Soft music composes the atmosphere that welcomes and slows down the agitations. In the center of the space, the children begin to embody the yoga poses: the mountain stands tall and steady on its feet, the tree blooms with balance, the dog stretches downward, the cat arches its back in a big stretch, and the bridge forms an arc that connects strength with an open heart. Each “asana” has a story, meaning and significance, and to demonstrate them, one by one, to families is to share the journey of a whole year of learning about this ancient science. This is the purpose of the end-of-year Yoga presentation, which includes Year 1 and Year 2 of Elementary School at be.Living.
Our school fosters the holistic development of children, which is why Yoga is included in the curriculum during the first two years of Elementary School. Through these classes, students are invited to explore their bodies as spaces for mindfulness, potential, and tranquility. The practice remains available as an extracurricular activity in the following years, extending the experience for children who have found in Yoga a space for continuity, engagement, and belonging.
“The objective of the presentation is not only to show what has been done, but also to celebrate the end of a long learning journey,” explains Professor Rudra Avella, emphasizing that the preparation for this moment mobilizes dedication and internal overcoming. Children dedicate themselves to this moment, often going beyond their own limits to discover the best within themselves.
Without a fixed theme, the idea is to weave together fragments of what has been learned throughout the journey, including children’s own creative choices in music composition and movement. The idea is to bring together what has been learned and create something with a special touch from the children.
On a daily basis, the practice is integrated with school learning, expanding the repertoire of concentration, state of presence, body awareness, and coexistence. Families who notice their children practicing poses, mudras, breathing exercises, and mindful pauses at home are witnessing how these experiences resonate beyond the school walls, positively influencing daily family life.
“Yoga has been an education of the body and mind since very ancient times, a science capable of improving the child’s attention in any activity, from playing to studying”, says Rudra. “They discover that there is pleasure in silence, in quieting the body, in being with their eyes closed.”
The teacher explains that when a child learns to listen better to their own body, they expand confidence, autonomy and security, whether in learning, in relationships or in the way they inhabit each moment of life. “In addition, this philosophy nurtures our collective awareness, collaboration, empathy, peace, and love,” adds Rudra.
The end-of-year presentation becomes a collective pause, a time for shared connection, where families and children bring awareness to every breath in and out, to every muscle engaged, to opportunities for exploring and playing with the body, and for discovering the capacities of the mind and heart. A sensitive mirror of daily evolution, built with the constancy and lightness proposed by Yoga.
Connecting with Yoga inspires new learning, expands our view of the world, opens up new possibilities, and brings us closer to many treasures passed down from wise ancestors—true explorers of the human body, mind, and soul. “It is a great joy to be able to share some of this science with the families and children of be.Living!” concludes Professor Rudra Avella.