Instructor:  Anya Patton

Community: Ages 12-15, Girls Counseling Group, 60 minutes

Plan Creation Date: October 8, 2013

Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Listening

Academic/Therapeutic/Other Goals: Tuning in with a listening mind

Props/Music Resources required: Hoberman sphere, Happiness Recipe handout, pens, mindful moment card and music/ipod

Lesson Plan:

Calm

  • Belly Breathing – with Hoberman Sphere – sitting nice and straight on your mats, and lets start out with breathing. Would anyone like to lead us with the sphere? Remember that as we breathe today we want to feel our breath throughout our bodies and realize how important it is to take a moment out of our busy schedules to relax with our breath and listen positively to the mind and the body. And for a moment just listen…
  • Pulse Count – now move your hands to find your pulse. Take in a healthy breath and listen to your heart, be curious about what your body is telling you. Now, when you found the rhythm of your heart-beat, imagine you are in nature and you hear this beat in the trees. Count 15 beats and concentrate on slowing the heart beat down.

Activate

  • Roots – Stand, rooted to the earth, feel the 4 corners of your feet, 2 at the ball of your foot and 2 points at your heel. Close your eyes, be still and listen for the rhythm of your breath as you quiet and slowly move in a small circle using the 4 corners. Move silently to the center, still again. Open your eyes.
  • Warrior I – Come into Warrior pose, breathe in deep and allow the crown of your head to reach to the sky, and as your breathe out, allow your shoulder to drop, your body upright and stable. You are Strong.
  • Warrior II – From Warrior I, smoothly move into Warrior II; turning your shoulder to meet your hips. You listen intently… like you are in the forest with a bow and arrow. Move your hand back, as you pull your bow back, now your arms are parallel to the floor. Your are rooted in the present moment, tall, proud and stable.
  • Repeat – other sides for Warrior I then Warrior II
  • Happiness Recipe – Today I am going to hand out a short worksheet to be completed without talking but by listening to your inner self. Please write out your answers and we will share them after we are all finished. (Ideas to cover during discussion: Often our happiness is about understanding and knowing our individual self and then to see how different we are all. Our uniqueness is amazing and we all have had different experiences. Tuning in to our own needs and wants is important but also to know when to ask for help and keeping healthy boundaries can help support our healthy choices.) Our health, like exercising, is an important part of staying happy. Now that we have all shared about our selves and listened to others, I’d like you all to take a sheet home and ask a friend or family member to fill one out and bring it back next week.
  • Compliment Game – Each of you did such a lovely job of listening and sharing today with the Happiness Recipe. Now lets move into a circle holding on to this rope. Each one of you will go into the circle’s center and we will all give that you a compliment. Remember to use the members name, give her good eye contact and a specific compliment.

Calm

  • Volcano Breath – staying in our circle, let’s step back a step or two to allow for enough space for volcanic breath. Place palms together at your heart, listen to your heart rhythm again and take a slow, deep breath through the nose and pause. Think of a person you would like to send heart thoughts to as we open our hearts. Reach your hands to the sky, and as you exhale, slowly explode your arms out, pause, listen and bring your hands back to heart center.
  • Twist – Ok, moving back to our mats, Move to your back and bring your knees to your chest, then over to the right side and as far as you can go to the floor. Stretch your arms out to the side and look to the left. Move to the other side, quietly, slowly. Continue to listen for the rhythm of your breath as you move and stretch into this calming pose.
  • Relaxation – Please sit or lie down comfortably with your eyes closed. I am going to read aloud a Mindful Moment Card on Listening and then we will take a few minutes to lie quietly with our eyes closed : “Your body can help tell you what it needs to stay healthy. Listen to your body and think of three things that help you stay strong.”

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