Yoga In My School » holidays

Making the Most of Your Time in The New Year: 365 Days of …

DonnaKFreeman — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 14:51:24 +0000

At the beginning of each year I am struck with a sense of possibility. 365 days ahead in which to do, to create, to heal, to rejoice, to connect, to become. I know some people love to set resolutions, or intentions, or goals, or sankalpa for the New Year, others hate it. My one wish for you, no matter how you approach the New Year, is that you will value your time and use it wisely to come to know yourself, your potential, your uniqueness, and all the amazing things you are capable of. Be and share your best with yourself, your loved ones, your community, the world. Happy New Year!

To realize the value of One Year,

Ask a student who failed his or her AP exams.

To realize the value of One Month,

Ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of One Week,

Ask an editor of a weekly magazine.

To realize the value of One Day,

Ask a daily wage laborer who has six kids to feed.

To realize the value of One Hour,

Ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of One Minute,

Ask a person who missed their train.

To realize the value of One Second,

Ask the person who survived an accident.

To realise the value of One Millisecond,

Ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

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Fourth of July Kids Yoga Sequence

DonnaKFreeman — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 02:07:19 +0000

idea submitted by Alicia Watins

with additions from Yogainmyschool.com

The Fourth of July is Independence Day in the United States of America and is usually feted with fireworks, BBQs, picnics, parades, fairs, concerts, family reunions and all manner of fun summer activities. Red, white and blue and the stars and stripes abound in decorations, clothing and food choices. If you are looking for a fun and healthy addition to your 4th of July celebrations be sure to chorale the kids for this inspiring kids yoga sequence.

Fun Children’s Yoga Poses for 4th of July

Star: start as a baby star and grow big, reaching arms and legs wide. Twinkle hands and toes. Alternatively practice star pose.

Stars & Stripes: have children stand in a row side by side, an arm’s distance apart. Every other child is a star and the others are the stripes (mountain pose, tadasana). When you ring a bell they switch. Like half jumping jacks.

American Eagle: eagle pose (garudanasa)

Statue of Liberty: mountain pose (tadasana) with appropriate arm actions to imitate the torch (right hand) and tablet (left hand). Mantra to repeat: I stand for Liberty, Peace, Democracy.

Golden Gate Bridge: bridge pose (setu bandha sarvangasana)

Swimming: lie on stomach and imitate breast stroke and front crawl. Pause for a moment then reach the right arm and left leg away from one another. Rest. Reach the left arm and right leg away from one another in a lateral stretch. Rest. Reach the right arm, left arm, left leg & right leg, lifting everything then relax completely and bask in the sun, floating on your stomach or back.

Yoga Picnic: in groups of 3-5. One person can get into table top pose (hands and knees or like a crab with belly up). Other kids sit is hero’s pose (virasana) around the ‘table’ and pretend to have a picnic. After a few ‘courses’ (the children say what foods they’d like at a picnic) they can switch places and another child can be the ‘table.’

Lemonaid Squeeze: children sit up and hug their knees into their chests and squeeze everything (hands, feet, belly, face) – this is the squeeze part. Then, let all the juice flow out as they lay back on the mat to release and relax. Repeat 3-5 times.

Apple Pie: wide angle seated forward bend (upvistha konanasa), sit with legs extended and wide apart making a piece of pie triangular shape. Mix the pasty dough, roll it out. Slice apples and spread a nice thick layer. Season with cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg, etc. Layer top crust evenly making sure to touch toes and crimp the edges. Brush with cream. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake (lean forward putting your pie in the oven). Count down from 10 until your pie is done and you can eat it all up.

Two Scoops (of Ice Cream): a partner variation of child’s pose (balasana) where one child is the bottom scoop (does child’s pose) and the second child does child’s pose on their back becoming the second scoop. Decide what flavors of ice cream you are depending on the colors you are wearing ex: green = mint chocolate chip, pink = strawberry/bubblegum, turquoise = blue raspberry, etc.

