[currentuser role=”instructor_level”]
Instructor: Kiel Alward
Community: Ages?, Counseling Center Setting, 50 minutes
Plan Creation Date: February 17, 2015
Therapeutic Goals: Guide children to connect with their own physical and mental strength and to a sense of strength in the community
Props: Hoberman sphere, chimes, yoga mats, Mindful Moments cards
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Strength
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Belly Breathing – with Hoberman Sphere
- Discussion of Strength Principle – ask kids to identify a time when they felt strong
- ‘Changing Channels’ Exercise – to experience mental strength and empowerment to change thinking: ask kids to close their eyes and notice what they being to think about, then explain that they are going to practice changing the channels in their minds; guide imagery of other channels (snowball fight, lying on a sunny beach, at home on the couch, baking cookies, playing with a friend, swimming, being with a pet, riding a bike, walking in the forest); ask individual students to change the channel for the group
Activate
- Partner Pull – feel your own strength and the strength of your partner
- Woodchopper – with physical and mental variations: picture a piece of wood and connect to all your strength to chop through it, imaging something hard in your life (school work, issues with peers, tough experiences) and connect with your strength to push through the experience; think about words you say to yourself that aren’t helpful (“I can’t do it,” “I’m stupid,” “It’s too hard,” “I should be different,” etc.) and imagine yourself chopping through those words, crumbling them to pieces
- Strength-focused yoga sequence:
- Mountain, arm swings
- Sun salutation song, feel strength in plank and down dog
- Extended child’s pose, strong tabletop, cat/cow, alternate arm/leg kicks
- Down dog, step forward to warrior I, warrior II, side angle, back to down dog
- Step forward and roll body up to stand, chair pose
- Tree, dancer
- Crouch and curl back to seated, boat, rock and roll to floor
- Alternate leg stretches, hug knees in, twist to each side
Calm
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation – connecting to strength in various parts of your body and ability to relax
- Mindful Moments Cards and discussion