Four people sitting cross-legged on yoga mats with a hand on the chest in a gym

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On the Same Breath and On the Same Page

 

 

We celebrated City Schools of Decatur on the same breath, breathing together, and on the same page, reading together.

We celebrated the success of the first 40 days deep breath initiative in Georgia!

Here’s how we honored On the Same Breath and On the Same Page: A free, open to the public class taught by Carrie Beauchamp, myself and three Renfroe Middle Yoga students-Jillian, Kira and Olivia.

Kenny & the Dragon, by Tony DiTerlizzi is the heartwarming tale about a brave rabbit named Kenny and his literature-loving friend Graeme the dragon. Their friendship inspired us to breath deeper, to receive more clarity, to get better at seeing people for who they are, not what they appear to be.

 

 

The book Kenny & the Dragon by Tony DiTerlizzi standing on a table

Kenny is a little rabbit with a very big problem. His two best friends are heading into a battle of legendary proportions—with each other! In one corner there’s Graeme, a well-read and cultured dragon with sophisticated tastes. In the other there’s George, a retired knight and dragon slayer who would be content to spend the rest of his days in his bookshop. Neither really wants to fight, but the village townsfolk are set on it.

Adults and children on hands and knees on yoga mats in a school gym

Heart Action: Friendship, Leadership, Bravery . Alignment Action: Lift Chest, Open Heart

Teacher in a green robe and adults standing with hands at the heart in a school gym

 

Breath of Joy. Is there joy in tolerating differences, responsibility, honesty, pacifism and knowledge?

Families raising their arms overhead on yoga mats in a school gym

After washing away stains of preconceived differences, we woke up to any parts of us that aren’t aware of our core values.

Adults and children standing on yoga mats facing the front of a school gym

Wake Up Mountain. We woke up our hearts, our minds, our ears, our voice with strong, heavy golden positive power.

Young girl standing in Mountain Pose with hands at her heart among adults on mats

We connected our power.

Adults and children standing on yoga mats with arms stretched out to the sides in a school gym

Our regrets, our set-backs, whatever is holding us down from being brave got kicked out!

Adults and children balancing on one leg with arms raised overhead in a school gym

 

Smiling girl balancing on one leg with arms raised overhead beside adults

Warriors question what isn’t true. With strong stance and open hearts.
Kenny’s book, King’s Royal Bestiary stated all dragons are terrorists. Obviously, his warriorship found that untrue. He had to teach his village the truth.

Adults and children in Warrior II across a school gym, a teacher in a green robe among them

Tapped into intuition for guidance. Prepared to balance as warriors.

Teacher in a green robe and girls standing in a row with hands raised to their faces

 

Adults and children balancing on one leg and leaning forward in a school gym

We listened  – to our guts, our hearts, our imagination.

Adults and children on hands and knees reaching one arm and the opposite leg in a school gym

When we fell out, we LAUGHED!

Laughing boy on his mat while adults and children balance on hands and knees

ROCKED the Boat!

Adults and children laughing as they balance seated with legs lifted and one arm raised

 

Adults and children balancing seated on yoga mats with arms raised, smiling

Deep breathing teaches us to become friends with ourselves first so that we can be open to being friends with others.

Adults and children standing and talking on yoga mats in a school gym

Teacher in a green robe seated at the front of a school gym with children sitting facing her

Teacher in a green robe and a woman crouching beside a child on a mat while adults watch

Painted cardboard dragon propped against a chair in a school gym

Co-Created a Dragon Breath in a Dragon shape. A Bunny Breath in a Bunny shape. And shared!

Girls and a woman kneeling on yoga mats with arms raised overhead

Woman and children squatting together on yoga mats in a school gym

Woman, girl and child on yoga mats, the child on hands and knees reaching one leg back

Woman folding forward, girl raising her arms and child resting in child's pose on yoga mats

Teacher in a green robe kneeling at the front of a school gym as a child rests in child's pose

Teacher in a green robe leading women and a child standing on one leg in a school gym

Connected. Connected. Connected. Connected.

Adults and children holding hands in a circle, balancing on one leg in a school gym

 

Adults and children sitting cross-legged in a circle, holding hands on yoga mats

Large group of adults and children sitting in a circle on yoga mats in a school gym

Rested.  Rested Rested. Rested.

