Yoga with Lisa!

It is a joy to be able to spend each Wednesday afternoon with the kids at OCS doing yoga and so much more. Each week we learn yoga poses through playing games, reading books, and creating stories. The books we read include messages aligned with our yoga practice. Titles include "Have You Filled a Bucket Today": A Guide to Daily Happiness for kids (bucket filling and dipping are metaphors used in the book to help children understand the effects of actions and words on the well being of others and ourselves.), "Ahn’s Anger" and "Steps and Stones" (stories that introduce us to an elementary age boy who finds ways to work through his anger, such as counting his steps and coordinating them with his breathing. In these stories Anh is able to slow down and transform his anger.)

We have also spent time learning meditations such as "I am happy, I am good" and sharing what we grateful for.

I have incorporated some of the MindUp curriculum into our yoga practice which teaches us about our brains, specifically the Pre Frontal Cortex, Amygdala and the Hippocampus. We discuss how different breathing techniques can help to relax our Amygdala allowing us to be fully present in the classroom. We have also looked at things the children have worked hard to learn and remember and how those actions helps our Hippocampus to grow.

Recently we started building our emotional vocabulary and learned a technique known as Tapping or The Emotional Freedom technique (EFT). This gives kids tools to identify strong emotions they may be struggling with and ways to work through them. Tapping or EFT teaches us to use our fingers to tap on different energy meridians on the body while addressing the strong emotion.

My intention in the time we have together is to provide a safe learning environment where the kids can discover different techniques that may help them with self care of their mind, body and spirit.

Please feel free to contact me with comments or questions.

Sincerely, Lisa Banks (Lucas and Maile's mom)