It seems obvious that teaching yoga requires flexibility, right? You have to be physically able to do most poses to teach them and to have credibility as a teacher. You need to have flexibility in your lesson plans to be able to teach to the level of the students in your class. And, in my experience teaching children's yoga, you need an additional level of flexibility. You need to help the parents feel comfortable.
I teach in several different locations, and most parents are thrilled to send their children to yoga. However, living in the South on a very conservative side of town, I run into parents who are concerned about the practice of yoga. On several occasions I have had to answer the common question, "is yoga a religion?" No joke, I have even been told that I practice yoga; therefore, I am going straight to Hell. Years ago, I had a lengthy phone discussion with DeAnna Smothers, co-founder of Yaweh Yoga, a Christian yoga studio and teaching academy.

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I chose to create 12 Tips for a Smoother Pre-Grounded Class for 2 reasons:

1. I've been teaching yoga to preschool students for 6 years and have learned, firsthand, some things that work and others that don't with my students.
2. Teaching preschool yoga is intimidating to many teachers, so having a list of tips to try may minimize that fear.

I included many of the things I do on a regular basis in my classes that make managing young kids easier and result in my having more time to actually teach.

Tip #13: The most important tip, however, is to be yourself. When you read a list of tips, if you read something that doesn't sound like you or you know you won't feel comfortable doing, don't do it! Young children have an amazing capacity for seeing through you and will know when you are pretending to be something or someone you are not.

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Last week President Obama visited College Heights Early Childhood Education Center where I teach yoga to 1 year olds and up since last year. When I asked my students several questions regarding the time they spent with President Obama, my passion for the importance of teaching yoga to preschoolers was completely validated. Read on and I'm sure you will appreciate the brilliance of these kids as much as I did. 

Tags: Sedef Dion, Yoga, Ages 3-6, Pre-School, Pre-Grounded, Pre, President Obama

Look at me!
Look at me!
Look at me NOW!
It is fun to have fun
But you have to know how.

The enlightened sage, Dr. Seuss, in the revered text The Cat and The Hat, teaches us how to tune into our Highest Self, listen to our small, limited, fears and even invite them out to play with each other. My intention and desire is for us to value and understand this text in the highest spiritual sense. May this process lead us to a higher capacity for insight, for revelation, for learning at a deeper level, so clarity about our playful selves become possible.

Cat in the Hat begins on a cold and wet day at the house of two sad children stuck inside with nothing to do, until the Cat in a Hat shows up, transforming the dull day into an adventure. As he steps in on the mat, we can relate the action metaphorically to Yoga Sutra 1.1. Now, the teachings of yoga. As he begins to express his philosophy to the children, their pet fish begins to express his hesitation and fears. The Cat reassures him with a simple "Now! Now!" That answer is an important teaching in the whole text, because it teaches us to let go of our old social order, and enter the present, which is new. "Now" in Sanskrit is "atha", signaling the value of what you are about to dive into. "Atha" is also the first spoken word of Yoga Sutra 1.1, its entirety being~

1.1 Ātha Yogānuśāsanam The teachings of yoga, have been presented. You don't need to wait until the sun comes out, an authority figure is watching, or your fear is gone. All that it (Yoga) requires of you is a YES. In essence, then, The Cat in the Hat, just like Patanjali, tells his students to get ready to receive the knowledge on the subject of "yoga".

The fish in the tiny bowl represents our limited, concealed self known as karma mala. He is fear, limiting our ability to act. The cat is a wise trickster. He questions authority, encourages enthusiasm, seeks new experiences, while destroying our old way of thinking. He is our Big-Picture Play of Consciousness. He is our Highest Self. Highest Self is Consciousness. Highest Self is the real  complete you.

Shiva Sutra 1-1 Chaitanyam ātmā. Consciousness is the self.