Fireworks: squat down into a ball and jump up high, arms and legs extending out. Don’t forget to shout “Boom! Pop!”

Rocket Fireworks: tree pose (vrksasana) with arms overhead in temple mudra (clasp hands, intertwining fingers, index fingers extended like a steeple)

Hot Dog: roll kids up in their yoga mats for final relaxation (savasana). Be sure to let them choose their condiments first.

Guided Visualization: imagine you are a firework, waiting until the perfect moment on a clear summer evening to burst forth, showing the world how amazing and incredible and beautiful you are. Decide what type of firework you will be. One that is loud, booming high overhead. Maybe one that dances and spins with light spilling in all directions. Maybe you shoot higher than all the others. Or pop and crackle quickly, sparkling in the night. Imagine what color you are as you burst across the sky: red, purple, yellow, orange, green, blue, silver. Hear everyone ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ in delighted amazement at your intensity, brilliance and splendor.

Ignite the light and let it shine, just own the night like the 4th of July

Cause baby, you’re a firework, come one show ‘em what you’re worth

Baby, you’re a firework, come on let your colors burst

~Katy Perry

If you enjoyed this post be sure to check out our other holiday inspired kids yoga class including Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Cinco de Mayo.

Alicia Watins is the founder of Wee Warriors Yoga Playtime in NYC. She has trained with Karma Kids, Every Kids Yoga for Children with Special Needs and Post Partum Yoga with Baby Om. She has a passion for sharing the benefits of yoga with children while stimulating their imaginations.

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Sounds Right: A Mindful Listening Game

DonnaKFreeman — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:36:41 +0000

Yogainmyschool.com presents a mindful listening game which promotes conscious awareness of sounds, improves listening skills and is ideal for the Easter season. Using a variety of commonly found items inside plastic Easter eggs students play with sound, finding the matching egg which ‘sounds right.’ This game encourages children to listen attentively and effectively in order to discern subtle variations in sounds.

Sounds Right

Hello, this is Donna Freeman, the founder of Yogainmyschool.com. Today I’m going to show you how to play the mindfulness game Sounds Right. It is a fantastic game, especially for the Easter season, that’s why we have a dozen large eggs. Inside, however, when you open it up there are a dozen plastic Easter eggs.

You’ll want six different items and a matching six. For example inside we have salt, lentils, rice, beans, buttons and paperclips.

The goal here is that they are mixed up. The child or the student needs to match up one with the other. When they find two that sound the same they have a match.

Sounds Right is a fantastic game for developing mindfulness, for sensory integration for children with special needs, and it is ideal for the Easter Season.

Enjoy Sounds Right this Easter with your students. You can find a host of other fun yoga and mindfulness games at Yogainmyschool.com.

Thank-you.

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Chinese New Year with Cora Wen

DonnaKFreeman — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:02:57 +0000

Celebrated yoga instructor Cora Wen shares her extensive knowledge regarding Chinese traditions as they relate to Chinese New Year and the Chinese Zodiac. Discover how the animals were chosen, the influence of the elements and much more. Most importantly Cora will share practices to align your life, home and yoga practice with the year and the seasons to encourage peace, prosperity, longevity and good fortune. Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Original Air Date: February 2, 2011

If you don’t have time to listen to the entire 30 minute interview now, download it to your iPod by visiting the Yogainmyschool.com iTunes feed. Please take a moment to rate and/or review the show while you’re there. Thx.

Upcoming shows: I Heart YogaDork: Live and In Person – February 11, 2011

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Reflections 2010 with Waylon Lewis

DonnaKFreeman — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:04:09 +0000

The eternal “Dharma Brat,” Waylon Lewis joins us to chat about 2010. Waylon is an avid environmentalist, a shameless self promoter, the editor of elephant journal and host of Walk the Talk Show with Waylon Lewis (BTW we’re looking forward to the 2011 interviews). From awards to fav posts, Waylon shares his perspectives on the past year, his greatest challenges and living the bodhisattva vow. We’ll get a peak at the behind the scenes workings of #elej as well as find out what’s on tap for the coming year.

