Charlie
Charlie had been diagnosed with ADHD. He attended a Special Needs School and was one of a class of 14 pupils, with a variety of special needs. Charlie took to the yoga immediately. The initial postures, like Tree Balance, are demanding in terms of concentration and co-ordination. Charlie very quickly demonstrated a high degree of concentration and the ability to focus on a specific nominated point was clearly evident. As the lesson progressed and the postures became increasingly challenging Charlie showed his ability to listen and to grasp the finer points of the work. He was very keen to perform the postures to his peers and towards the close of the lesson when the children were guided through relaxation he applied remarkable discipline to himself in terms of body stillness. In subsequent lessons Charlie showed the same enthusiasm with the added bonus that he did, without prompting, help some of his classmates in some of the postures. I have been teaching yoga to Charlie for over four years. Over this time he has had three class teachers who have shown remarkable enthusiasm for the yoga, and is now in the senior part of the school. During that time there have been occasions when Charlie was obviously irritated, angry, defiant, in conflict with a classmate and yet was still able to draw himself into the discipline and concentration that the yoga demanded. There have been notable, and, frankly, moving occasions when Charlie has admitted in feedback time that he had the ‘hump’ with whoever, or that he knew that his behaviour was unacceptable. I do not know about Charlie’s academic progress nor how he fares at home, and nor do I claim that Yoga has cured his ADHD, however it is obvious that the yoga has provided Charlie with a respite from the pressure of academic expectation and a space to feel that he is in control of his life.
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