Comment below to enter this giveaway. Contest ends Friday, October 14th at 9:00 pm MDT.

The good folks over at Addriya have done it again. Created another fab yoga card deck, this time with a focus on small spaces.

Yoga for Small Spaces includes 52 large sized (5″x7″), heavy duty cards that can withstand lots of use. Each card features a yoga activity which can be done in a small space such as an office, classroom or airplane. The front of each card has a fun graphic which shows the pose and an object the pose is inspired by. The back is packed with information including step-by-step instructions, benefits, modifications and a positive affirmation.

One of the things I like best about the cards is the color coding system. Each card has a border which defines the health and behavior benefits such as Red: to help ground and support especially good for people that are nervous, anxious or fearful or Yellow to help foster self-esteem, risk-taking and leadership. I find this super helpful as a reference tool when preparing classes.

For years I have taught a popular Yoga with a Chair class in schools and for professional development workshops. Everyone is always amazed at the thorough and fun workout you can get by sitting in a chair. This yoga deck added to my repertoire of poses and is handy for a quick yoga game.

So if you think you can’t do yoga unless you move the furniture or have a yoga mat, block, strap and other props, think again. With Yoga for Small Spaces yoga can be done anywhere and the poses are ideal for all ages and abilities.

You can purchase your own deck for $19.99 from the Addriya on-line store.

To enter to win leave a comment below sharing the most unique location you’ve ever done yoga.

Additional Entries:

• Follow Addriya Yoga on Facebook and comment back here
• Share this review on Facebook with an @yogainmyschool.com mention (multiple entries allowed-max of one per day)
• Tweet it including an @DonnaKFreeman mention (multiple entries allowed- max of three per day, one hour apart): “Small Spaces Yoga Cards #giveaway @DonnaKFreeman @addriya“

Addriya generously donated resources for this review and giveaway. The opinions expressed here are completely my own.

Contest ends Friday, October 14th at 9:00 pm MDT. Winners will be contacted by e-mail and will have 48 hours to reply. Winners names will be published here, on Facebook and Twitter.

Update: Congrats to Julie Johnston who was very excited to win the Yoga for Small Spaces card deck.

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Guest post by Cheryl Crawford and Amy Haysman

Eye pillows are one of those little things that make a big difference. The simple gesture of placing an eye pillow on a student as they transition into savasana (corpse pose) builds trust and becomes a ritual that kids and teens look forward to each class.

As teachers, when the students move into savasana, we are able to quickly assess who is fidgeting and having trouble closing their eyes. We use eye pillows because the shape contours to the face, blocks out light and calms the active muscles around the eyes. By applying gentle pressure to the pillow, we help relieve tension in the eyes and forehead and impart our tranquil energy to settle each student. We say “If your eyes are still moving, your attention is in your head. Invite your eyes to the back of your head.

Bring your attention to your heart center and breathe there.” Expanding the heart space is a sure way to turn inward and center. When we are in our heart, we experience more joy and can truly connect with others. Kids and teens thrive when they feel connected and of service. We teach them how to place an eye pillow on someone’s eyes with reverence, cradle the friend’s head and lengthen the back of their neck and then gently lower their head back down.

We also use eye pillows to teach balance and breathing techniques. In balancing poses, an eye pillow on top of the head helps students keep their head and body steady. The weight of the pillow provides a slight resistance that the students can use to extend into. They love the challenge of keeping the pillow on their head as they transition from one balancing pose to another.

When lying down, placing a pillow on a particular part of the body helps the student bring their awareness and breath to that area. The pillow isolates an area such as the low belly and gives students a tactile and visual cue to the flow of their breath. Savasana is the perfect pose to teach beginners how to focus on their breath. It is easier to tune into the breath with closed eyes and an eye pillow helps especially young children keep their eyes closed for minutes at a time. Savasana can be silent or a beautiful song may enhance the experience. Reading an inspirational poem or guided visualization while the students’ minds and bodies are calm and receptive is a powerful way to reinforce the yogic theme.

We believe eye pillows are so valuable that we created our own product line. Our eye pillows are made of organic hemp with removable washable covers. The lavender ones enhance relaxation through aromatherapy. We also offer unscented ones for those who have sensitivities to smell. For more information please email info@gogrounded.com.

Cheryl and Amy are the founders of Go Grounded and can be found via the Go Grounded Facebook page.

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A review and a giveway to brighten your January. Leave a comment after this review to enter for a chance to win a copy of the Shanti Generation DVD. Draw date is Feb 1st.

