"Branching Out"

I'm in Chicago for my final training in my 95 hour Children's Specialty Yoga Certification!  http://globalfamilyyoga.com/teaching_yoga_to_teens/

This weekend is tackling the topic of Yoga and Teens.  "People Taller Than Me" is not my strong suit, but seeing as I live with a couple of teens and one preteen, it's good stuff for me to learn!

Here's what I learned at school today:

Partner Poses develop social skills, empathy, trust and compassion.

Many conditions (distractibility, defiance, bossiness) may actually be sensory based.  Sensory Integration is how we take in info through our senses and then respond to the world appropriately.  If this process is "out of whack," yoga maybe a way to balance the disregulation and thereby improve the conditions.

Meditation strengthens your power and ability to control your mind.  Your mind will wander.  That is what it is designed to do--produce thoughts.  Meditation practice strengthens the power to choose to bring the mind back to a chosen point of focus.

Teens have grown up bodies, but not grown up reasoning skills.

Yoga is a science, the student is the scientist and the body, breath and mind are the experiment.

Yoga is a self-initiated practice.  Yoga is happening on the inside.  You can't experience the benefits if you don't practice.

Elements of a Teen Yoga Class:  (1) strengthening (plank, warrior, chair, triangle), (2) challenging, (3) fire in the belly, and (4) resting and restorative

Many of these ideas are good for people of ALL HEIGHTS!  Stand tall on a Thursday!

STOP, DROP, and ROLL

It's YOGA Month!

September is the official National Yoga Month (a national observance designated by the Department of Health & Human Services) designed to educate about the health benefits of yoga and to inspire a healthy lifestyle. If you've been curious about yoga, this is the month to try a practice!

Yogis in 1st-5th Grade are invited . . . 
"All God's Critters Have a Place in the Choir"
September 3, 10 & 17, 4:30-5:30 in Pisgah's Large Conference Room
$12 for drop in, $30 for all sessions, or apply 3 classes to a $48 "6 punch pass" (=$8 per class)
We'll be thinking about all the animals that boarded the ark and how each is specifically designed and unique for its habitat! Yogis will explore how people are also special! We'll recognize and celebrate each participants' talents and abilities and how these make the world a better place when used vs. "saved."  Tomorrow we'll get started thinking about our feathered friends!

And for "People Taller Than Me" .  .  . 
We're thinking about Philippians 4:6-8 on Wednesdays, 5:30-6:00 in Pisgah's Large Conference Room
Wednesday, 9/3 -- "Whatever is Right & Pure"
Wednesday, 9/10 -- "Whatever is Lovely & Admirable"
Wednesday, 9/17 -- "Whatever is Excellent or Praiseworthy"

I don't have a Family Yoga Class currently scheduled, but these are my FAVORITE practices to lead.  If your family or group of friends want to get together, I'm glad to work with you!  I have my little red wagon, and if Pisgah's Large Conference Room is unavailable, I can roll to a space that is?!

May you be happy.  May you be free from suffering.  May you be peaceful and at ease.  Meet you on the mat!

Next Up at Pisgah Yoga

Next up at Pisgah Yoga, we're digging into Philippians 4:6-8!

Philippians 4:6-8New International Version (NIV)

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

We're gonna think, move, and breath "such things."

Wednesday, 8/27 -- "Whatever is True & Noble"

Wednesday, 9/3 -- "Whatever is Right & Pure"

Wednesday, 9/10 -- "Whatever is Lovely & Admirable"

Wednesday, 9/17 -- "Whatever is Excellent or Praiseworthy"

All practices are 5:30-6:30 in Pisgah's Large Conference Room.  Please join our fun when you can!

Shining BRIGHT at Yoga Camp

Belly Breathing

We use the Hoberman Sphere to simulate belly breathing! Thank you, Mrs. Hudson, for sharing your toy so we could practice a big, big breath!

Do the BEST you can!

Our Peace Builder today was Professor Wangari Maathai of The Greenbelt Movement.  Here's a video Mrs. Byrd Fort shared: http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/get-involved/be-a-hummingbird

I WANT TO BE A HUMMINGBIRD!  How about you?