Instructor: Lindsey Chenevert
Community: 10-14 year old males, Residential Treatment Center, 45-60 minutes
Plan Creation Date: July 7, 2013
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Grounding
Props/Music Resources Required: Music-Anjali, CD Player, Mindful Moment Card, Ready…Set…R.E.L.A.X. Book, yarn in several colors, scissors
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Belly Breathing – with Hoberman Sphere: 12 Breaths – Close your eyes and focus on each breath as you begin to feel your sit bones grounded to the floor. What does it mean to be grounded? How do you connect to the earth?
- Mindful Moment Card on Grounding – “Remember a time when you worked very hard. Maybe you ran a race, played in a game, or helped carry some heavy objects for a friend. Remember how tired your body was. Now think about how good it felt to lie on the ground and rest. Your body was so tired from the work that it melted into the ground. Feel it melt like that now.”
Activate
- Child’s Pose – Relax your neck, hips, and back. Feel your head sinking into your legs, Place your arms alongside you as you feel your body become heavy and grounded into the floor
- Table Top
- Cat/Cow – Move slowly and smoothly as you go from cat and cow trying to make each breath equal during inhales and exhales
- Table Top
- Alternative Arm/Leg Kicks – Activate your right arm and left leg as you reach out as far as you can, Keep your left arm and right leg grounded into the floor, Hold for 5 counts and switch sides–repeat 4 times
- Table Top
- Downward Dog – Use all four corners of your palms and feet pads to root yourself into the ground, Hold for 4 counts, Walk hands towards feet, slowly rise up one vertebrae at a time
- Roots – Picture yourself as an anchor, like you’re grounding a ship into one place
- Warrior II
- Past, Present, and Future – Physical Activity – After physical portion have youth fill out Past, Present, and Future Worksheet
- Partner Pull Activity – Remember to focus on the four corners of the pads of your feet by keeping them grounded, Feel how you and your partner gently tug at one another but remain anchored to the floor
Calm
- Relaxation Story – Read Rainbow Wear from Ready…Set…R.E.L.A.X. – When you are relaxed how does your body and mind work together–to stay grounded?
- Make colored bracelets – Take colored yarn and braid them together