Instructor: Carrie Lipe
Community: 15-21 year olds, Alternative High School, Classroom Setting?
Plan Creation Date: May 24, 2013
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Listening
Class Length: 90 minutes
Props: iPhone/Speakers for Music, Journals, Pencils
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Belly Breathing on Back – Lying on back, with hands on belly. Listen to the sound of your breath. Listen to the sensations in your body as you breathe. Is your breath cool? Warm? Dry? Moist? Slowly tune into the pattern of your breathing. Notice the pauses between the inhale and the exhale. Listen to the deep stillness and quiet in these pauses between breaths.
- Mindful Moment on Listening – Take a moment to consider all the kinds of listening there are. What does it mean to others? To listen to yourself? To listen to your body? Your thoughts? Your heart? Is there a difference between “hearing” and “listening?” Let these ideas play around in you while you breathe. Pay attention to what you are listening to and what you hear, both inside and outside of you. We will move a little bit, and then we will talk about what insights might have come to you about “listening” and “hearing.”
Activate
Seated Stretches
- Seated Wrist and Arm Stretches – extend in front and hold, above and hold, back and hold
- Seated Side Stretch – with arms overhead, stretch to the side, sit bones held evenly on the floor
- Seated Twist – strengthen back, chest forward, look to the back, one side, then the other moving quietly and smoothly
Stretches on Hands & Knees
- Alternate Arm/Leg Kick – move slowly, balancing, focusing pose, alternating sides – about 5 times each side
- Stretch Back /Cobra/Stretch Back/Upward Dog – stretch back, looking forward, then move forward into a silent Cobra, slowly repeat, moving into Upward Dog instead of Cobra.
- Child’s Pose – rest quietly, relax elbow, face and jaw. Listen to the stillness inside you.
- Cobra – move into another Cobra
- Seated Discussion – Listening
- Round Robin – what insights came to you as you thought about this idea of “listening” and “hearing?” Round robin sharing.
Standing Poses
- Cobra – From Seated, come forward into Cobra
- Downward Dog – from Cobra, raise hips, lower head, shifting your gaze to behind you, stabilize and hold for a few quiet breaths
- Forward Fold – Walk between hands, keeping head down, hold forward fold a few breaths, relaxing head, feeling the stretch along your back and hamstrings
- Monkey – lift gaze, straighten back, hands on shins, look up quietly
- Listening Mountain – stand in Mountain Pose, ground your feet, steady your mountain, close eyes and listen. What do you listen to inside yourself? What do you hear? What actions do you take based on what you listen to? What leads you to greater health? To less health?
- Sun Salutation Sequence – led by Students
- Sequence Right Side – student volunteer leads right side, another student narrates the poses, if comfortable, otherwise teacher helps narrate
- Sequence Left Side – quietly transition to new student leader.
Floor Poses
- Bridge Pose – listen to your body for cues as to how far to come into bridge, and how long to hold this pose
- Knees to Chest – lie on back, holding knees close to chest
- Floor Twist – enjoy the sensation of your back relaxing, letting go
Calm
- Strong Voice Journal Writing – using the questions from “Strong Voice”
- Relaxation Pose – Stay with supported child’s pose, or choose to come to your back, with eye pillow
- Return to seated.
- Round Robin Sharing – if it feels right, share thoughts that came up during today’s yoga class