Instructor: Cindy Happe
Community: Parent/Child Yoga class held at Women’s Shelter (First Class)
Plan Creation Date: July 2012
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Grounding
Lesson Plan:
Warm up activity (first class)
- Mat tag
- Introduce mindfulness bell for listening tool: “Hand goes up, mouth is closed, ears open”
Calm
- Roots: Feeling your feet connected firmly to the floor, rise up like a king/queen. Holding your head high to keep your crown on, begin to draw little circles with your head, feeling your feet stay strong and proud (“who helps you feel strong…imagine they are holding on to your feet”)
- Mountain: Feeling your legs remain still and strong as your shoulders relax down and you keep your crown lifted high. Feel your chest expand and listen to your proud heart…what do you hear? Send out heart thoughts to whoever was holding your feet.
Activate
- Arm Swings: Moving arms up overhead as you inhale, “I am strong. I am in control. I can do it. I am a king/queen.” (one statement per breath)
- Warrior I, Warrior II, Side Angle: Series…utilizing above statements with each pose, “I am strong, I am in control, I can do it….returning to mountain with “I am a king/queen”. Same on opposite side.
- Warrior II with Past/Present/Future: There have been times in your life you probably haven’t felt like a king/queen…but right now you can…who helps remind you how you deserve to be treated? With that person in mind, think about how you want to be treated now and in your future (shifting gaze).
- Tree pose to transition to calm: Remember how you stood like a queen/king…your feet strong to the earth, your head held high?
- Back drawing (connection with parent)
Calm
- Lavender on cotton ball to practice Belly Breathing: Parent and child play game blowing cotton ball to each other on exhale (connection with parent)
- Stuffed animal rides on belly (to practice belly breathing, independent of parent)
Child wraps in blanket (choosing child pose, fetal position or lying down) next to parent. Play “Night Mantra” as child practices back breathing into parent’s hand.