Instructor: Laura Remington
Community: High School Juniors/Seniors, Alternative High School Setting, 30-45 minutes
Plan Creation Date: May 1, 2014
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Listening
Academic/Therapeutic/Other Goals: Turning inward, Sensory Awareness
Props/Music Resources Required: Music (iPhone), speakers, mats, blocks, Hoberman Sphere.
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Pulse Count – underscore afterwards how difficult it can be to focus on pulse, how carefully one has to attend to the sensation. Ask students to try to retain that inward looking feeling (listening to your body’s sensations, your thoughts, and emotions) throughout the rest of their practice.
- Belly Breathing – with Hoberman Sphere. Students choose number of breaths they need between 3-8. Student will demonstrate with Hoberman Sphere.
Activate
- Yoga Flow – Sequence: Mountain to Star Pose to Upward Mountain 5 times. Emphasize correct alignment, balance and weight distribution, activation of core, arm and leg muscles throughout movements. Have students visualize rising up from the ground. Pushing up from the foundation of well-balanced foot-beds and activating relevant muscles.
- Forward Fold – Transition to Forward Fold. Ask students again to focus inward, feel their breath through their body, relax, notice any remaining tension and relax into the pose again (in synch with breath).
- Yoga Flow – Sequence: Step back to Downward Dog. Pedal legs and really feel out the pose. Slowly move into Plank, activating the core and pushing up through the arms to create space between the shoulder blades. Don’t forget to activate leg muscles as well. Lower to the ground and come to Cobra. Come back to all fours and into Child’s Pose. Return to Downward Dog and repeat the sequence.
Calm
- Trust Walk – Come to standing and lay out the directions for the Trust Walk. Divide students into two groups and have one group close their eyes and turn to face the wall. Assign members of the other group to “lead” the group with their eyes close. Put on a peaceful song, playing quietly, and prompt students, as needed, to offer encouragement and sensory specific directions to lead their partner around the room. Repeat with other group. Have a discussion about what it felt like to rely on other sensory information than vision and how much you rely on listening to, a feeling the directions of your partner. Ask if their senses were heightened. Ask if this activity was comfortable for them-or did it make them uneasy.
- Progressive Relaxation – (from p133 of Yoga Calm for Children)
- Closing – Close of class with expression of gratitude.