How 40 Years of Yoga Practice Inspired Bee-Coming Strong
What is Yoga?
Yoga is the state of harmony of body, mind, and spirit. Through simple practices that anyone can learn, yoga offers powerful tools for managing stress, building inner strength, and finding peace – the same tools that MamaQueenzieBee teaches Jazianzza in our story.
Hatha yoga uses gentle physical movements called postures to release tension from the body and help us relax. This is an essential starting point in practicing yoga, because when the body is tense, it contributes to turbulence in our mind and emotions. With regular practice, we quickly learn how to relax individual parts of the body and the body as a whole – a powerful skill for both children and adults.
The Power of Breath: Jazianzza’s Secret Weapon
Yoga teaches us to become aware of our breath, which plays a major role in calming our minds and emotions. In our stress-filled world, most people – including children – breathe very shallowly. Yoga’s simple breathing practices promote health, increase vitality, and create a sense of well-being and inner peace.
This is exactly what Jazianzza learns in Bee-Coming Strong. When MamaQueenzieBee teaches her deep belly breathing with the pollen ball, she’s sharing an ancient yoga technique made perfectly accessible for children. Jazi discovers that this practice becomes her greatest support when facing challenges.
From Story to Real Life: Yoga Techniques Children Can Use
In Jazianzza’s story, she learned that deep belly breathing practiced regularly gave her strength when she faced danger. Her lesson is a good one for families to practice together.
The Challenge: When we’re upset, angry, or frightened, we tend to hold our breath and tense our bodies.
The Solution: Just like Jazianzza, when we notice tension or turbulent emotions, we can:
- Take a few deep breaths (try the pollen ball technique from the book!)
- Consciously relax our bodies
- Connect with our inner strength and wisdom
- Respond from a place of calm rather than fear
Jazianzza’s Example: When she suddenly came face-to-face with Queen Hemizill Hornet, even though she was scared, she used her breathing practice to stay present and access her inner wisdom. Instead of reacting out of fear, she offered her glasses to help the Queen’s daughter. This act of kindness turned an “enemy” into a friend and brought safety and joy to her entire community.
My Yoga Journey: Four Decades of Learning
During my 40 years at the Yoga Center of California, I have learned and practiced hatha yoga, deep relaxation, breathing techniques, and meditation. The Center’s founder, master yogi Ramakrishna Ananda, teaches different forms of yoga to help people develop practices that best suit their individual natures.
Because yoga is not a religion, people of all spiritual paths – as well as those who are not religious – find practices that support their personal journey toward greater peace and happiness.
How Yoga Shaped Bee-Coming Strong
Yoga plays an essential role in my life and has brought me to a wholeness I never considered possible. Through regular practice, I have learned to:
- Recognize how early life challenges shaped who I am today
- Release turbulent emotions like bitterness and anger
- Transform difficulties into wisdom and compassion
- Become a deeper and ultimately much happier person
There’s a saying: “Our greatest challenges can become our greatest blessings, not only for ourselves but to offer to others.” This wisdom flows through every page of Jazianzza’s story, showing children that their differences and difficulties can become sources of strength and gifts to share with the world.
Bringing Yoga Home: Practicing with Your Children
The breathing and mindfulness techniques in Bee-Coming Strong aren’t just story elements – they’re real yoga practices that families can enjoy together:
- Try belly breathing using a small toy or stuffed animal (like Jazianzza’s pollen ball)
- Use the “breathing from your antenna tips” technique when your child feels worried or upset (like Jazianzza does in Chapter 8)
- Make it playful with bee buzzing sounds and gentle movements
Continue Your Journey
Whether you’re new to yoga or have been practicing for years, these ancient wisdom teachings offer profound support for both children and adults navigating life’s challenges.
For more information about yoga and online classes:
- Visit www.yogacenter.org
- Explore Ramakrishna Ananda’s teachings at www.yogaworld.org
- Practice the techniques from “Bee-Coming Strong” with your family
Remember: Like Jazianzza discovered, when we learn to breathe deeply and stay present, we can handle whatever challenges come our way with courage, kindness, and wisdom.