Yoga for kids.

Yoga for 9-12yr olds. 

Sit in easy sitting pose.  Sukasana.

Theme: ahimsa

Meaning 'non-violence'

To others and all living creatures and also to ourselves. Speaking kinds words to ourselves in our head and kind words and actions towards others.  Also not pushing ourselves to hard through our asanas is also 'non- violence' towards yourself.  Bring out peace stone: talk about what is peace to them, what makes them feel peaceful?

Lie down for calm breathing on backs.

Arms up and over head as we breath in and back down as we breath out.  Talk about the importance of our breath in yoga.

Do same with legs. Then hold each in calf stretch.

Bridge pose.

Knees to chest.

Standing poses: feet grounded in the earth.  Plant your toes flat on the ground!and your outside edges of your feet should ground down like your planting your roots of your feet into the earth.  We feel the energy run from the earth up our legs as we we hold them in this position.  All of yoga relies on positioning your feet properly.  We then make sure our spine is straight and our crown chakra can then meet up with the sky.  

Chin slightly towards the chest, which is what we do in lots of poses.  Fully extend your arms and hands. Fingers and toes are spread. As we begin to move through 'surya Namaska'.  

Fingertips extend towards the earth gaining energy from the earth again.  We become as strong as a 'mountain' nothing can bring us down.

do sun salutation warm up.  Vittasana- deep fold.  Tilt your sit bones up. Let thinking go.  Step back and down into cobra, toes curled, elbows dug deep into your body.  Then back into down dog, sit bones raised, hands and feet shoulder and hip width apart. Try to ground feet into earth, can walk the dog here by walking feet up and down.  Feel the energy run down the back of your legs.  Scoop up mullah bundha from your lower belly to your navel.  Flow on bringing feet up to utttasanha. Inhale and arm circle up and wide down for tadasana.  Draw elbows into body and exhale down. Then cobra, bhujangasana open heart then bend knees to downward dog.  Then upright to virabhadrasana 11 ( warrior 11 pose) fearless of arm into it and let that energy go into hips as you bend from waist to trikonasana.  Trikonasana stretches the spine and trunk muscles.  Improves digestion of your food.  Repeat on other side.
Both the upper and body work on other side.  Then exhale down as we move into rajakapotasana ( pigeon pose).right   Knee come into left side. Lengthen out through right leg.  s, big inhale through right leg and enjoy this beautiful hip opener.  Other side as knee comes to inside of right wrist.  Look up then exhale and flow on down. Stomach to hip and leg meridian comes into play here.  Excess stress releases as we lay heel down.  Where the mind goes energy flows.  

Butterfly pose opens your hips and metaphysically we can store lots of tense feelings in there so it's good to stretch them out and open them up.  

Poses for the stomach and heart openers: partner boats.  Lotus. Mula bhunga engaged from lower belly. Then bow. Make ourselves into our own boat.  When we are scared or worried about something we can feel a funny feeling in our tummy, these poses help to open up this area.  And bridge pose.  Wood choppers- wide leg standing pose and breathing out. 

Dynamic stillness: back to back breathing.  We need to send oxygen to every part of our body when we do yoga.  Shoulders down and back spine straight, imagine piece of string pulling our top of head up straight. Full yoga breath and feel that in your partners back too.  

We don't feel as stressed if we learn to breath properly.  Breathe into your three chambers of your upper body starting with your belly, like a balloon going up as you breath in up through your ribs and expand into your chest then back the other way until your belly balloons in and is relaxed.

This is called 'pranayama'.

Try shallow breathing (stressed breathing) and angry breathing to feel the difference.

Grandmas garden game.  Tree pose.  One legs lifts, and bends to the side. Rest foot on thigh/calf. Find a point in front of you on the floor or wall to stare at to keep your balance.  This is called your dristi point. If you can bring your palms together over your head.  Then return to Tadasana. It helps you to concentrate better.  

( Parvati asana).  Breathe naturally and spread your arms out wide.  

Explain game.  

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Cross legged twist or deer pose.  B

Lotus. Bow pose. Good before you play sports.  While inhaling slowy raise the legs by pulling the ankles up and raising your knees whilst also lifting chest off floor.  Tilt the head back as far back as possible. Then slowly bring knees to floor and release the ankles.  Helps to keep your spine flexible. Runs energy along the front body, although it's a back bend.  Naturally arch up with dristi point up.  Lay down head to one side and relax as you feel the rush of prana through your meridians where energy flows and deep relaxation occurs.  

 Boat pose in partners.  Try to bring hands in and out with legs connected.  Boat is called navasana builds strength in your tummy and helps your mind become still.  Balance on your sitting bones holding bent knees with feet lifted off floor. Inhale and on the exhale, lean back and extend arms straight. Raise lower parts of legs so they are parallel to floor.  And don't forget to breathe.

Shoulder stand.  Working into your chin and throat chakra as you tuck chin in to protect neck.  Aim is to eventually stack joints but to start legs can bend towards head.  As you lift tail bone up and support your back.  Yin and yang still in mid point and equal.  With scissor split the liver, kidney meridiums open.  Bundha konasana ' beginner scissor split.  Then rolling upright and do wide leg fold. Length through spine. Then lay back against Mother Earth.  Knees to chest for a good digestion pose.  Then spinal twist whilst lying down. Keep shoulder down and look at other arm as it extends out. Bend knee and bring leg across and down to where it feels right for you.  Twists help leg go of emotions also.  Re-aligning the spine and chakras and radiating it back out to the universe shining light through your chakras and light into those organs inside your body. Choose not to have busy thoughts and let go and flow away.  

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Savasana. 

rings you peace in your mind.

Breathing exercise- lie in savasana: place each hand lightly on your lower belly.  Breath in fully and feel your lower belly move outward as your fingertips move outwards as the belly expands.  Then as you exhale the belly goes inwards and your fingertips touch again.  You can hold your eye pillow here or over your eyes.

Now try to breath more slowly in and out. Count the breathing 2,3,4 and out.  

Our breath helps us to connect our body and mind and feel peaceful and calm. 

Kundalini ( is our potential spiritual energy) symbolised by the rainbow serpent as it rises and opens the chakras as we breath in and out through our nostrils.  To its home at the crown of the head, our crown chakra.  

Namaste