Lesson Plan #1 ChairYoga-being positive by Nancy Levenson

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Lesson Plan #1 ChairYoga-being positive by Nancy Levenson Intention of Practice To have a positive attitude on everyday life and experiences To be open to new experiences Talking Points All of us

1 Lesson Plan #1 ChairYoga-being positive by Nancy Levenson Intention of Practice To have a positive attitude on everyday life and experiences To be open to new experiences Talking Points All of us hold assumptions about ourselves and our bodies I ll never be able to do that Take the practice as a journey of discovery of your own range of motion Smile and take pleasure in the learning and opening of your own body Yoga works magic when you release expectation Discuss the six movements of the spine (forward, back, R side lat, L side lat, R side twist, L side Twist) Breath-Work: Diaphragmatic As you inhale, expand the belly, the chest, and the collarbone area. As you exhale, relax the collarbone area down, relax the chest down, and draw the belly slightly inward towards the spine. Inhale slowly, exhale deeply. Repeat. Imagine a pair of nostrils located under the collar bones and draw the up from the belly to the nostrils and allow the air to exit out of the collar bones. Lotus Flower mediation Imagine the bud of a lotus flower in your heart. Every time you inhale, the flower opens a bit more and every time you exhale the flower seals upon its self. As you draw the breath in open the flower fully to the sunlight and as you exhale the breath, say, I open myself to receive today Mudra Lotus Heels of the hands together, thumb and little fingers touching, all other fingers open and wide Symbol of purity and opening Invites you to open and receive

2 The Practice Seated Mountain Pose Close the eyes Head and Neck Opener Head slow circles, both ways Ear to shoulder drops see if you can sense the inner ear fluid (lateral flexion) Nose to look over R shoulder, then L (rotation) Moving Lotus and Neck Opener Open the eyes Come into Lotus Mudra from above Hands start at heart center Inhale: hands rise widening the lotus up to the crown of the head Exhale: push hands together and lower back to heart center Repeat 8x, do four with head neutral, 4 with head moving up to sky and down (extension & flexion) Then open hands wide for next sequence Shoulder Opener Circles elbows to shoulders roll elbow (shoulder abduction) Drops elbows dip side to side (1+2) (spine lateral flexion) Twist elbows move side to side (3+4) (spinal rotation) if spine, hip or shoulder injury Morter & Pedstal Hands on the knees, rotate torso both ways Do not attempt this pose, Cat/Cow (5+6) (spinal flexion and extension) (scapula adduction and abduction) Place the hands on the knees, palms down, gaze is at the knee caps Cat: inhale and puff the chest upward, reaching nose to sky lead with the center of the sternum, elongating the spine to create a backbend Cow: exhale as you move the point between your shoulder blades backwards concaving the chest, tucking chin to chest Duration: Five breathing cycles. Staff of Brahman Breath Sit towards the front of your chair, legs, hip with distance apart, feet grounded Sit up nice and tall and bring the hands to heart center (Namaste) Inhale take the hands overhead and out in one full breath, palms face upward, hands reach out to the sides as if someone were pulling them with a rope Exhale hinge at the hips, rotating the shoulders and palms so that they are now facing downward, gaze is down at the knees Inhale keep the head and body as is and move the arms forward, palms coming toward each other and reach out to the front of the room, lengthen the spine Exhale take the chin tight into the chest, chest to knees, elbows bend in and come into a nice tight ball Inhale sweep the arms out to the sides, back of the hands lead, turning the palms upward as you reach shoulder height and follow the hands overhead with your eyes as the palms touch Exhale hands back to heart center Repeat 8x, option to do 4 seated, 4 standing