The children were still able to recognize, the fish's concern. Fear is natural; it's an adaptive instinct. Don't try to squelch it down or ignore it. Without fear, we wouldn't have courage. Without courage we wouldn't be brave. The Cat in the Hat was able to listen to the fish, listen to his fears, and playfully act upon them.
"Have no fear!" said the cat
"I will not let you fall
I will hold you up high..."

Introducing three Tricks to greet your Higher Consciousness (HC)...ie Cat in the Hat  and Small Fish (SF)  i.e Karma Mala, Fear.

1.Listen

Close your eyes. Breathe in through your heart and out through your third eye. Continue to follow your breath. Listen to your heart. Sometimes HC sounds like the whisper of a wise old man. Sometimes HC sounds like a voice you recognize that is playful, friendly, and compassionate.
The voice of your SF is usually scared or angry. It's probably much louder.

2. Look

Invite HC to sit with you and have a conversation. Notice what HC looks like. The Cat in the Hat? Ask questions. When the answers sound wiser or more knowledgeable than usual, you're probably talking to your HC. Just keep talking to this image of your higher self until you've received the answers you need.  Invite SF to the table as well. What do you see? Where in your body do you feel them? Draw your work.

3. Feel

The cat in the hat starts at your spine and goes up to the crown of your head and beyond! Feel your cat getting wider with each breath in and taller with each breath out.

Sit!
     Sit!
           Sit!
                 Sit!

Root your left sitting bone to your left heel and your right sitting bone to your right heel. Thing 1 begins in the lowest part of your left belly. Thing 2 resides in the lowest part of your right belly. Lift Thing 1 and Thing 2, both lowest bellies, straight up like a kite. How high can you lift these things? Can you feel the silly blue hair? Can your left and right side smile like Thing 1 and Thing 2?  Most of our actions conspire to drop our things( lowest abs). The trick is to keep lifting thing one and thing two and root sitting bones to heels at the same time.  The game is to not spill your energy,it must be a conscious effort to get a good thing(s) going!

A Thing is defined as some entity, object, or creature that is not or cannot be specifically designated or precisely described: anything that is or may become an object of thought: things of the spirit. (abdominal muscles and organs and bones oh my!)
things, matters; affairs: a fact, circumstance..so the trick is to LIFT Your Things! Lift your entity, being, matter, act, deed, event, material object, while keeping your sitting bones rooted to your heels. Try this in different shapes~standing, forward folds, backbends, twists, supine..Notice the difference.

Reponses received from our Grounded Kids...

"Thing 1 and Thing 2 teach me I can do it!" Ella, age 7
"My little baby tiny weeny self is in my head. My Huge, humungous ,, big giant Self is in my heart and body." Claire, age 9
"My High Cat knows I can do big things" Madeline, age 5
"My Highest Self stands up for the world. My small Fish gets angry at myself and others." Lauren, age 6
"My High Self is beautiful and colorful." Emily, age 6
"My Highest Self tells me my gift is seeing the future in my sleep." Hunter, age 7
"My Fear is in my foot. My Highest Self is upside down now. It's telling me to pay attention." Dodge, age 9
"Higher Self is standing up for myself. My Little Self is always looking around at others." Amelia, age 8
"My Fear is sliding down a pole. I see that picture (of the pole) any time I get scared." Sarah, age 9

Once you've tuned in to your HC, you'll be able to get some key information about why you're here and where you should go, and who you should go with. Your HC is watching over you and helping to steer you in the highest direction. This playful practice is for each one of us to embody the deep empowerment, the authenticity, and the fullness of who we are.

Please share how it goes. Now~ You've got to have fun, but you have to know HOW!

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Said my young friend who wants a connection:
"I wave. I shake hands, with no objection.
No pain, no remorse, no one intervening
a choice I make without much thought or meaning~"

"...Is there a gesture that honors each other?
That celebrates greeting sisters and brothers?
Can you show me HOW to express happiness
with social and spiritual significance?"

