Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 4, 2000, Winnipeg, Manitoba Editor Elizabeth Holland 697-7234 Winnie pc free press sunday june 4, 2000 f am i l y Magazine b3 Knight Ridder newspapers kids warm up a yoga ancient discipline inspires responsibility self control and Delight of Tranquility by Rhoda Fukushima Eden Prairie Minn. A Danika Luntz Martin dances swims and does gymnastics. She also has been doing yoga for More than half her life. Danika is six years old. She became interested in the ancient discipline when she received a yoga video As a gift from her aunt. A she instantly became a Little yoga girl Quot says her Mother Natalie Luntz Martin. In recent years yoga has become one of the most popular fitness workouts among adults. Now the Small Fry Are giving it a try in classes tailored just for them. Teachers say yoga develops kids body awareness gives them a new Community of friends and fills their craving for quiet. Kids have a simpler explanation yoga a fun. A a Little Wierdo a i thought it would be a Little weird and strange at first Quot says Diane Beck to of Afton Minn., who started taking yoga last year. A but its fun to go someplace and learn different poses that help your body think exercise physiologist Laura Erdman Luntz a and Danikas aunt a has taught yoga classes for kids As Young As three. She also has taught Parent child classes. Many parents expose their kids to yoga by taking classes themselves and practising at Home she says. Erdman Luntz says children have a Good sense of the mind body connection without necessarily realizing it. They can feel the subtleties of poses she says. For example they know the poses that make them feel Happy or quiet. A a there a nothing like doing yoga through the eyes of a child a says Erdman Luntz who owns Center for healthy living in Eden Prairie. A Little kids done to care what the other person is doing. Ego is not but a kids yoga class is not a mini adult class. Instructors need to make certain adjustments when they Are teaching kids says Mara Carrico founder of yoga link International a training organization in san Diego. For exam pie i never take a pose to its deepest Point or Strain. Erdman Luntz says this is a byproduct of Competition. I keep the atmosphere fun and Light. Kids often gravitate toward animal poses a and enjoy sound effects. I keep the movements simple Carrico says. Always keep in mind the goals of improving the kids strength flexibility and concentration. In the twin cities a handful of places have offered kids yoga during the years a with mixed response. During the past year the Afton yoga centers kids classes have been gradually growing. One recent Day the school bus dropped off eight kids a five girls and three boys Ages to to 12 a for their weekly class. A yoga makes you responsible for yourself Quot says Tatiana Popova the centres owner. A when you Are doing a pose you Are to let go of everything around you. It develops responsibility and giggles and laughter teacher Lynette Anderson leads the kids through movements that turn them into Trees mountains peaceful warriors and corpses. Giggles laughter and several a look at Mes Quot punctuate the hour Long class. Diane Beck a fourth grader says yoga helps her elsewhere. She a not As nervous when she performs dances on stage. Yoga also builds her Muscles for softball and pull ups in gym class. A a lot of the poses Are really hard a Diane says. A but sometimes its fun to have something challenging to do. It makes you try harder and work harder at things a not just yoga but other class always ends with a few minutes of quiet time. With eyes closed they lie on their Mats As Anderson reads from a Book of meditations for kids. For a few moments they become stars. A i kind of like that its quiet a Diane says. A there Arentt Many things you can do with other kids that Are quiet. I like the Calm it acc a kids have a Good sense of mind body connection Quot Erdman Luntz says wig a togetherness mediation keeps families Neighbours and businesses from each others throats by Bud Robertson a you can pick your friends but you can to pick your Neighbours a Margaret Fehr fumed As she leaned against the next door Balcony of her St. James condominium. Ever since her Neighbour brought Home a Rottweiler Cross Puppy earlier this year Fehr has been battling to get him to do something about the smell of urine and Doggy Doo that wafts Over to her Side. First she complained to the Condo Board then to the Public health Branch. Neither has done very much and she does no to want to confront the Neighbour herself. A i just want something done a she said shaking her head in defeat. Denies problem her Neighbour meanwhile denies there is a problem. Good Neighbours when you be got them Are a Blessing. If you done to you can do one of three things you can move wait for them to move or try to find a Way to resolve the problem. More and More these Days people Are turning to such things As mediation to Settle their differences said Greg Barrett program coordinator for mediation services. A in the last three to five years it has really taken off a said Barrett. The non profit Community organization offers a wide Range of conflict Resolution services including Community mediation for family and neighbourhood disputes victim offender mediation and workplace intervention. And for those who want to take matters into their own hands the Organiza Tion also offers workshops. A conflict is inevitable a said Barrett. The question is How to Deal with it. A people done to know How to address conflict with each other a he said and they May not feel comfortable confronting the other person. But that a exactly what they should do before calling in the cavalry. A go and talk to your Neighbour if you can a said Barrett but do it in a Way that is respectful. And while you re talking try to understand what a really bothering the other person he said. There May be underlying reasons for a persons anger or fear. Creative solutions for example a person who refuses to Cut Down a tree because the leaves Are falling into his Neighbours Yard might have sentimental reasons maybe it was planted by his Grandfather when he was Young. And that a where creative solutions Are needed to resolve the dispute said Barrett. In mediation the goal is to help each Side find a Way of meeting the interests of the other. And if its handled properly mediation can actually forge stronger relationships Between former rivals he said. A a that a what we strive in the last 20 years the organization has been involved in some 2,000 neighbourhood disputes. And with a growing population of elderly citizens Barrett foresees real growth in conflict Resolution Between seniors. Businesses Are also turning to mediation More and More to try to Settle disputes both inside and outside the organization. Jeff Debooy / Winnipeg free press Margaret fehrs dispute with a Neighbour Over a dog could be the subject of a mediation , arbitration family mediation services 949-1800. Family mediation Canada web site referral service a mediation has been growing very strongly a said Gervin Greasley president of the arbitration and mediation foundation of Canada and chief executive officer of dispute Resolution associates in Winnipeg. In fact Greasley is flying to Russia next week to represent Canada at a major conference on conflict Resolution. Part of the reason for the growing interest in both mediation and arbitration is that Many firms Are now doing business on an International scale and Many countries have adopted a unified Model based on the United nations said Greasley. And that he said Means everyone is playing by the same rules. In mediation the two sides Are brought together to talk and resolve their own places to Call for mediation services 925-3410. Arbitration mediation Manitoba 783-0529. Dispute Resolution associates 895-7480. In arbitration an Independent third party hears the arguments from both sides before making a final and binding decision. There Are other reasons for mediation rather than litigation said Greasley including the fact that it is far less expensive and usually takes Les time to resolve than going through the Legal system. Check the yellow pages listings under mediation service for More. He noted that mediation is often preferred Over arbitration because it May avoid a permanent rift Between the two sides. And that can be especially important in the Case of family disputes said Greasley. A you have to restore the relationship Between the ;