Tales of a Trade Show – Part 2

Breathe in…breathe out…

A reminder we can all use more than once in a busy day, and a reminder that I have been giving myself over the past few weeks.

As always, when there has been a little bit of space and time between us connecting (us as in you – my amazing readers, and me – New Age Teacher), I miss our ‘time’ together and get excited to re-connect.

I promise you, if a few weeks go by without a blog, it is always with good reason.  I am continuously learning how to expand New Age Teacher, reach new audiences, share my knowledge, connect with others, and learn, learn, learn!

The past few weeks kept me very busy with my second annual Toronto Yoga Show.  With that, I want to take just a brief moment to say a HUGE thank you to my inspiring, creative, and energetic partners at the show (Young Yoga Masters, Children’s Yoga Books, Yogi Frogz, Wee Hands, and Elke (expert teen therapist).  Our Children’s Yoga Network booth grew, not only in size, but also in spirit.

I also want to give thanks to the numerous individuals who hosted booths at the show and who visited our booth as well.  I think my favourite part of working at a trade show is getting to connect with so many new people, from so many different walks of life.  I find inspiration in each of them and in such a creative and dynamic space!

When sharing New Age Teacher’s philosophies and products at the booth, I am commonly asked, “but…does it really work?”

Mindfulness you mean?

Meditation?

For children?

And teens?

YES.  YES.  YES and, you guessed it… YES!!

It’s human nature to question something that is new to our understanding.  You should question what you don’t know.  You should also ask questions – lots of questions.  You deserve to know what you are investing in, particularly when it comes to your child’s well-being.

The thing is, at a show like the one we just did, I often don’t even have to spend much time ‘convincing’ parents of the effectiveness of mindfulness, or the need for it in the lives of youth.

Youth do the job for me.

The adults that I conversed with often showed a look of shock that their children could possibly have stress in their lives (“how can my 7-year-old possibly be stressed out?”).  But as children and youth stepped closer to our booth, it was like they were the north pole and the IPAD with the meditations, was the south pole, and they were immediately magnetized.

That’s right.  The kids themselves were drawn to listen to the meditations at our booth instantly.  Just as they were enamoured by the relaxing breathing ball, mind jar, and host of other tools we had for kids.

Those same kids expressed how they experience daily stress.

Those same kids again, listened to Meditations For Growing Minds with so much pleasure, stillness and ease.

And finally, it was those same KIDS who convinced their parents – this is something I need in my life.

So when asked by adults if it works – I just told them to glance over at their children and decide for themselves.

In addition to kids’ reactions, confirmation of the ability for mindfulness to have great impacts with children, stemmed from conversations with return visitors.

One of the most meaningful conversations that I had over that particular weekend, was with a pair of women who work in the private school sector.  They purchased Meditations For Growing Minds the year before.  They had experienced such great success with it, that the CD became the inspiration for their summer camp.  Each track set the stage for the theme of camp each day.  When using the track, “Camping At Night,” the instructors created the scene that they would be visualizing, to support deeper levels of mindfulness, manifestation, creativity, and peace.

First off – you go girls!!  You are amazing educators for investing this level of thought into the well-being of your students and campers.

Secondly – you’re equally amazing for taking your personal time to share these experiences with me the following year.  Your words and feedback are treasured more than you could possibly know!  (And, I hope this thanks reaches you in some capacity 🙂

I had other return visitors who shared similar sentiments about what introducing mindfulness to the lives of their children had shifted (positively) in their lives.

These encounters are the greatest gifts to me.

The well-being of children and the ability for them to grow and expand and learn what I wish my teacher had taught me, is why I wake up every day, teach mindfulness to my own students in the public system, and continue to grow and expand New Age Teacher.

In between all of that…I just remember to breathe in…and to breathe out… 🙂