Original Air Date: December 24, 2010

Waylon can be found everywhere at elephant journal on Facebook and on Twitter @waylonlewis

Other interviews in this series include:

Dec 1 – Sadie Nardini
Dec 2 – Karen Maezen Miller
Dec 6 – Elena Brower
Dec 7 – Bob Weisenberg
Dec 8 – Esther Ekhart
Dec 14 – Cora Wen
Dec 16 – Kathryn Budig
Dec 20 – Faith Hunter
Dec 21 – Brock & Krista Cahill
Dec 24 – Ally Hamilton
Dec 28 – John Friend

Subscribe to Yogainmyschool.com on iTunes to receive all our interviews. If there is a guest you’d like to see on the show leave a comment. We’re already making a list of possibilities for Reflections 2011.

Thank you for joining us for Reflections 2010 – hope you enjoyed the interviews and all the best in 2011.

Watch for these upcoming interviews:

Yoga for Girls: Benefits for Tweens and Teens with Sarah Herrington (Jan 3)
Yoga for Teens with Christy Brock (Jan 17)
Ring in the Year of the Rabbit with Cora Wen (Feb 2)
I Heart YogaDork (Feb 11)
Green Bus Project: I Love Yoga Tour (Feb 22)

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Reflections 2010 with John Friend

DonnaKFreeman — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 18:38:24 +0000

Founder of Anusara Yoga, John Friend joins us to discuss ‘The Yoga of Yes.’ Referred to as the Yoga Mogul by The New York Times, John works tirelessly to help others allow the goodness of their hearts to penetrate their bodies and lives. From developing a coherent philosophy and curriculum to inspiring attendees at the Anusara Grand Gathering John’s 2010 has been a busy year. John will share insights gained during the 2010 Melt Your Heart, Blow Your Mind tour, his vision for The Center, the new home for the Anusara kula (family), and a New Year’s message to kick off your 2011.

Original Air Date: December 28, 2010

Connect with John on Facebook or on Twitter @anusarafriend.

If you enjoyed this interview please share it with a friend.

Other interviews in this series include:

Dec 1 – Sadie Nardini
Dec 2 – Karen Maezen Miller
Dec 6 – Elena Brower
Dec 7 – Bob Weisenberg
Dec 8 - Esther Ekhart
Dec 14 – Cora Wen
Dec 16 – Kathryn Budig
Dec 20 – Faith Hunter
Dec 21 – Brock & Krista Cahill
Dec 24 - Ally Hamilton
Dec 30 – Waylon Lewis

Watch for these upcoming interviews:

Yoga for Girls: Benefits for Tweens and Teens with Sarah Herrington (Jan 3)
Yoga for Teens with Christy Brock (Jan 17)
Ring in the Year of the Rabbit with Cora Wen (Feb 2)
I Heart YogaDork (Feb 11)
Green Bus Project: I Love Yoga Tour (Feb 22)

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Reflections 2010 with Brock and Krista Cahill

DonnaKFreeman — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 22:21:35 +0000

Brock and Krista Cahill are a yoga couple who love what they do and do it very well. Based in Los Angeles and noted for their inversion classes (Flight Club and Bala’nce) at YogisAnonymous both these yogis have had a stellar year including features on an international magazine cover (Om Yoga May 2010), in a major motion picture (Faster), and in the 2011 Jasper Johal calendar. They join us to share their life, their loves and their yoga experiences and insights. Discover how they find balance on their feet, on their hands, in life and in marriage.

Original Air Date: December 21, 2010

Connect with Brock and Krista on Facebook, at gravity cowboy and at cahill yoga.

Other interviews in this series include.

Dec 1 – Sadie Nardini
Dec 2 – Karen Maezen Miller
Dec 6 – Elena Brower
Dec 7 – Bob Weisenberg
Dec 8 - Esther Ekhart
Dec 14 – Cora Wen
Dec 16 – Kathryn Budig
Dec 20 – Faith Hunter
Dec 24 – Ally Hamilton
Dec 28 – John Friend
Dec 30 – Waylon Lewis

These interview are available for download on the Yogainmyschool.com Feed on iTunes. If you enjoyed them please share with a friend.

