Instructor: Sarah Whiting
Community: School Setting, 30 minutes
Plan Creation Date: April 1, 2016
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Grounding
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Belly Breathing – Breath work – Use a volunteer student to lead breathing and another student volunteer to count breaths.
- Pulse Count – Find your pulse, listen to the beat of your heart for 30 beats.
Activate
- Roots Activity – Focus on the feelings of all four corners of your feet planted firmly to the ground. Allow your body to rock from side to side, and then in circles to the left, and then in circles to the right. With mindfulness, we are focusing on the here and now. This activity can help you feel connected to the ground in a present and full way.
- Past, Present, Future – Ask students to come into Warrior II pose. Explain that their back hand represents the past and their front hand represents the future. Invite students to turn their head back toward their back hand, think of their past and any
moments that come to them that have helped shape who they are. Invite students to turn their head toward their front hand, and think of hopes and dreams that
they have for their future. Invite students to close their eyes as a way of tuning out the past and future, but to only focus on the present. Feel their feet connected to the ground, their strong Warrior II pose, their breath on the inhale and the exhale. Focusing only on this moment.
Calm
- Past, Present, Future – Give students time to complete the Past, Present, Future worksheet. Invite students to share.
- Scripted Relaxation Story – Read a story about someone who overcame a difficult past and is making something positive out of their life.