YES, my dear friend, I can show you a mudra~
a gesture of sorts, for kings, friends and sudras.
Place hands together from fingers to wrists~
like a knife, cut through difference that may exist.

This immediately gets you to the shared ground~
of ALL people, of all cultures, of all sound.
It's a recognition, a united force~
that honors equality of all from the Source.

Close your eyes and tune into your own inner light;
your divine spark that forever burns bright.
That's the key, my dear friend, you must see your OWN
in order to recognize others' light shown.

BLEND your five fingers of action on the left~
with five fingers of knowledge on the right~
to achieve the symbol of perfection~
the union of opposites; interconnection.

FInd the Connection of your brain and your HEART;
your sun and your moon; your stop and your start.
Marry together reason and emotion~
Unite thoughts and feelings, stillness and motion.

JOIN positive and negative; hot and cold~
theory with practice, silver with gold~
Wisdom with Method, intellect with instinct~
talent with genius, and feelings with think!

Exhalation and inhalation, ,brain and heart~
Align in harmony, right from the start!
There is indeed no sphere of our existence
untouched by the symbolic significance~

of Namaste~

Namaste

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Practice yoga poses according to various reoccurring themes in your Harry Potter film of choice.

If you enjoy watching Harry Potter and need to get moving and breathing, try this fun, in house, yoga workout circuit. Challenge yourself and try and watch all the movies and jazz up your yoga routine at the same time. Invite your friends.

You’ll need mats, yoga pose cards , healthy food, and beverages. I made posters for easy viewing. Try Grounded innovative yoga poses or create your own. Remember to move with your breath. Practice good alignment when sitting between poses.

 

Works for Any Harry Potter Movie

Every time.....                                                     Do this pose 

a spell is cast                                                                     Breath of Joy

a password is used                                                           Plank (5 breaths)

someone cries                                                                    Playing with Fire          

Harry flies                                                                          Serious Crow Playful

Fred and George finish sentence together                     Rectangular Relationship

someone says “Voldemort”                                             Gratitude

a pet is shown                                                                    Cat Scratch Fever to Down Dog

someone dies                                                                     Calm Down

Draco mentions his father                                               No Whining

Harry touches his scar                                                     Forward Fold

they enter Room of Requirement                                   Go to Your Room          

Ron says “bloody hell”                                                    Yoga Burpees* (x5)

they enter the Forbidden Forest                                      Root Tree Rise

someone says “You Know Who”                                    Straight Leg Lunge

or “He Who Must Not Be Named”                                  Jump Switches (10x)

you see Harry’s Parents                                                     Lighten Up

they are in Hogsmeade                                                      Laughter Milkshake

Hermione raises her hand                                                 Warrior 1 Up

you see centaurs                                                                 No Table Yes

*A Yoga Burpee is when you start from Tall Mountain go to Forward Fold, then to Plank and come back up.

 

Works for a Specific Harry Potter Movie

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Every time....                                                 Do this pose

points are rewarded or taken away                              You’re Up than You’re Down

a painting talks                                                                 Oompa Loompa

you see Quirrell                                                                Bring It On

they enter restricted area (3rd flood corridor)             Go to Your Room

a staircase moves                                                              Bridge

Hagrid says, “I shouldn’t have said that.”                    Flexibility Kick Freedom           

Seamus explodes something                                           Calm Steam Silly

 

Chamber of Secrets

Every time....                                                 Do this Pose

 

Dobby interferes                                                              Whistle While You Work

Lucius Malfoy appears                                                   No Whining

Mudblood is said                                                             Washing Machine

the monster attacks                                                          Get Up

you see spiders                                                                 Triangle with Wisdom

parseltongue is spoken/basilisk voice                          Snake     

Lockhart ask egoistical or cowardly                              Plank (5 breaths)

