The Power of Yoga

Yesterday, I came back after taking a week off.  Since COVID-19 I've been teaching my children online.   I've been feeling like I needed to stay connected to my children and families.  I also realized, after a dear friend became sick with COVID-19 that I needed some time for myself.  That getting up everyday and being cheerful online is sometimes challenging and that I needed to cut myself some slack.       And then, as if the world wasn't already feeling like a very fragile place,  our tiny province experienced unimaginable tragedy this past weekend.  Nova Scotia is place of kindness and generosity.  The people are warm and it feels like coming home when you land here. There is so much hurting right now.  So much pain.  

I knew I was going online to teach on Monday.  How was I going to pull it together to be present for my children for Yoga.  I mean really present.  I decided I would focus on Sunshine and affirmations and breakdown a Sun Salutation.  I started the class with a Sunshine meditation.  Sarah Jane Hinder has done a beautiful job writing books about yoga for children.  They illustrations are stunning and the books are vibrant with movement, color and stories to go along with the yoga poses.  I picked up my copy of Hello Sun at Bhavana Boutique. 

I think meditations are very important for children.  In the winter, I have a meditation called the melting snowman.  The children love it. It's important for children to find stillness.

 Sunshine Meditation

Lie down on your back and make yourself comfortable and still.  Close your eyes, take a big breath in, and slowly breath out. 

Let your body feel soft and relaxed.  Imagine you are floating on a very big, fluffy cloud.  You can hear the birds tweeting, the hum of buzzing bees, and the flutter of butterfly wings.  Imagine the warmth of the sun on your face.

with your eyes closed, slowly start to rub your hands together and feel them getting warmer.  Imagine the energy from the golden sun.  Place your hands on your tummy.  What do you feel?  Move your hands to kyour chest and fill your heart with the sun's warm, yellow light.  Can you feel your heart beating?  Feel the warmth spread like an orange glow across your arms and down your legs.  Breath in the light and think, "I am love."  Feel the sunshine's rays warming your body.  You are shining bright.  Breathe in the sunlight and think "I am sunshine."

Let's wake up your body by wiggling your fingers and toes.  Lift your arms up to the sky and then reach them back behind your head.  Point your fingers and toes and have a big stretch and a yawn.  Bring your knees up to your chest and give yourself a big hug, rocking side to side,  Slowly roll onto your right side and then quietly come to a seated positions.  Open your eyes and feel ready for the new day.  Breathe in and think "I am Happy."  ~from  Hello Sun by Sarah Jane Hinder

 Oh my goodness that meditation was so good to start off with yesterday.  It was so uplifting and just what was needed.  Next in our class we had a tune in and did some singing and chanting.  We then went on to do our Sun Salutations and I talked about where Sun salutations come from and why we do them.  We read Hello Sun and then I reread the story and we moved through the Sun Salutation Story for our bodies.   we finished up our class with fly like a butterfly and Savasana.

Yesterday I finished our class up in Savasana with the affirmation card, Light is my Power.

I am a shining light.

I am bright, 

I am glowing, 

I choose to live in the light of love.

The Questions I left my children with were, "how did you shin your light today?" "How did it make you feel?"

Namaste 💗