3 Seated 1 leg Extension (Strap optional) Sit forward in the chair. Lift the sternum. L knee is bent at a 90 degree angle, R leg is extended forward with the top of the foot flexed. Hands are in Namaste, if not using strap Inhale as you point the toes and curl them under Exhale as you flex the top of the foot back toward the body and spread the toes then; Inhale the leg up and exhale it down to hip height with foot flexed and pointed Modification: Strap client to chair, place a bolster or block out in front of the leg and allow them to use a strap 1 Legged Forward Fold caution be aware of loading of the spine Benefits: Strengthens the low back muscles If you need a strap around the foot, place on the ball Ground the leg with the heel on the chair, toes pointed upward Lengthen the low back and lift the sternum and lead from the heart Exhale and bow down to the leg and walk the hands towards the foot Inhale hands up, arms back at Namaste or overhead Repeat on the opposite leg Modification: Strap client to chair and allow them to use a strap Standing Poses chair in front with back facing you Standing Mountain pose Create alignment from the ground up Your body will move in and out of center, your response to this movement is balancing Imagine the headlights on the hips and knees Modification: Take seated mountain in the chair, place arms onto back of another chair Ankle Walking like walking the dog, both hands on the back of the chair Modification: Walk the feet on the foot pads, place arms onto back of another chair Balancing up and down on the toes Bring both hands on the chair back Inhale lift onto the toes Exhale lower to feet Start with hands on chair and then attempt balance away from chair Modification: Do the pose on the foot pads, place arms onto back of another chair Hip Rotation Face a chair with the L side of the body. Take the L hand to the back of the chair. Lift the R knee and bring it as high as is still comfortable, begin to circle the knee out to the R side of the body for a hip rotation

4 Modification: Lift the knee and slowly circle in front, do not go to side, hands to side of wheelchair Knee Lifts Inhale up Exhale down Inhale up Exhale to side 6x Modification: Lift the knee up and down but, do not go to sides, hands to side of wheelchair Close with Seated Savasana/Relaxed Mountain Pose & Meditation Suggested Meditation: Lotus Flower

5 Lotus Meditation After taking a few deep breaths, begin noticing the air as it travels in and out of your nostrils. Notice how the air feels colder during the inhale and warmer during the exhale. Focus your attention on where you feel the air most prominently..next, follow the breath inwards and notice it in the belly. Begin feeling the sensation of your stomach expanding with each inhale and deflating on each exhale. Really be there with your stomach as it goes in and out. Start feeling your toes, heals, and arches in whatever position they are currently in. Notice a tingling sensation that seems to follow your attention, and bring your full awareness to it next invite your attention up the leg, through the ankle and on the calves. Stay there for a moment and breathe into the calves. Feel the blood flowing in your lower legs, and then bring your attention upward to the knees, hips, and the back. Encourage these parts of your body to relax, coming into stillness. As you follow your awareness up your chest and shoulders, and down your arms into your hands notice how gentle and light your fingers feel. They are delicate and beautiful, and allow your awareness to wash freely over them. Come to the head now and allow all parts of the face to relax, the eyes, ears, nose, forehead and jaw. Invite your mind to become silent and peaceful. Don't dwell on any thoughts that come into your mind... just let them drift through and pass out of your consciousness..breathe deeply and slowly... feel the tension draining out of your body... and the relaxation flowing in. Enjoy the silence and the peace. (PAUSE) Imagine that you are a lotus flower seed buried beneath a muddy lotus pond. There is mud all around you, and you can feel the thickness, the silence and the darkness clearly. Above you, above this muddy pool of dirt, are sunshine and air. A beam of light from the sun penetrates the dark water... penetrates the slimy mud... and strikes you, the seed, with the spark of life. With a determined heart, you begin to wiggle in the earth. You are not disheartened as you begin your journey towards the surface. You grow roots deep into the mud, grounding and anchoring you even deeper into the earth s surface. Your little stem grows up slowly, reaching up higher and higher and taller and taller, fighting against the pressure of the muddy water, reaching for the light at the surface of the pond. Suddenly, "pop" you are out of the mud! You reach up towards the warm sun, shining down on you. You are bathed in the warmth of this light and begin your next journey. Your lotus bud begins to grow on top of your stem. It expands and grows larger and larger, finally bursting into full bloom. One by one your white lotus petals unfurl until you are fully resting opening as a white lotus flower. You stand beautifully above the muddy water, not dirtied by the mud from which you grew. You are white, fragrant and beautiful. The Lotus flower has for thousands of years symbolized spiritual enlightenment at its most basic form. Indeed, this flower purpose is to accelerate spiritual evolvement and enhance healing on every level within the system. As the lotus flower grows up from the mud into an object of great beauty people also grow and change into something more beautiful. (PAUSE) As the sun sets, you begin to close your lotus petals one by one, closing back into yourself and sink underwater. There you rest, peacefully awaiting tomorrow s dawn and your opportunity to reappear and open to your life s unfolding for another day. Slowly open your eyes and return.

Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training. Warm Ups

Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Warm Ups By: Nancy Wile Yoga Education Institute Yoga Education Institute, 2012 All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use, sharing, reproduction, or distribution of these