By Kimberlee Ovnik
One of the many gifts of yoga is that it meets you where you are. Maybe that’s part of the reason why Sonia Sumar’s program, Yoga for the Special Child®, has become internationally recognized. Sumar, who used to live in Evanston, created the program in 1970 for children with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism and attention deficit disorder. Sumar says she sees miracles every day, kids who get healthier, develop better attention and children grow in self-confidence.
On April 27th Sumar will be in Chicago instructing others to teach yoga to kids with special needs. She shares with illumine how the program began, how it works and the miracle of practice.
How and when did your yoga journey start?
I started in Brazil, around 1967, after receiving a book on Hatha Yoga by Indira Devi. It felt very familiar to me and I totally immersed myself in that practice. Years later I signed up for classes in a yoga school. My connection with yoga was so strong that I attended a teacher training program in 1974. After that, I began teaching.
How did yoga for the special child manifest?
That was in 1972, after giving birth to my second daughter, Roberta, who was born with Down syndrome. At that time, no one was talking about early intervention and my baby’s physician told me our only option would be to wait for seven years and she would qualify for a school for children with special needs. That sounded like an eternity, and I knew right away that I could not wait that long to help my baby.
How did yoga become an inspiration for you as a mom?
Just by watching my daughter’s progress. In the beginning, I was only a mom trying to help her own child in any possible ways! However, God seemed to have another plan for us. As Roberta’s improvements started to show up, I was invited to work in a school for children with special needs and Yoga for the Special Child® and Roberta’s story started to spread around.
Can you describe and share why yoga has such a profound effect on the development of children with special needs?
Yoga has a profound effect on everyone who practices it with commitment and consistency. I had experienced the amazing benefits of yoga before Roberta was born. My inner world had been totally changed and the results were showing in the outside world as well. My husband was an alcoholic and life with him was a daily challenge. Yoga brought me the balance I needed to cope with the situations he was always creating around us.
Since Down syndrome is a genetic condition, I knew that I could not heal my daughter. I knew yoga could help her to better understand and accept her condition.
With yoga and a vegetarian diet, Roberta’s health improved. Her diet consisted of fruits, veggies and whole grains. It was devoid of white sugar and processed foods.
What is it about yoga that can help develop and shine a light on a child’s abilities?
Yoga is not a competition and can be adapted to people of all ages and abilities. It does not focus on the external appearances. I follow the teachings of my Guruji Sri Swami Satchidananda, beloved founder of Integral Yoga. He taught that the goal of this practice, and the birthright of every person, is to realize the spiritual unity behind all of creation. He said it is about striving to live harmoniously as members of one universal family.
Sonia Sumar travels the globe instructing and certifying students to teach “Yoga for the Special Child.”® The combination of her sacred wisdom and her personal experience is an incredible asset to this program. You can check out Sonia’s schedule at specialyoga.com.
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