Spinal Balance: Mindful Movement (Yoga) Practices K-5    Spinal Balance A K-5 Mindful Movement Practice
      
   Subject    Type of Practice: Yoga Recommended Grade Levels: K-5      
   Contexts    Social Context: Individual Duration of Practice: 2 minutes      
   Preparations and Resources    Materials:  One yoga mat per student. Enough floor space that students can spread out. 
Set Up:  Arrange the yoga mats, ensuring that students have enough space to move without bumping into one another.  If you have enough space, consider arranging the yoga mats in a circle so that you can see each student from your own mat. 
      
   Script    Begin on your hands and knees on your mat. Check to see whether your hands are underneath your shoulders. If not, move them so that they are.   Wonderful. Now check in to see whether your knees are behind your hands. If not, move them so that your right knee is behind your right hand and your left knee is behind your left hand.  Good job.  Now slowly look down at the mat. Notice whether your neck feels any different after moving it in this way.  Excellent. Lift your left arm up so it’s the same height as your back.  And now lift your right leg up so that it’s at the same height as your back.  Wonderful. This is a balancing pose. Can you feel your stomach muscles tighten?   Let’s stay in this pose for two breaths.  As you breathe in, reach your left arm toward the front of the mat. As you breathe out, tighten your stomach muscles to support your spine. As you breathe in, reach your right leg toward the back of the mat.  As you breathe out, notice how the muscles in your body are working together to help keep you balanced. Wonderful. Now slowly lower your arm down to the mat.  And now lower your leg down to the mat.  Return to hands and knees.  Take a deep breath in, finding your balance.  As you breathe out, get ready to do the same thing on the other side.  This time lift your right arm up so that it’s the same height as your back. Now lift your left leg up so that it’s the same height as your back. Wonderful. Let’s pause here for two breaths. As you breathe in, notice any parts of your body that are feeling uncomfortable. As you breathe out, imagine those parts of your body relaxing. As you breathe in, stretch a little further. As you breathe out, notice how strong your stomach muscles are.  Wonderful. Now slowly lower your arm down to the mat.  And lower your leg down to the mat.  Return to hands and knees.       
   Tips    You do not need to read the included script verbatim. Adapt the language so that it is appropriate for your students in particular.  It is perfectly appropriate to simplify the breathing cues, particularly when you first introduce the pose to your students. You might invite students to simply count several breaths in the pose, or you might opt to omit them altogether.  It is not important for students to get the pose “exactly right.” Instead, focus on helping them build mind-body awareness each time you practice.  Offer students positive reinforcements throughout each practice. Focus on qualities and behaviors they can control, like their focus, effort, or persistence. Be specific whenever possible. This will help your students develop a “growth mindset.”       
   Variations/Extensions    Rather than holding each side for several breaths, move between sides at a pace of one movement per breath. For each inhale, lift one arm and one leg up. For each exhale, lower them down to the mat.       
   Authorship and Provenance    Authors: Megan Downey and Anna Basile Adapted from: Compassionate Schools Project      
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