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.
Begin by standing on one side of your mat.
Turn so that you are facing the short edge of the mat.
Wonderful.
Now take a big step back with your left foot.
Bend your right knee.
Look down at your right knee, is it going past your right toes? If so, move your left leg back a little bit.
Excellent.
As you breathe in, lift your arms up and out in a sunrise motion. Stop when your arms are next to your ears.
This is victory pose.
Let’s pause here for two breaths.
As you breathe in, reach through your fingertips, noticing whether your body feels different when you do this.
As you breathe out, press your feet down into the mat. Does this help you balance?
As you breathe in, notice where in your body you feel discomfort.
As you breathe out, imagine all of the discomfort melting out of you body.
Take another breath in, and as you do so, straighten your right knee and move your weight into your left foot.
As you breathe out, step your right foot back to meet your left foot.
Wonderful. Let’s repeat that on the other side.
Now take a big step forward with your left foot.
Bend your left knee.
Look down at your left knee, is it going past your left toes? If so, move your right leg back a little bit.
Excellent.
As you breathe in, lift your arms up and out in a sunrise motion. Stop when your arms are next to your ears.
This is victory pose.
Let’s pause here for two breaths.
As you breathe in, reach your fingers a little higher toward the sky.
As you breathe out, press your feet down into the mat. Notice whether this helps you to balance.
As you breathe in, notice whether it’s easier for you to balance with your left leg forward or your right leg forward.
As you breathe out, imagine all of the discomfort melting out of you body.
Take another breath in, and as you do so, straighten your left knee and move your weight into your right foot.
As you breathe out, step your left foot back to meet your right foot.
Slowly lower your arms down to your sides.
Great job.
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.”
