By Charlotta Martinus The growing calls to ban smartphones and social media for young people are understandable. Many parents, teachers and professionals are deeply concerned. We see rising anxiety, sleep deprivation, social comparison, cyberbullying and a generation increasingly drawn away from the physical world and into the digital one. The impulse to protect young people
Banning the Phone or Building the Human? Continue »
In 2005, Japanese mathematician and essayist Masahiko Fujiwara published a provocative book, The Dignity of the Nation. His central argument was simple but profound: a nation does not flourish because of wealth, technology, logic or even democracy alone. It flourishes because of the character of its people. A nation possesses dignity when its citizens are
The Dignity We Cannot Measure: Why Young People Need More Than Mental Health Support Continue »
One of the assumptions that concerns me most when discussing the growing number of young people who are not in education, employment or training is the subtle belief that the trend is somehow inevitable. When a problem becomes large enough, visible enough and persistent enough, there is a tendency to begin treating it as a fact of
Can We Reverse a National Trend? History Suggests We Can. Continue »
We live in a time that is deeply committed to the reduction of suffering. This is, in many ways, a moral achievement. We have language for mental health, access to support, increasing compassion in systems that once ignored distress. And yet, alongside this, there is a quiet risk: that all suffering becomes something to be
The Intelligence of Suffering Continue »
There are moments in this work that do not look like breakthroughs at all. They look small. A shift in posture. A breath that lingers a second longer. A young person choosing, perhaps for the first time, not to leave themselves. And yet these moments build something profound — the return of agency, and with
This isnt compliance – it is agency Continue »
A generous donor has made something genuinely radical possible — five fully funded places on our 60-hour live London course, offered to individuals with the capacity to reach over a hundred young people each. Three of them are already working in therapeutic settings. Crucially, this course brings together leading practitioners, including a specialist paediatric physiotherapist from
This is what impact looks like. Continue »
There is something I have come to understand very clearly over the years: real change does not begin with systems, it begins with people. It begins in the body, in the nervous system, in those small, often invisible moments where a young person either feels overwhelmed by life or finds just enough steadiness to stay
Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a medical condition that affects the way the brain and body communicate, leading to a range of physical and neurological symptoms. These can include non-epileptic seizures, motor problems like weakness, paralysis, or involuntary movements, as well as difficulties with balance, coordination, bladder and bowel function, and speech. People with FND
Understanding Functional Neurological Disorder (FND): A Guide for Educators Continue »
There is a growing silence among our young people. It is not loud, not rebellious in the ways we have learned to recognise rebellion. It does not march or shout. It withdraws, it pauses, it lingers in the in-between. And we have named it NEET — Not in Education, Employment or Training — a label
The Silent Refusal: Young People, NEET, and the Return to Being Continue »
There are times when the atmosphere of the world changes energetically—something tightens, something hardens, becomes more fragile. War ripples far beyond the places where bombs fall. It enters conversations, homes, classrooms, it enters the inner world of a young person. They feel it in the tone of adults, in the urgency of the news, in
When the World Feels Unsteady: War, Fear and the Shadow in Young People Continue »
Listening to the Super-Conscious: Yoga for Young People So much of life as a young person is loud. The noise of school deadlines, friendships, social media, expectations, and the constant hum of “what’s next?” can be overwhelming. We spend so much time in the buzz of doing, reacting, and comparing that it’s easy to forget
Listening To The Super Conscious– Continue »
By Charlotta Martinus In a world that constantly demands your attention—scroll here, swipe there, binge this, do more—have you ever paused to ask: Where is my energy going? This is a question at the heart of an ancient yogic principle called Brahmacharya—a Sanskrit word often misunderstood, but deeply relevant to young people today. What Is Brahmacharya, Really?
Where Is Your Energy Going? Understanding Brahmacharya for Young People Continue »
By Charlotta Martinus Let’s talk honestly: in today’s fast-moving, overstimulated world, focus can feel like a luxury—especially for young people grappling with ADHD. But what if the antidote isn’t more medication, more pressure, or more labels? What if it lies in the ancient, embodied wisdom of discipline? Not the rigid, punishing kind that shuts kids down.
Discipline and Focus: A Compassionate Antidote to ADHD Continue »
By Charlotta Martinus There’s a recurring narrative among politicians: young people need more grit. They need resilience training, mental toughness, and a structured approach to tackling life’s challenges. It sounds reasonable, right? After all, the world is unpredictable, and the ability to bounce back from setbacks is undoubtedly valuable. However, as someone deeply engaged with
This talk is from 2018, the inaugural speech at House of Commons YOGA IN SCHOOLS Mental health issues are a dominant issue for young people today, and stress is the root cause. 1 in 5 UK teens between the ages of 13 and 18 will experience at least one major mental health issue. 1) According
Talk at APPG, House of Commons on why Yoga for Teenagers Continue »
As we come into exam season in Australia, many students, teachers and parents will be asking themselves how they can stave off anxiety and manage their stress. This is often a time when schools turn to yoga or mindfulness. Strictly speaking, it is always optimal to bring in yoga earlier, so that it sets a
Australia Exam Time – How Yoga Can Help… Continue »
HOW TO TAKE YOUR CLASSES ONLINE WITH LESSON PLAN
Below I have written an outline for how to bring a class online and also a suggestion for a teen class – I am no expert but I thought it might be useful.
Help moving your classes online Continue »
Last week, I asked Jim (17) what the bravest thing he’d ever done was and he said, “tell someone I was sad”. Nick (19) said something very similar, “to let someone know I wasn’t coping”.
Yoga, Teens & Bravery Continue »
The last lot of tips for teaching yoga in schools… Tip Number 7: Sometimes persisting with the pranayama practice can work like magic. It might be worth using some cues to positively reinforce the behaviour you are pleased with as soon as you hear some students begin to chat ‘All we want to hear is
Strategies for teaching yoga in schools – Part 3 Continue »