Adults and children lying on yoga mats resting in a school gym

Created a Coat of Arms to reflect our core values.

Child drawing a sword inside a shield outline for a coat of arms

Child drawing a coat of arms with the words Joy, Love and kindness

Child pointing to her coat of arms reading I love you

Girl standing on a yoga mat with one hand on her heart beside a woman

Child coloring a coat of arms with a book, a heart and a butterfly on a purple mat

 

Hand-drawn coat of arms with a friendship tree holding a heart

Thank you Little Shop of Stories for your partnership.

Thank you to all who showed up and celebrated being on the same breath and on the same page. And bunnies. And dragons. And friendships. Thank you to all of you who made new friends. We noticed!

Thank you Kelley Sue for capturing the joy, the friendship, the laughter of the celebration.

More to Explore

  • Peaceful Kids

    In 2017, Alpharetta Lifestyle magazine interviewed Sedef Dion, co-creator of Pre-Grounded Kids Yoga, for an article called “Peaceful Kids.” At the time Sedef taught children’s yoga at Life Time Fitness Alpharetta, in classes for children as young as 3. Sedef spoke about what yoga gives children: strength, flexibility, self-awareness, self-regulation and focus, along with tools…

  • Inner Flexibility

    “How do you become flexible on the Inside?”
    That is the question that I was asked by 4th grade student Isabelle at Yoga Club last week. We were working on acknowledging what we could use more of: strength, balance, or flexibility. After meditating to find what we had the least of, Isabelle raised her hand and asked this question. I stumbled for words, trying to be eloquent and honest on the spot. I spoke of the importance of strength and balance in finding inner flexibility… but honestly this answer felt like it came up short. I found myself reflecting on this question for the rest of the day (the class was over at 3:30pm). I consulted some dear friends and got many good suggestions such as taking a walk, for no other reason than to walk.
    But here is what I came up with, that resonates as the voice of my own truth.
    Being flexible on the inside is a lifelong process. There is a big difference between being loosey goosey with no boundaries, and being open to change and to testing new waters. These two polarities give us a framework for the spectrum of possibility. At the beginning, at the core, and at the point of willingness, is a strong inner truth. This truth is clear, it reminds me who I am, what is most important to me. For some this is a relationship with family or friends. For others their connection to their higher power is the most precious thing in their lives. Maybe for you it’s a sport, or a mission, or catfishing. I check in, sometimes daily, sometimes hourly, with my Truth. Each time I face a new challenge I ask myself “Does this bring me closer or farther away from _________________.”

  • The Royal Mind

    Hmmm, Our Monkey Mind
    Our Mind Monkey~
    Is restless, and random,
    Rebellious, and junky?
    Silly, and scattered
    Like a toddler in its movement~
    Won’t settle down,
    And needs vast improvement?
    The mind is a problem,
    That we need to control.
    It’s random, and restless
    And a bit of a troll?
    That’s nonsense, we say!
    And quite derogatory!
    The nature of the mind
    Is going for glory!
    The mind is evolutionary,
    progressive, dynamic.
    Always seeking and moving
    toward that which is magic.
    So, think NOT monkey mind
    More like, mind is royalty~
    A King to Serve
    With Love and Loyalty.
    But, how can we Serve,
    The Great Intelligence of our minds?
    By meditation and mantras
    And movement refined.
    By exceptional quality
    Of the company we keep,
    What we see, what we hear,
    How well we do sleep.
    By lavish feasts of sutras,
    Of songs, and of silence,
    Of settling, and stillness
    And speech for your Highness.
    Much of your activity
    Will settle in bliss~
    Yet portions of Royal Mind
    Will continue to hiss.
    And that, my dear friend~
    Is the Great Intelligence~
    It wants more and more
    Of higher elegance.
    The Discipline of yoga,
    Now, you see,
    Is in permitting and inviting
    This process~ to BE.

  • Rainbow Yoga Poses

    Kids give us a new perspective, and a broader one as well.  It’s OK to sometimes have a winner in a yoga game. It’s fun to use intuition and try to stump each other. Here is a mini pose card game created by two second grade grounded kids.

  • Yes To Higher Aim…No To Lame

    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.