Grounding Lesson Plan (Johnsson)

Things in the room: CD Anjali. Children’s names in a basket. Another basket with treasures from nature. Napkins and a tea set. Tea and dark chocolate and strawberries.

* Breathing Sphere

* Pulse Count

* Volcano Breath: Think of someone you would like to send your heart thoughts to. Get the image of that person, animal or place in your mind and on your next volcano breath send your thoughts out to that person.

* Roots

* Mountain

* Crescent Moon

* Woodchopper (with strong voice)

* Warrior II: with past, present and future activity and how that helps us stay grounded. 

* Downward Dog

* Forward Bend to Upward Mountain to Mountain

* Tree

* Tree Circle + animal challenge (children in the circle try to stay grounded)

Back to mats:

* Cobra 

* Child’s pose

* Seated Twist (or a lying twist)

Relaxation:

Lie down, gently close your eyes and in your mind, see a big beautiful fall tree; the leaves are orange, red and brown. A very big leaf is slowly falling through the air, swaying gently from side to side. There is no wind today. You walk closer to the leaf and you see that the leaf is bigger than you. You touch it and it feels soft, velvety, and it is bright red and shiny. You decide to step onto the leaf and you make yourself comfortable. The leaf slowly rises up into the air. Like magic. You pass the fall tree and go higher and higher. You feel safe, and the sun is making your skin feel nice and warm. You wave to the birds that fly by…. Beneath is a forest, it almost looks like a red and orange thick mat underneath you and you feel like taking a nice little walk. You pull the steam on the leaf and the leaf slowly goes down a bit. And even if your ride moves slowly it still gives that nice little tickle in your tummy, like when you’re riding a rollercoaster. When you land, a green forest fairy welcomes you; she tells you that this is the prettiest and nicest forest in the whole world. It’s full of flowers in all the colors of the rainbow and there are even big flowers in sparkly gold and silver. You can pick as many as you like, the fairy whispers in your ear. “The flowers give good luck and keep you healthy and happy”, she says. You jump off the leaf and start picking a bouquet of flowers — just exactly the way you want it to look. You feel the soft earth under your feet and you can smell the flowery air but also the dampness from all the trees and from the green moss. You start walking on a trail that looks almost like gold from the sunlight flowing in through the trees. You walk along the path and reach a pink and blue tree house. You open the door and inside is a big party in honor of you. There are all you friends and family, waiting for you to come. Everybody is dressed like fairies and the lovely green forest fairy shows you to a closet full of fairy costumes. There you get to pick your own costume. PAUSE.

The party is filled with dance and music and playing and laughter. It continuous for a long time….. When it’s time to leave you open the door and you see many big red, orange and brown leaves, lying peacefully on the ground waiting for their passengers. You jump on top of your shiny red leaf and it takes off. The cool evening air is kissing your face. The Stars and the Moon are smiling at you….. Slowly your leaf ride is coming to an end….. You are back by the beautiful fall tree where your ride started, and you roll off the leaf ride…. Happily you look at the tree, thinking that tomorrow it might drop another magic leaf that you can ride on.

Slowly deepen your breath…..etc.

* Mindful snack: Napkin as placemat. Find your name in the bowl + one bowl with natural objects — flowers, leaves, rocks, pine cones — pick 2-3 items to decorate you placemat.

Share experience about the mindful snack & the relaxation story.