Instructor: Carrie Lipe

Community: 15-21 year olds, Alternative High School, Classroom Setting?

Plan Creation Date: May 24, 2013

Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Strength

Class Length: 90 minutes

Props: iPhone/Speakers for Music, Eye Pillows

Lesson Plan:

Calm

  • Pulse Count – Student leads, 1 minute
  • Mindful Moment on Strength – Take a moment to imagine all the ways people can be strong, inside and out. Imagine the ways you have been strong for yourself, and for others. Imagine the ways others have also been strong for you.

Activate

Seated Stretches

  • Cross Legs Seated Pose – cross legs, sit on block if necessary, strong, active back, relaxed face and shoulders, feel the weight of your “sit bones” on your mat
  • 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, feel your sit bones evenly weighted on the floor
  • Seated Twist – strengthen back, chest forward, look to the back, one side, then the other moving as quietly and smoothly as possible
  • Strength in Staff Pose – legs straight, active and strong, feet active and toes pulling toward face, back engaged and strong, shoulders down, arms strong and alongside body, pushing up, chin tilted toward chest, feel the strength in your body: muscles, bones, and your internal strength: willpower, values, resiliency
  • Alternate Leg Kick – move forward to all fours. Practice alternate leg kick several times, both sides.
  • 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

Standing Poses

  • 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
  • Mountain – ground feet, steady your mountain, close eyes.
  • Strong Mountain – ground your feet, activate the legs by drawing the strength of your feet up into the muscles of your shins and calves. Hug these muscles around the lower bones of your leg. Lift and activate your knee caps. Activate and strengthen your thighs by hugging your muscles to the bones of your femur. Tilt your tail bone slightly under, engaging your abdominal muscles. Stabilize your hips, grow your back strong from this mountain base. Feel the crown of your head rise to the clouds around your strong mountain. Let your head and shoulders be relaxed, arms turned open, hands open to the front. Feel the strength of your mountain pose. Imagine again all the ways you have been strong, inside and out. Imagine all those you have been strong for, and all those who have been strong for you.
  • Open Eyes/Ground Connection – slowly open your eyes and take a moment to notice your connection to strength. We will bring this connection into our practice today
  • Sun Salutation Sequence – Including Warrior I and Warrior II – recall images of strength when holding these poses.

Ending Poses

  • Standing Chair Pose –arms up, focus, breathe deeply and smoothly, feel the strength in your legs and body
  • Standing Chair Twist – close hands, bring to heart center, twist, with elbow to opposite knee, look up, repeat other side
  • Star Pose – Feel your strength radiating out all 5 directions: feet, hands, top of head.
  • Wide Forward Fold – From star, hands on hips, slowly bend forward, do not lock knees.
  • Squat – “walk” feet in to just wider than hip width, toes turned outward, squat down, dropping tailbone to ground, stay here a few breaths, lengthening back and stretching calves.
  • Crow Pose – place folded blanket in front if some students still unstable in this pose, place hands in front, wide fingers, head down, tail up, tip toe, then rise into Crow, balance, feel strength and balance of this pose

Calm

  • Relaxation Pose – eye pillow if you want, lie on back, align body in center of mat, feet apart, hands about a foot from hips, hands open. Your muscles have worked hard today. Now it is time to ask them to relax. Feel your strong muscles start to trust that relaxation is okay. Let them melt away from your bones.
  • Strong Imagine – Imagine that you are strong enough to handle whatever comes your way, and to trust that you will find a way and be okay even through challenging times. Imagine that you will be able to recognize people that can be strong and healthy for you when you need it. Imagine that you are strong enough to recognize when you need help, and strong enough to ask the right people for help. Imagine that you are strong enough to be the right person for someone else if needed.

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