A RAINBOW INSIDE MY BODY

Young yogis learn that to calm themselves, they must look to their inner rainbows.

“A rainbow inside my body / twirls / and whirls / and spins. / Inside, chakras / keep me dancing, / like raindrops / in the sun.” A brown-skinned child sits cross-legged, eyes closed, next to a rainbow that links each color to a different chakra. Red is the root chakra, helping the child feel firmly anchored, like the roots of a tree. “When I need to feel grounded, / I can close my eyes and breathe.” Orange is the sacral chakra; it helps the child feel inspired and creative. Yellow is the solar plexus chakra; it gives the little one confidence. The authors go through the colors of the rainbow all the way to violet, the crown chakra. In each accompanying illustration, a child performs a yoga pose and breathes deeply, surrounded by the color of the chakra and imagery from nature: soaring birds, a large yellow sun, vibrant flowers. The extensive backmatter begins with an authors’ note that offers a brief history of yoga and explains chakras and ayurveda. Next, readers will find yoga instructions, with explanations of how to do various poses. Finally, the authors include a short guide to the foods and the elements associated with the chakras. The book is a solid, easy-to-understand introduction, while Hatam’s watercolorlike illustrations are bright as the rainbow and effectively depict the poses.

Edifying fare for future yoga practitioners.