Raising My Son with Kundalini Yoga and Meditation

People often ask me if I used Kundalini Yoga and meditation when raising my son.

The answer is yes.

Not because I wanted to raise a perfect child.

Not because I believed there would never be tears, frustration, or moments of anger.

I used these practices because I wanted him to know that every emotion is welcome, but every emotion also deserves awareness.

As parents, we don’t just teach our children with words. We teach them through the rhythm of our home, the way we respond during difficult moments, and the tools we place in their hands.

When my son was young and anger showed up, I didn’t want punishment to be the lesson.

I wanted awareness to become the lesson.

One of the practices we used was Sitali Breath.

Instead of reacting immediately, we would pause. He would curl his tongue and slowly inhale through the mouth before gently exhaling through the nose. (If someone cannot curl their tongue, they can practice a soft inhale through pursed lips instead.)

The cooling breath helped settle the intensity that anger creates in the body.

It wasn’t about making the feeling disappear.  

It was about creating enough space so he could think clearly again.

When his nervous system was stressed, we often turned to another beautiful practice:

Kirtan Kriya.

He would sit on my sheepskin and chant:

Sa Ta Na Ma 

Birth.  Life.  Transformation.  Renewal.

Sometimes he chanted aloud.

Sometimes he whispered.

Sometimes he repeated it silently.

There was something deeply comforting about its rhythm. It reminded both of us that every difficult moment passes.

Nothing is good or bad, thinking makes it so. Every experience teaches us something. Every day offers another opportunity to begin again.

Reflection was also an important part of our family rhythm.

If my son had been unkind to someone, I didn’t ask him to simply say, “I’m sorry.”

Instead, I asked him to write.

He would write about what happened.

How do you think the other person felt?

What were you feeling in that moment?

What have you learned?

How will you respond differently next time?

Those essays were never about blame.

They were about building compassion, accountability, and emotional awareness.

Looking back, I realize we weren’t simply managing behavior.

We were building emotional resilience.

We were teaching that mistakes are teachers.

That kindness can be practiced.

That awareness creates choice.

Children don’t need perfect parents.

They need steady ones.

Parents who can pause before reacting.

Parents who are willing to model what returning to themselves looks like.

Today, as I continue teaching Kundalini Yoga and meditation, I often think back to those simple moments on our sheepskins, around our kitchen table, or cozying up in our den.

A cooling breath.

A sacred mantra.

A handwritten page filled with honest reflection.

These practices became part of the foundation of our family.

Not because life was always peaceful.

But because we learned how to return to peace together.

Our children are always watching.

Not for perfection.

But for presence.

And perhaps one of the greatest gifts we can offer them is a regulated nervous system, a compassionate heart, and simple tools they can carry with them for the rest of their lives.

If you’re raising children—or supporting grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or young people in your life—consider beginning with one small practice.

One conscious breath.

One calming mantra.

One thoughtful conversation.

Small, steady practices create safety.

And from that place of safety, kindness has room to grow.

I’m Darlene, a Kundalini Yoga and meditation teacher of over 22 years. I help people regulate their nervous system so peace of mind, clarity, and inner strength become part of everyday life.

Sat Nam, Namaste, and peace to you each day.

Stay steady.

Darlene Attard