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Count On Meditation to Be Your Best Self

Meditations/Visualizations Yoga Flows Zoom In
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Spring pics 2012 188We all know through research and probably experience that meditation is a good thing. It’s true that meditation helps children to feel better, know better and do better. That’s because meditators are in touch with their best self. If we’ve neglected to stay in touch with that part of ourselves, then how can we introduce that self to others? When access to our best self is as close as our next inhalation and expressing our best self is as easy as the next exhalation, then showing up to school, tests, parties, conversations, and even to do your chores as your best self feels natural. If your best self feels like a stranger, this meditation will help you tune in to your goodness and integrate that energy into your being. This powerful mantra, mudra and meditation practice prepares children, so when it’s time to show up as their most grounded and elevated self, they can bring it! 

Garden Club Group Yoga Pose with Amy Haysman

How to Teach the Best Summer Yoga Camp

Curriculum Teaching Tips Yoga Flows Yoga Games Yoga with Art
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Most of my favorite teaching moments happen during summer yoga camps. Just look at my smile in the picture as we practice Garden Club in yoga camp. Because I’m with the kids and teens for multiple hours several days or weeks in a row, we can go deep into the heart of yoga teachings and explore our creativity in a supportive social environment.

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Yes To Higher Aim…No To Lame

Balance Beam Pose Wisdom Speak Easy Teaching Tips Yoga by Rhyme Yoga Flows
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Say Yes to Brightness,
To Certainty, To Health
Say no to dullness,
To doubt, to filth.

Say Yes to Careful,
To Enthusiasm, to Aim
Say no to Careless,
To Backsliding, to Lame.

Say yes to activity,
To Attention, To humility.
Say no to Heedless,
Inertia, Instability.

How to say NO
To such 9 Disturbances?
Create a “no” prop
To play interference.

A block will work wonders
To impede interruptions.
Place between your hands
To help with deductions.

Press your hands in
To fire your inner shoulders.
Breathe your arms up
And become a beholder.

Keep pressing in
To activate what’s dull.
Reach the block up high
As well as your skull.

Hold a block in one hand
Lift up your opposite knee
Tilt to block side
Finding freedom is key.

Place the “no” block
Right between your thighs.
I know it is awkward
May your enthusiasm rise!

Press your thighs back
Keep your shins fixed.
Fold Forward, touch the floor
Breathe steady while betwixt.

Step back into Downward Dog,
Bend your knees a lot.
Press your block up and back
Notice your train of thought!

Shift forward into plank
Lower down flat like a pancake.
Keep shins pressing down
Lift thighs up with a mandate.

Stretch your belly and heart forward,
Hips back toward your toes
Open your shoulders
Like a polyphonic prose.

Press back to Down Dog
Come down to table.
Remove your block
Keep hands and shins stable.

Prepare to find freedom
With boundaries no less.
In this grounded pose
We call “No Table Yes”.

As you stretch right leg back
Exhale Yes to Higher Aim.
As you bring knee to forehead
Inhale No to Lame.

Your spine arches and curves
As you continue 5 times
Try it fast, Try it slow
Switch sides
Cause it’s prime.

Sit is easy pose
Tune into your frame.
Each inhale in
Think Yes to high aim.

Each exhale out
Think No to Lame
May this help you
Up your game.