I’ve spent the past week watching and exploring the Shanti Generation: Yoga Skills for Youth Peacemakers DVD. It is fabulous! Abby Wills has created a wonderful tool for teens to discover yoga and peace. With all poses, exercises and sequences demonstrated by teens, along with Abby’s calm narrative and guidance, and a grovin’ soundtrack, this DVD is a tool all teens can use to discover and practice yoga.

I especially liked Abby’s verbal cues while the teens do the poses. She provides gentle but specific instructions that guide and deepen the practice bringing awareness to the body and mind. There is plenty of variety here from active sequences to calming ones which is useful for teens to be able to choose their workout according to their personal needs on any given day. The teens themselves are wonderful and perform the poses properly, with intention and joy.

On the DVD you’ll find:

• Pathways - 5 different 30 minute yoga routines
• Library of Poses – 18 mini sequences
• Breathing Room – 5 breathing exercises
• Self-Connection – 2 awareness practices
• Interviews with the teen yogis
• Spanish and Japanese translations

From packaging to the underlying message this DVD is designed to respect nature and promote peace. It’s wonderful to see a DVD made specifically for those aged 10-15. The vocabulary, set, teen models, and concepts are age appropriate but also can apply to adults, which makes it ideal for parents/teachers and pre-teens/teens to do together.

I will be recommending this DVD during my workshop Yoga for Teens as a tool parents, teachers, youth leaders, and counsellors can use to practice yoga with youth. Thank you Shanti Generation for creating such a wonderful resource. It is desperately needed and will be well used.

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Oh my, 2009 is almost over and I’ve yet to get organized for the new year. If you are like me, you’re wondering how to:

• stay motivated to healthy living
• get inspired to tackle new challenges
• keep yoga in your heart
• find the time to do it all
• enjoy life

throughout the coming year. I’ve found a number of inspiring and fun yoga calendars available for 2010 to help. Here is a run-down of my favourites.

Yoga Journal 2010 Wall Calendar

As always the YJ produces a beautiful and inspiring calendar. The location shots are as amazing as the yogis performing the poses.

Innerwear Clothing 2010 Calendar

Clean and light hearted. You’ll enjoy these photos of 16 LA yogis having fun and performing amazing poses. I can’t decide if my favourite photo is April or October. All proceeds go toward Casa de Milagros orphanage in Peru.

Yoga Dogs 2010

For the dog lover with a sense of humour. My kids especailly love this calendar and have been trying to get our Sharpei cross Buddy to perfrom the poses. You go Yoga Dog!

Yoga Cats 2010

Can’t forget the cat enthusiasts. If only I could be so flexible. Visit yoga cats to see all the pictures. This addition is for Jean, my mother in law.

Daily Yoga Meditations 2010

Daily mediations to keep you on your personal yoga journey. Lovely and insightful. I’ll use these to set the tone for my adult classes and provide focus during savasana.

Wishing you all the best in 2010.

Become a fan on Facebook and join the growing community of YIMS enthusiasts.

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breathe -jecket cover

Recently I picked up a copy of Breathe: Yoga for Teens by Mary Kaye Chryssicas. What a fantastic book! Filled with colour and great photos of teens doing yoga, Mary Kaye’s no nonsense, conversational tone and clear explanations offer an introduction to yoga and its many benefits. Perfect for teens who are over-programmed, stressed, athletes, or looking to try yoga for the first time, this book, with its focus on teen interests, concerns & issues, personal diary excerpts, and inspirational quotes, reassures readers and shows how yoga principles apply to everyday life.

In addition, there is a 35 minute teen yoga DVD with one complete routine, which can be divided into different short workouts, making it easy to use for teens, parents and teachers. With two yogis performing an advanced version as well as a version for those with less flexibility/strength, the routine is divided into six sections (Warm Up, Wake Up, Soothe the Spine, Get Centered, Open Heart, Uniquely Hip, Rest and Release).

Retailing for 14.99 US$(17.99 CAN$) this book is well worth it and is a marvelous addition to my yoga library. I highly recommend this resource.

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Are you, or do you have a teen who is, permanently attached to your/their iPhone or iPod Touch? My kids LOVE to play with their Uncle’s and to check out all the cool apps. So why not use that nifty little gadget for keeping up to date on your yoga practise. The clever folks at Apple have come up with a variety of yoga apps just waiting to be downloaded onto your iPhone. Some of them include:

• Yoga Cardz
• Yoga Stretch
• Yoga Deck
• Yoga Moves

Here is a terrific link for a complete rundown of yoga apps for iPhones and iPod Touch as well as a general description of what each one offers.

Thanks to Ann Pizer at About.com for her yoga blog which included this great information.

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