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Reflections 2010 with Faith Hunter

DonnaKFreeman — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:39:51 +0000

Beautiful in body and spirit, Faith Hunter is known for her inspiring vinyasa flow classes. Based in Washington DC, she reaches the world through her soul stretching and body balancing podcasts and workshops. We’ll talk about what it feels like to be featured on the covers of two major international yoga magazines, Yoga Journal and Om Yoga, as well as what it means to be “Spiritually Fly.” Faith will share insights on life and yoga gained while on her an amazing journey from graduate school & beauty pagent contestant to yoga teacher extraordinaire.

Original Air Date: December 20, 2010

Connect with Faith through Facebook or Twitter @faithhunteryoga.

Other interviews in this series include.

Dec 1 – Sadie Nardini
Dec 2 – Karen Maezen Miller
Dec 6 – Elena Brower
Dec 7 – Bob Weisenberg
Dec 8 - Esther Ekhart
Dec 14 – Cora Wen
Dec 16 – Kathryn Budig
Dec 21 – Brock & Krista Cahill
Dec 24 – Ally Hamilton
Dec 28 – John Friend
Dec 30 – Waylon Lewis

Get all our interviews onto your iPod via the Yogainmyschool.com feed on iTunes.

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Reflections 2010 with Kathryn Budig

DonnaKFreeman — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:19:18 +0000

Small but powerful with an effervescent personality, Kathryn Budig packs it all into her fun loving and challenging yoga classes and lifestyle. She joins us to talk yoga, gourmet food and holiday cheer. From being caught by the paparazzi to connecting with Mother Earth in Alaska, 2010 has been an amazing year for Kathryn. Joins us as she shares thoughts about everything from her revealing ToeSox Yoga Journal Ads to her fav charity Poses for Paws, as well as her top suggestions to bring good cheer and loving kindness to those nearest and dearest to you this holiday season and throughout the coming year.

Original Air Date: December 16, 2010

Connect with Kathryn via her website or Facebook. View her 2011 workshop and retreat schedule here.

Other interviews in this series include:

Dec 1 - Sadie Nardini
Dec 2 – Karen Maezen Miller
Dec 6 - Elena Brower
Dec 7 – Bob Weisenberg
Dec 8 – Esther Ekhart
Dec 14 – Cora Wen
Dec 20 – Faith Hunter
Dec 21 – Brock & Krista Cahill
Dec 24 – Ally Hamilton
Dec 28 -John Friend
Dec 30 – Waylon Lewis

Check out all our interviews available for download from Yogainmyschool.com on iTunes.

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Reflections 2010 with Bob Weisenberg

DonnaKFreeman — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 20:56:16 +0000

Author, musician, and Elephant Journal yoga editor, Bob Weisenberg joins us to share his reflections on 2010. Bob is well known in the on-line yoga community for his generosity, insights and support. He is the Guru of the Gita-Talks : an amazing on-line forum for discussions regarding lessons and themes from the Bhagavad-Gita (a must read for most yoga teacher training). Bob’s yoga philosophy is “simple, profound and livable” and his goal is to make yoga practice fun and approachable in plain English. Enjoy his insights into life, the breath and so much more.

Original Air Date: December 7, 2010

Connect with Bob via Facebook or @BobWeisenberg on Twitter.

Other interviews in this series include:

Dec 1 – Sadie Nardini
Dec 2 – Karen Maezen Miller
Dec 6 – Elena Brower
Dec 8 – Esther Ekhart
Dec 14 – Cora Wen
Dec 16 – Kathryn Budig
Dec 20 – Faith Hunter
Dec 21 – Brock & Krista Cahill
Dec 24 – Ally Hamilton
Dec 28 – John Friend
Dec 30 – Waylon Lewis

These interviews are also available for download from Yogainmyschool.com on iTunes.

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