“Often I’m asked: How do you manage to practice yoga with your children?” says Fanni Köberl. The answer of the mom and yoga teacher for children and adults: “It’s not about ‘the full program’. It’s about that ‘little bit’ you can fit into everyday life.” No fixed time, no 60 minutes in one go – simply whenever it works. Without pressure, without perfection. “That’s exactly what Family Yoga is about for me: getting out of the ‘musts’ and into the feeling. Away from rigid structures, towards intuition and a connection from the heart.”Sometimes her children simply join a few asanas when she is practicing yoga herself – and then disappear back to their Lego bricks or outside into the garden. “And that’s perfectly fine.” What’s important for her in Family Yoga: “You don’t need any fancy equipment, no Instagram-worthy setting. Let your creativity flow, have fun. Bring out your inner child! And if nothing comes to mind, let the kids set the pace. Their imagination is often the best source of inspiration.”There is practically nothing you can do wrong. “Except: not trying at all.” Ten to fifteen minutes from time to time are completely enough. Rituals don’t just benefit children, but adults as well. And definitely your inner child too.

Opening Ritual: Always use the same sentence or gesture, sit in a circle (or cross-legged facing each other), “I am calm like a mountain, strong like a tree, and free like a butterfly,” placing your hands on your heart and taking a deep breath in and out (2–3 times).

To Release Energy: Let out energy for 2–3 minutes until you’re out of breath: stomp through the room and shout “Töröööö,” do frog jumps, …

Breathing Exercise: Flower breathing: hold your hands in front of your face like a flower, breathe in deeply through your nose as if “smelling the flower,” then exhale slowly through your mouth (3–4 repetitions).

Examples of Yoga Poses:

Tree: Standing first on both feet, let your arms grow upward like branches; maybe a gust of wind comes and you start to wobble. Then stand on one leg, placing the sole of the other foot against the lower leg of the standing leg.

Cobra: Lie on your stomach, hands supporting your upper body. “Hiss like a snake,” a long exhale on “Sssssss” while pulling the navel inward. The cobra looks over the right shoulder and then over the left.

Cat-Cow: Activate and mobilize the spine on all fours, arching and rounding the back – “Meow!”/“Moo!”, optionally connecting it with the breath (inhale for cow/exhale for cat).

Final Relaxation: Lying on your back, gentle music, cuddling. “Feel how your body is completely calm now. Your heart is beating in your chest. Your chest rises and falls again. Close your eyes if you like. You can feel how you are being held by the ground, how safe you feel – supported and loved. Let your body sink even heavier into the floor and allow all your muscles to soften. In your mind it becomes quieter and quieter, and all you hear is my voice and your breath.”

Closing Ritual: Sit in a circle, place one hand on your chest, one hand on your belly, or hold hands: “I thank myself, I thank you, this was really beautiful today and here.” (Bow/hug)