Prisoner of Azkaban

Every time....                                                 Do this pose

you see the Whomping Willow                          Root Tree Rise

Time-Turner Used (duration)                             Solid Ground Flow

you see the Grimm/ Sirius’s animagus            Crossbow

Ron and Hermione fight over pets                    Double Dog Dare

Buckbeak is seen                                                   Effort Pigeon Surrender

Dementors are seen                                              Bubble Gum Breath

Sirius Black is mentioned                                    Warrior 2 Decide

Goblet of Fire

Every time.....                                                           Do this pose

an unforgivable curse is cast                                          Warrior 3 with Intention

Krum’s name is said                                                        Strength with Flexibility

Rita Skeeter appears                                                        Bring It On

Duration of Tasks 1 & 2                                                   Oompa Loompa Wall Sit

Moody takes a drink from his flask                               Just a Sip

Cedric appears                                                                  Warrior 2 with clarity

a person asks someone to Yule Ball                               Warrior 2 Decide

Order of the Phoenix

Every time....                                                 Do this pose

Harry has a vision                                                             Warrior 2 with Clarity

DA meeting                                                                        Network

Occlumency is used                                                          We Will Rock You

Umbridge giggles or “Um Hm”                                      Mountain Range Laughter

you see Luna Lovegood                                                    Over the Rainbow

Daily Prophet Flashes Across Screen                              Hold On a Minute

you see thestrals                                                                 Camel

Half-blood Prince

Every time....                                                 Do this pose

Half-blood Prince is mentioned                                     Half-lift

You see Slughorn                                                              Laughter Hero

Draco works on the vanishing cabinet                          Double Check

Memory in the Pensieve                                                  Lotus Breath

Death Eater attack                                                             Bring It On

Teenage love moment                                                       Fish

Felix-Felicis is shown                                                        Just a Sip

Deathly Hallows (Part 1 and 2)

Every time....                                                 Do this pose

Harry says, “Dumbledore told me”                              Because I Said So

Harry stares at the Snitch                                                Bring It On

Horcrux is found                                                              Double Check

Horcrux is destroyed                                                       You’re Up and You’re Down

You see into Voldemort’s mind                                      Warrior 3 with Intention

Death Eater attack                                                            Hold On a Minute

See Deathly Hallow’s sign                                              Twist and Target           

Someone dies                                                                    Calm down

See Nagini                                                                         Snake

Death Eater apparates                                                     Don’t Rock the Boat

           

Please let us know how it went! Did the 19 hours fly by?

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On this day, we invite you to practice the Love in Your Head pose gifted to us from Elie, age 6.

"Close your eyes. Breathe and get still. Pour love into the top of your head. Not just one thing you love! Pour everything and everyone you can think of that you love into your head. Keep going until your head feels full of love and joy."

Love is the most powerful activator for positive change to manifest on this planet.

Thank you Elie, for being the light of awareness. You are living wisdom. You are Love.

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Four boys, ages 5-8, came together to create a yoga sequenced flow appropriate for when we are in an overly energetic, jumping out of our skin state, but want (or are told) to get to a calm, focused state. They were passionate, patient and proud of their creation and energetically worked together.

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Thank you Eight year old Marlie for presenting me with this yoga book you wrote and taught to classes in your school. I appreciate your interesting chapters~

Yoga that keeps me calm
Yoga that keeps me Grounded
Yoga with more than two people
Yoga with two people
Yoga that keeps me happy

and your very helpful notes~
Remember you will not get it the first time
Breathe slowly
Remember to lean

your beautifully detailed art~
and your permission to share your work on our blog~

I am grateful that you have been a grounded student for three years and you continue to serve your school with yoga.

With love,   Cheryl Crawford

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Unlieable – To be filled with ones own truth, to the extent that no lies can enter ones being, either from within or without

Meet Ben. While working on an exercise to illustrate what we stand for, Ben introduced me to a new word... unlieable.

When I asked Ben what this word meant, he said, with complete assurance, that to be unlieable is to not lie.... Duh

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