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Shivansh, an active 4-and-a-half-year-old boy, broke my reverie while I was immersed in ‘Aum Chanting’ during the four-day Himalayan Retreat. My eyes opened to a distinctive, unique, and effective mode of correcting a child’s behavior.
Punishing a child to alter their behavior is common among all parents. We all have experienced it while growing up and have also administered it to our children. The manner of punishment might have changed, but the crux of it remains constant—a ‘negative connotation’ focused on ‘behavioral modification.’ This perception of only a negative form of punishment in correcting an atrocious conduct in children was completely obliterated from my mind when I was privy to this new form of retribution. I am sure you too will feel the same by the end of the article.
The tranquility and serenity of the beautiful Himalayan environment had completely embraced me. The 20-minute ‘Aum Chanting,’ with ‘Sectional and Yogic Breathing,’ had transported me to a sublime realm of peacefulness. As I opened my eyes to get the participants into asana practice, the first thing I noticed was Shivansh—sitting on the stage just behind me, oscillating rhythmically while chanting ‘AUM,’ seemingly in deep sleep. His palms remained intact in ‘Namaskar Mudra,’ and the ‘Aum Chanting’ maintained the same rhythm and firmness. It's important to mention that Shivansh had been chanting unfailingly since the session began.
Shivansh is an active child and, like all smart kids, needs constant engagement and attention from the moment he wakes up to when he falls asleep. Like other kids his age, he throws tantrums over different subjects. To handle this tactfully, his parents have come to an understanding with Shivansh, with a list of strictures for him to follow in case of undesirable behavior. The concept fed into his little mind is: ‘If you do one bad thing, you have to do one good thing’—a concept of ‘PRATIPAKSHBHAVANA’ in Yoga.
Every time a childish tantrum is thrown, Shivansh is asked to sit in one place and chant ‘AUM’ at least 108 times, in namaste mudra. He does this without complaining, with a sweet, beautiful smile on his face. This practice started when he was just 3 years old. It may have begun as a lark but has now become much more. Each time he throws a tantrum, he is gently requested to follow the correctional protocol. The impact of this practice is clear. I saw the transformation in the boy; after the chanting, he always emerged refreshed and calmer, while still remaining active. Sometimes, he would fall into a deep, uninterrupted sleep and wake up feeling rejuvenated.
This example made me question our negative connotation of punishing a child. If we can all adopt this methodology, which has its roots in our heritage, our future generation could grow up as the epitome of humanity, and problems like ADHD might disappear on their own.
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