Full of Joy Yoga was started by Lani Rosen-Gallagher in the fall of 2004 in San Francisco. It is not a yoga studio, but an idea: We are all looking to live our lives “full of joy,” so why not start as early as possible?
The Full of Joy Yoga program primarily works within schools to teach groups of children yoga in their own classroom settings. We work with the teachers and directors to build a program that is tailored to fit each school’s individual needs. FOJY also teaches in yoga studios, preschools, public schools, libraries, festivals, and really anywhere you find kids!
Our mission says it all: Full of Joy Yoga offers children yoga & mindfulness activities that will help develop flexible minds & bodies while cultivating a lifetime of joy, peace and wonder.
Kids are natural yogis. They move their bodies in ways that feel good to them, almost effortlessly, without much thought about why they are doing it! Every day in my classes, I observe the children moving with ease through pose after pose, giving no thought to the fact that they’re stomping around like a water buffalo or flying like an eagle or moving in a silly way like an alien with three legs and 10 eyes. Moving this way makes sense to them, and, in turn, it makes sense for us adults to facilitate this kind of fun. It is Full of Joy Yoga’s goal that this kind of fun will lead to a lifetime of ensuring that their bodies and minds feel joyful, healthy and strong.
