A child at an outdoor race being helped by two adults

Grounded Yoga at Refuge Coffee ~ Clarkston, GA

 

 

Hi, I’m Lillarose Hardin… You may remember me from my last post here.  April 28 was my 11th birthday.  I asked my mom if I could celebrate at Refuge Coffee in Clarkston, GA by teaching yoga and running their fun run race.  When my mom asked the owner, Kitti Murray if I could teach she said yes!  So, the next step was to gather friends who would like to teach with me because teaching with friends makes it more fun.  My mom asked Lead Homeschool students if they would be interested.  The class is on the Quest of Elevation and so a community class was the perfect idea.  When everyone agreed the next step was planning a lesson.  I found out on my actual birthday Refuge Coffee was hosting their 4’th Annual Coffee Run.  Perfect!  So, at 8:15 AM on a Saturday morning my friends and I lead a grounding yoga practice for the community.

A wide view of an outdoor event set up with traffic cones and tables

Supporting Our Community

While We Explore Our Feet And Light Up The Streets.

“Place one hand on your heart and your other hand on your stomach.

Close your eyes and prepare to explore more while we lead with our feet.

A child at an outdoor race being helped by two adults

Take a deep breath in to prepare and exhale when you hear the chime.”

-Lillarose, age 11

Children crouched at a start line drawn in chalk on pavement

My mom taught the Solid Ground Flow…

A child holding a clipboard at an outdoor event with a race number pinned on

This is me!  We offered a 30 minute class, so I was checking the time.  Perfect for waking up our feet!

Children crouched at a chalk start line on the pavement

“For Three Legged Dog come into Downward Dog.  Close your eyes if you feel comfortable and choose what kind of dog you are for today.  When ready, bring one leg up to the sky and breath in. Lower your leg to the ground and switch out legs by lifting your next leg.  If you feel up for it, bark!”

-Pippa, age 13

Children in downward dog on the pavement beside a traffic cone

“Please go down into Forward Fold and step one leg back into Lunge.  From here go into Downward Dog and take your right hand and place it on your left thigh.  Stay like this for 3 to 5 seconds and then put your hand back down into Downward Dog.  Rest for a second then take your left hand and place it on your right thigh.  Stay like this for 3 to 5 seconds and then put your left hand back down on the ground. Step one leg forward into a lunge and then put the other leg forward into Forward Fold.”
-Alex Benton, age 13

Children standing in a row at an outdoor event

Children crouched at a chalk start line on the pavement

Children in downward dog on the pavement beside a traffic cone

Children in downward dog on the pavement at an outdoor event

Children standing in a row at an outdoor event

Prepare for Wake Up Mountain by “making a tall mountain then lower it to your heart.
Then inhale and get ready to uppercut with both hands. Then exhale and reach up to the sky. “
Grayson, age 8
Children standing outdoors with their arms raised overhead

Children standing outdoors with their arms raised overhead

“Put both hands on your heart and then put them above your head and back on your heart again.

Put them on your knees and back up to your heart.”

Odin, age 11
Children crouched in a row at a start line on the pavement

To prepare for Get Up pose stand with your toes pointing out, then squat down and touch the ground with your spidey hands.

“Breath in and stand up.  Breath out and sit down’

– Ian Rose, age 11

Children lined up beside traffic cones at an outdoor event

“Go into forward fold and grab your ankles.  Stomp the ground with your feet forward and back.  Squat and remove all your anger and frustration by slamming your imaginary door. “
-Lila, age 10
Children standing on one leg with arms out at an outdoor event

Children crouched in a row at a start line on the pavement

Children lined up beside traffic cones at an outdoor event

Children standing on one leg with arms out at an outdoor event

“Everyone please gather in a circle and put your hands up.  Connect hands with your partner.  Take a deep breath in to relax, then exhale and greet your neighbor.  Close your eyes and tune into the energy of your friends around you.  Without speaking send out a wish into the community…

Adults and children standing together at an outdoor event

Adults and children standing together at an outdoor event

“Allow your entire body to relax by breathing in.  Hold for the count of 5.  Exhale when you no longer hear the chime.”

Children balancing on one leg outdoors on the pavement

-Lillarose, Age 11

Children balancing on one leg outdoors on the pavement

“May you have peace in your thoughts.

Peace in your hearts

And peace your words.

Namaste”

-My mom, Kelley Sue

More to Explore

  • Salutations

    TerrificCharlotte’s Web is a celebration of the quiet virtues. It reminds us to keep a soft tender heart, accept our true nature, and value the unique gifts of our friends. The two main characters of Charlotte’s Web, Charlotte and Wibur, highlight the awareness of our own unique inner story.

    Charlotte, the spider, represents our highest self who provides wisdom and help from above. She reminds us that we are never alone. She provides a higher, bigger perspective from her vantage point high up in the rafters. She brings a calm wisdom into an anxious situation, bolstering Wilbur’s self image by spelling out his best aspects. She represents our INHALE.

    Become sensitive and aware of your breath.

    Wibur, the pig, represents our vulnerable self that is at the center of our awareness. Wilbur is consistently caring and engaging. He forms a bond with Charlotte because he sees her beauty. He is accepting and compassionate and joyfully celebrates life. He represents our EXHALE.

  • Grounded? Yes! Restricted? No!

    blank-slate_copyFor many of us, a new year represents a blank slate, a Tabula Rasa. Imagine being able to “refresh” any or all areas of your life. Now visualize this table with two columns, Yes and No. You create your truest life by thoughtfully choosing what goes in the No column and what is a Yes. Everything you say YES to and everything you say NO to matters.  What if your yes’s and no’s were tabulated and at the end of a day, week, year, lifetime, you could see how the data, otherwise known as your life, balanced out?

  • Lasagna Savasana

    red-pepper-chevre-lasagnaSedef Dion who teaches a Pre-Grounded class at Springs Yoga shared with me the story of a four year old girl who in the cutest way mistakenly called Savasana….Lasagna.  This inspired me to write a Savasana visualization with a Lasagna theme that Amy and I recently used to connect with our Fernbank Elementary Yoga Club students.  After we did our practice complete with the Lasagna Savasana, one of our students..the Principal’s  seven year old daughter said…”that was so relaxing…this could help me fall asleep at night”.  Since it was her birthday that day, we wanted to put together a recording that her parents could play for her as she lays her head down for a good night rest after a long day.