively. Representation Pic/istock
So, what's the deal with yoga, anyway? "Any time of the day, any situation, you can get control of yourself by sitting quietly and turning off from the external noise. I can go inside myself, where it's always calm and peaceful." These aren't our words. They aren't yoga instructor Anahita Sanjana's either, though her new book tells a similar story. That was George Harrison, the quiet Beatle, answering your question in a 1970 BBC interview; shortly after his transformative trip to Rishikesh, India.
In her new book, Yoga for Young Minds (AuroPublications), Sanjana draws from over two decades of teaching experience at the JB Petit High School to introduce teenagers to the practice. The book clears up common misconceptions, explains key ideas from yogic philosophy in simple terms, and offers practical guidance on asanas. While it is based on the Class 10 ICSE yoga curriculum, a quick read reveals that you don't need to be a student to find something valuable in it.
Anahita Sanjana. Pics Courtesy/Yoga for young minds on Youtube
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The book opens with an introduction to Rishi Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, considered one of the earliest documentations of yoga. Contrary to what common knowledge had us believe, we're surprised to learn that hardly three of the 196 sutras relate to the Internet's favourite buzzword - asanas. "The yoga sutras guide young minds in grounding their thoughts, the root causes of a distracted mind, and virtues that help them deal with emotions of jealousy, angst and inadequacy. They're a peek into the psychology of the mind," says Sanjana.
We had one of our own myths busted: children aren't difficult to engage in yoga. In fact, they often look forward to it, says Sanjana. "These days, kids are constantly rushing between tuitions. They barely have time to play or exercise. Many end up with poor posture, back and neck pain. Through breathwork and movement, I try to help bring their minds to a place of ease. Once they see that it helps them relax, they look forward to it," she reveals.
The book covers philosophies from schools like Vedanta, Buddhism, and Jainism, and introduces key figures such as Sri Aurobindo and Ramana Maharshi. But before all that, it focuses on asanas, clearly divided into sitting, standing, and inversion poses, each with illustrations and noted benefits. For those who learn better by watching, the book includes a QR code that links to video tutorials for each asana.
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Log on to Yoga for Young Minds on YouTube (for guided videos)
While we suggest you tune into the guided video, here are the first four asanas that you can try at home.
1 Stand straight, raise your hands up, stretch and bend forward
2 Touch the floor or the back of your calf depending on your flexibility
3 Use a bolster for support if your hands cannot reach the floor
1 Spread your legs four feet apart (measured by your foot's length). Turn your right foot to the right, followed by the left foot in the same direction
2 Form a namaste (folded hands) behind your back or hold your elbows to open your shoulders
3 Arch your back and exhale as you bend towards your right thigh and hold the pose for six breaths
1 Face the wall with your legs four feet apart
2 Twist your body to a side with your palms facing forward
3 Hold and exhale before bending to one side to touch the floor
1 With your legs four feet apart, bend your right knee
2 Touch your right palm to the floor to create a right angle between your arm and the floor
3 Slowly lift your left foot off the ground till it is parallel to the ground
