Youth Yoga Update for January/February 2014: Chakras, Prana Vayus, Koshas, Mandalas...Colored Markers!

Youth Yoga Update for January/February 2014



Monday night youth yoga, held at Open Spirit, 39 Edwards Street, Framingham, MA has been going strong now for two years. I really enjoy the class because with this group anything goes. We are all really happy to be together on Mondays, whether it is sunny or cold and damp...we all just want to be there.












For the past two months, coloring has been a really big thing for us. There is just something so relaxing and focusing about coloring, and friendship building, that we have found a nice rhythm coming to our mats, practicing our yoga with poses, breath and meditation, and then hunker down for some group coloring time. It started with pictures of bare trees and we wrote affirmations in the roots and branches, to fill our trees up with positive statements and observations. That moved onto focus wheels, with the center circle stating "I AM" and then the external circles embracing our qualities of goodness, trustworthiness, warmth etc. I then came across a nice coloring book of Mandalas and off we went, coloring mandalas. Relaxing in their overall affect.

This past Monday, I came in with a picture I had created that integrated the Chakras, the Prana Vayus, and the Koshas. We started class with an exercise that was inspired by Edna Reinhardt of Yoga Education Resource's marble adventure (I had meant to bring my marbles but forgot them, but luckily I had all my colored markers with me). We started by all taking Baddha Konasana (butterfly pose), I dropped all the markers in the center of our mandala shape and we went to it, sorting the markers and adding them to open spaces that our feet had created. Releasing this pose, we then divvied up the markers in color families: green/grey/black, blue/purple, pink/brown and yellow/orange/red. We each created shapes with our markers, whatever inspired us. This led us to seeing that we each possessed certain colors that lead to a creation of an earth, grass, flower, sun & sky picture. Which then naturally led to the creation of a waterfall, complete with all our socks, which somehow were all greeny/bluey colored, as a water fall at the end of our rainbow.

This was such a nice focusing activity to start class. We then talked about different uses for breath and practiced using Ujjayi breath and also to feel the relaxation of our throats (I had them imagine they were yawning with their mouths closed to give them the effect of an open throat). I was able to then jump right into a series of poses, while at the same time taking about the Chakras and feeling our colors, with a special focus on the throat chakra-which is blue-and again noting that we were all dressed in variations of blue, so it seemed so appropriate to focus on this. In each pose I reminded them to pay attention to their throats, to allow the flow of energy there and to release the tension so as not to be constricted.
Class flowed beautifully, Savasana at the end with lovely lilac filled eye pillows. Soft flamenco music played throughout the class.

¡Ole Namaste!
Eve



What is a Mandala?
The meaning of mandala comes from Sanskrit meaning "circle." Mandalas are geometric designs symbolic of the universe that are used as an aid to meditation.
How to use a Mandala?
1.Set your intention for your practice/life (An intention is a promise you make to yourself and a way of putting logic and beliefs into action. One way to set your intention is to focus on something you are grateful for. You can also set it based on a quality you want: spontaneity, flexibility, peace of mind, inspiration, concentration...)
The design of the mandala is meant to attract the viewer visually, so much so that the mind becomes absorbed by it. The design’s hypnotic effect relaxes the mind. With a relaxed mind, the individual is able to focus his attention inwards rather than focusing on life’s usual distractions. In this state, imagination flows which in turn increases creativity, sympathy, and self respect.
2.Focus on the mandala. Let your eyes take in the radiance of its designs. Release your mind. Recognize when your mind wanders back to your list of choirs or your concerns and simply bring your attention back to the beauty of the mandala. Let the mandala absorb your attention. In time, you will begin to feel luminous and fresh and spontaneous thoughts may arise. Relax and allow these thoughts in. If at any time you begin to feel lost, uncomfortable or distracted, re-focus your attention back on the mandala. Everyone’s experience will be different but meditating with the mandala can be relaxing and you can come away with a clarity concerning the intention that you set at the beginning of your practice.

Springing Forward

Today's' Yoga-Snack's theme was the entry of springtime. The feeling of new energy, grounding ourselves to the earth and standing strong, facing the change of the season.

We sat in easy pose and opened up our throat chakra by chanting or the toning of our voices. We started with a breath in and then out while toning the letter "A" (as in Play); breath in, breath out... "E" (as in "Ease"); breath in, breath out..."I" (as in "Identity"): breath in, breath out..."O" (as in "Ohm"); breath in, breath out..."U" (as in "You"); and breath in, breath out..."Y" (as in "Why"). Another good idea for clearing your throat is to drink water with a little peppermint oil in it.

A short, silent, still meditation followed and then easy stretches (arm out to one side, lean on it and take the other arm by your ear and then overhead) and an easy twist, to get rid of the winter's tired blood and let in some new energetic springtime blood.

Starting in child's pose, we became seeds, getting ready to grow. We all picked what kind of plant we wanted to be and then slowly we took root and started to grow, very slowly. Feeling grounded in the earth but at the same time starting to reach up to the sky. Pausing in table top (on all fours), then cat and cow, curl toes under and downward facing dog pose. Jumping forward, reaching up to the sky, bending over to touch the ground, flat back, stepping into plank pose; holding for 5 counts and lowering to the ground. Up into upward facing dog pose; down to the ground. Press back into child's pose and breath slow and easy. Repeat Sun Salutation and then immediately go into lunges, back leg stretched out, front knee over foot, hands first to knees, then hands above head. Repeat other side without resting. Then child's pose for final time.

Sitting up, we sang "Happiness Runs" (by Shakta Kaur Khalsa) along with the accompanying hand movements. I explained we would try later on to do it as a round and I brought up singing "Row Row Row Your Boat" which we promptly tried to sing in a round (got a good dose of laughing yoga there).

Low squat prepares us to try a balance pose-Hands to floor, lift with "cat pose" muscles (lower abs first) to try and get feet off the floor.

Then wide legged forward bend (Prasarita Padottanasana).

Warrior Series: Warrior I-to-Warrior III-to-standing splits-even trying to hold the standing ankle with one or two hands for an extra balance challenge.

Group tree while some of the students serenaded us with their own favorite songs.

Lying down, simple twist. Then into Halasana, plow pose to clear our bodies in preparation for the spring. Up into shoulder stand. Back to plow pose. Roll forward into seated forward bend.

Savasana with "The Rain Falls And The Sky Shudders" by Moby (OK this one is now officially on my yoga play list). Some kids chose to roll themselves up in their mats for a little relaxation and compression.

Ole Namaste!