OMMIE'S JOURNEY INTO CALM - Book by Sirkka Fisk

OMMIE’S JOURNEY INTO CALM

Author and Illustrator: Sirkka Fisk
BUY – Ommie’s Journey into Calm
UK Booksellers-Retail £5.99

Come on a yoga journey with Ommie, as he sails his ‘boat’ into calm. The pictures are graphic, easy to understand and filled with rich vibrant colours that children will adore. Ommie’s Journey into Calm, written for children 4-8 years old, but other age groups and those with special needs, may enjoy it too.

Feeling happy and peaceful inside is something we all want. Yoga is a way to gently strengthen our mind-body connection. It brings relaxation and calm, whilst boosting self esteem and confidence.

This clever little story parallels our breath and life force, with the wind. Once we become aware of the breath and learn to control it, we can sail ourselves with ease and freedom.

When Ommie sets out from a busy city across a calm sea, seven friendly creatures arrive on his boat. One by one, they show him simple yoga poses. Each creature has a shape which will help children remember the pose.

When a butterfly arrives, Ommie sits with the soles of his feet together, knees pointing outward. His legs move up and down like butterfly’s wings. Together they breathe in and breathe out. The sail fills with air again and the boat is moving out across the calm sea.

I read this book to my four year old friend, who had not come across yoga before. At the end of each page and we tried the poses together, breathing in and out just like Ommie. He was a keen participant, managing the poses quite well. He did however ask where the monkey had come from!

This is a story about outcomes not detail, so don’t be surprised when a sloth finds its way aboard!
As the sun slowly sets, a full moon rises. The friends rest onboard, and their combined breath fills the sail, lifting the boat up into a sky full of stars.

Yoga can help children to lead happy balanced lives because it helps promote, physical strength and flexibility. It improves balance and co-ordination and increases focus and concentration. Many schools use yoga as part of their daily curriculum, and teachers have noticed that children are able to concentrate better and experience less stress.

The back cover folds out, to reveal a page of pose by pose instructions. This is helpful for parents who are unfamiliar with yoga, and great for young readers who want to revisit the poses on their own.

The other fold-out part of the back page, has a second stand-alone guided breathing meditation. This can be done at anytime and increases concentration and relaxation.

Using one finger as a boat, trace the outline of the fingers of the other hand. This second hand is laid flat, with the fingers representing waves on the sea. Up the wave-finger, breathing in and down the wave-finger breathing out. Repetition is the key to all these exercises.

This simple mediation could be fun to read as a calming group exercise, or just before sleep, to settle busy minds. Show children how to activate calmness whenever they need it. Suggest practicing it quietly for a few minutes at a time. Try it out on a long car trip!

This is the second children’s book by Sirkka Fisk , UK yoga teacher, author, illustrator and mother of a boy just like Ommie. Her first title which also explores children’s yoga poses, is ‘Ommie and the Magical Garden’.

BUY – Ommie’s Journey into Calm
UK Booksellers-Retail £5.99