BREATHE
Day Eighteen
Theme: Breathe
Today you'll learn to use breath to help find ways to calm and energize. By using your breath, you'll gain strength and balance. Why do you think it's important to stay strong and in balance? Why would we want to stay calm? Why would we want to feel energized?
Along with eating fruits and vegetables, creating a balance between rest and movement also helps to strengthen our health.
BALANCE
Stillness, Listening, Grounding, Strength
Yoga Calm is a program that helps kids learn to use their breath. We will go over each of the 4 of the 5 principals to help you understand.
Stillness: Practicing stillness helps to develop self control. It's a way to calm your body so you can learn to use your breath. You find the stillness in your breath and your breath in the stillness.
Listening: Learning how to listen to what your own body, thoughts, and feelings are saying, helps you to make good choices. It helps you to connect with yourself.
Grounding: Grounding helps you feel strong and stable in your body. You can think of yourself as a tree, your roots deep in the ground.
Strength: Strength is made up of more than physical strength. Mental and emotional strength also help us to stay in balance.
Activity: Breathing
Breathing is a way to help calm yourself when you feel worried, sad or anxious. It can also help energize you when you feel tired. You can breath anytime, anywhere. You do not need a special room or place, yet, you can make it part of your daily routine. You can also share these methods of breathing with your friends and family. Your breath is a gift in many ways!
Dandelion Breath
Use this breath to build confidence and strength.
How to:
Sit up and let your spine grow tall. Imagine a soft dandelion flower. Take a deep breath in through your nose and then blow the air out slowly, sending the seeds into the air.
Repeat three times.
Counting Breath
Use this breath to self-calm or when you feel frustrated.
How to:
Sit up and let your spine grow tall. Take a deep breath in, counting silently 1 . . . 2 . . . 3. Then let your breath out, counting silently 1 . . . 2 . . . 3.
Repeat three times.
Belly Breath
Use this breath to soothe and help feel comforted.
How to:
Lie down on your back. Place one hand on your chest. Place your other hand on your belly. Take slow deep breaths and feel your chest and your belly move up and down as the air goes in and out of your body.
Repeat three times.
Gratitude:Today I'm thankful for my breath. What are you grateful for?