Instructor:  Linda Scherer

Community: 12-16 year olds, Learning Center class, 30 minutes

Plan Creation Date: July 1, 2013

Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Listening

Info:  Student population is adolescent ages 12 through 16 at an Area Learning Center who struggle with impulse control, anger, depression and chronic stress due to family related and/or economic hardships.  Class will be at 10:25 in the morning and will be the students 4 class period of the day.  Class to follow this one is a required seat-based class.

Class Intention:  Listening as it relates to grief is the class intention.  Listening to what is present now with a focus on what their present situation offers them for the next step of direction.

Setting the tone/creating a therapeutic environment:  The tone will be set with lavender oil, music as students enter that is peaceful and relaxing (Water and piano instrumentals, or nature sounds)   A circular mat arrangement will be used with a centerpiece focal point of small battery operated water fountain surrounded by stones.  Students each take piece of paper and pencil upon entering.

Calm

  • Breath-Work – Belly Breath/Hoberman Sphere in seated position
  • Belly Breathing – with stone on belly feeling it rise and fall with diaphragmatic breathing.
  • Opening remarks – Students will be told that they have shown the ability to settle themselves in previous lessons and that today they will be challenged to be still and practice to listen and discover new things to take in.
  • Child’s pose – After breath-work with music, students will be asked to continue breathing in silence with eyes closed or focus on sphere.  Exercise is to notice sounds that they have not heard before in the classroom.  Then focus to notice feeling of ground beneath them, sensation of clothing on their skin.  Notice feeling of familiar jewelry or glasses, etc.

Activate

  • Yoga-Based Activitites – Table/Cat/Cow/Table
  • Plank/Updog/Cobra/Down dog
  • Forward fold/mountain
  • Volcano breath/Mountain
  • Forward fold/lunge/downdog/plank/pushup/cobra
  • Downdog/lunge/forward fold/mountain at heart center
  • Group activities – Forward fold/lunge
  • Down dog/table
  • Cat/cow
  • Spinal twists
  • Cat/cow
  • Child’s Pose
  • Social Emotional Activities – Empathy, trust, compassion, leadership, communication, and teamwork
  • Conflicting feelings – Three volunteers, one sitting, two verbalizing conflicting thoughts about a subject.  Give students subject, then ask them to come up with subject for second and third round.  Switch volunteers.

Calm

  • Relaxation – that integrates the physical, emotional and cognitive experiences of the lesson plan and helps them transition to the next part of their day.
  • Guided imagery relaxation – Lie on your backs in a comfortable position with your arms at your sides and if your comfortable eyes closed. Imagine you are lying on a soft blanket, in the shade on a warm and breezy afternoon.  You can hear the breeze through the trees and the leaves ruffling against one another.  You notice a slight change in temperature and you notice a large cloud is moving across the sun.  You welcome the cool air coming in on the breeze. In the distance you can hear some light drizzle on the leaves and nearby rooftops.  You are in the shade and protected from the rain drops.  As you breathe deeply you can feel your body relax.  You put your attention on your feet and notice any tightness you might feel there.   Your attention shifts to your ankles and calves and you feel the areas of tightness slowly moving out of your muscles.  Your attention moves up your body, to your thighs and then your hips.  Then to the muscles of your butt and lower back.  You focus on your stomach and notice any tension you might have there.  As you breathe in, your attention shifts to your chest and your breath moves in deeply to your stomach.  Your chest opens and you breath in the soft cool air of a light rain.  You can smell the rain and feel it cleanse as it moves into your lungs.  Your attention goes to your arms and they settle a bit deeper into the blanket.  As you lay on the blanket and feel the light breeze, the sound of the rain is calling and you may choose to walk out of the shelter and let it wash over you.  As you do, you feel a release, a cleansing of stuck energies.  The drops keep coming and washing out the old, welcoming in the new.  You choose to lie back down on your mat as the rain subsides and you feel the warmth of the sun.  You are aware of an awareness that change is coming and feel a bit curious about what is next.  Notice how your body feels in this moment.  Notice the deep relaxation.  Notice the feeling of air moving through your throat and into your lungs.  Feel your chest expand.  Make note of anything you would like to welcome into your  life today.

 

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