Share the gift of yoga

This Mother's Day may call for a whole new take on your usual celebration. Perhaps the kids get together and take Mom to dinner at her favorite restaurant, or maybe buy her flowers and candy.

But wouldn't it be nice if this Mother's Day, Mom did the giving?

Give what?

How about a positive self-image?

Here we are, in a society that spends a good part of its time in front of the television, sitting, maybe eating, and certainly getting larger.

At the same time, magazines and TV shows give us a whole different image to uphold. Skinny girls in small outfits next to guys nicknamed for their abdominals. It's no wonder disordered eating is in the forefront and young women — and, increasingly, young men — ache to be accepted.

Why does body image matter? What does it entail exactly? Is it the way we look at ourselves in the mirror? Or is it all those retouched, remodeled babes in the magazines that incite thoughts of inadequacy? Whatever may be fueling a teen's reaction to her own self isn't the problem so much as the response to that reaction.

So this Mother's Day, take your child to a yoga class. Then, take her again. And again.

What can a yoga practice do for your teen? Or even for Mom? Begin by learning to pay attention to all parts of the body, from the stretch of the big toe to the reach of the crown of the head.

Yoga garners respect for the internal organs; it requires concentration to focus the mind. Yoga fosters appreciation for the grace and beauty of the human body. Once a regular practice is begun, you'll stand taller, walk straighter and be aware of the fingers, the eyes, the knees.

Yoga brings together the mind and body, creating a connection that is not easily broken. Body image becomes a positive experience rather than a reason to avoid the bathroom mirror.

And yoga isn't the only way you can help your child get in touch with herself or himself in a positive way. For some children, that might be team sports. But I've also witnessed kids being yelled at and belittled by coaches and parents alike. Competition isn't for every child.

Children — and parents, too — need something that lets them experience the wonder of their own bodies, takes them out of their heads and puts them in touch with a deeper part of themselves. Yoga, tai chi, Chi Quong or just walking through nature gives us a connection to something larger than ourselves, however we choose to define it.

Be amazed at the things your body is capable of doing. Be calmed by the ability to breathe through stress. Be empowered by the knowledge that your body, inside and out, is an incredible work of art.

Don't wait another day. Take a walk. Strike a pose. Get to class.

Diana Reed is a Hernando County yoga instructor. Her website is www.dianareed.net.