4 days ago
Breathwork for Babies — and Older Kids, Too
On a recent Saturday morning at Artful Souls & Wellness, a street-level yoga studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a group of 10 gathered in a circle surrounded by cushions, plants, instruments and essential oils. Rain fell outside while calming music played; the mood was serene.
The group had assembled in a space often used for traditional yoga classes, but this time, they were there for a SpongeBob SquarePants solar plexus chakra workshop.
Mandi Finkel-Jimenez, a licensed massage therapist, sound healer and founder of Quintessential Therapy, began by leading the four adults, four children and one baby through what she called 'bergamot bubble breathwork,' which involved blowing bergamot-infused bubbles, made by Ms. Finkel-Jimenez, while practicing controlled breathing techniques.
Soon, the families would play with stickers, creating their own Krusty Krab 'pizzas' before settling into a 25-minute musical sound bath focused on a SpongeBob-themed meditation story. Ten-year-old Gavin sat cross-legged, eyes closed. His 8-year-old brother, Griffin, sat next to him, plucking a small kalimba while their mother, Estrella Muñoz, the director of the studio, who said she took her children to these classes twice a month, held her 8-month-old son, Gaius, in her lap.
Ms. Finkel-Jimenez, 35, began offering programming for children in 2021, but in May, she kicked off an eight-class 1990s nostalgia series, starting with a 'Magic School Bus'-themed session in May, which combined Ms. Frizzle's flair for education and adventure with work on the root chakra.
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