Pose of the Month - Elephant Pose

Elephant Pose

For Elephant Pose, start by standing with your feet hip distance apart. Lean forward as if you are trying to reach your toes, clasp the hands together and then slowly sway from left to right using your lower back (not your arms).  This will create a nice stretch in your lower back. Knees can be slightly bent. Stay in the pose for a several breaths.  Kids- to have a little more fun, you can pretend to fill your trunk up with water, then lift your trunk (arm) up and spray your back.  We felt Elephant Pose was appropriate for Earth Day focused newsletter, since we learned the Asian Elephant is on the endangered species list.

Pose of the Month - Peacock

Peacock Pose
 

For Peacock Pose, start by sitting on the floor, extend one leg straight out and to the side, keeping the other leg bent in.  Reach the arms up and then fold the arms and the body toward the extended leg. Doing it this way will stretch your side.  

For another version, you may also reach both hands towards the extended foot taking the head towards the knee. Hold for a few breaths and then switch sides.

6 Tips for Kids to Practice Caring

Caring is giving from your heart to another person to let them know you care.  

We can practice Caring with our moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandparents, friends, pets, extended family, teachers and strangers such as military or victims of a disaster.  

Here are a few examples from students in our classes for how you can practice Caring:

♥ Help a family member or friend who doesn't feel well.

♥ Do a chore for your mom or dad. (Examples from our students is help them cook, make your bed, & help them clean.)

♥ Listen to a friend's problems.

♥ Give someone a hug.

♥ Do something nice for someone.

♥ Send a letter or picture to a person in the military.

Pose of the Month - Cobra Pose

Cobra Pose
 

To start Cobra pose, lay on your stomach with legs straight, tops of feet are on the floor. Place the hands, palms on the floor and fingers spread wide next to the chest, near your underarm.  Then as you inhale, gently push up from palms to arch the back slightly lifting the chest and part of the abdomen off the floor, elbows slightly bent. Keep your shoulders down and back. The legs and feet stay on the floor. Stay here and take a few deep breaths. Slowly lower down on an exhale.  

Cobra is a heart-opening & spine strengthening pose.

4 Tips from Kids Practicing Love

Our word this month is Love.  

Love is a strong attachment or warm affection toward another person. We can practice love with our moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandparents, friends, pets, aunts, uncles, cousins, and teachers.  

Here are a few examples from students in our classes for how you can practice Love: ♥ Help with chores. ♥ Put away toys when asked. ♥ Give cards and presents to your parents.

♥ Give hugs and kiss to your parents.

Here are a few more examples for practicing Love: 

♥ Tell someone you love them.

♥ Do something nice for someone.
♥ Write a note or draw a picture to someone you love.  

♥ If your grandparents or other close family members live far call them or skype with them.

PINK TEES

Just as our instructor couldn't resist taking this picture, I couldn't resist sharing it.
Here our students at Buckley with their matching pink YogaBuddies t-shirts!

Pose of the Month - Mountain Pose

Mountain Pose
 

To start Mountain pose, stand with feet hip distance apart.  Arms are by the sides of the body, with the palms facing out, fingers reaching for the floor.  Stand very tall and confident taking several deep belly breaths.
 

Options while you are in Mountain, to loosen the shoulders, is to inhale shoulders up and exhale shoulders down several times. Or try shoulder rolls forwards and backwards.  

Mountain is a centering pose. It is often the starting pose in a yoga class and one where, with eyes closed, you set your intention.

Video Example #2

We wanted to share another video example of a pose you could use for Share A Pose for YogaBuddies.  This is Maggie demonstrating Cow and Cat pose.

After Maggie shared the pose with her friends, she would have her mom share with us either here on the blog or on Facebook...1) who she shared yoga with, 2) the name of the pose(s) and 3) where she shared the pose (city/state).

Pose of the Month - Tree

Tree Pose

Tree pose is a balancing pose, so it is important to find a focus point before starting this pose.  It is good to find a spot on the floor or straight ahead that is not moving.  Continue to use the focus point while in the pose. 

Arms and hands start together at the heart.  Standing on one foot, lift the other foot to rest onto the calf of the standing leg.  Once feeling balanced, raise the arms and hands up over the head.  Sway the arms back and forth like the branches of a tree. 

To modify, rest the toes on the floor and place the foot next to the ankle of the standing leg.

To add challenge, lift the foot to rest on the inside of the thigh.  Be careful not to rest the foot onto the knee.  It is not safe for the joint of the knee.

Be sure to do both sides. 

One of our students, Max, created Christmas Tree Pose by putting his arms up over his hand touching the tips of his fingers together making an upside down V shape. If you're feeling festive, give this a try. I'm going to see if I can find a picture of Max to share.

 

Share a Pose for YogaBuddies Experiment!

We are super excited for December.
For the month of December we want to see how many people we can share yoga with!!
We're asking you, our newsletter readers, as well as our students, and our Facebook and Twitter fans to share a yoga pose with another person (family member, friend, classmate).
Then we want you to share with us via Facebook*:
1) Name of person you shared yoga with
2) Name of the yoga pose you shared
3) What city, state and country (we know some of our readers are from another country) you did the yoga pose.
BONUS: Share a picture or video of you doing the pose.
*If you're not a Facebook person you can comment here or email us at info@yogabuddies.com and we'll post it for you.

We will give a prize to whoever shows the most people.

Here's a video as an example demonstrating Child's Pose.

Pose of the Month - Sun Greeting

Sun Greeting Pose

Start Sun Greeting by standing with feet double hip-distance apart and toes pointing at 10 and 1 o'clock. Inhale arms up over the head bringing hands together. On the exhale bend the knees so the legs are in a squatting position at the same time bend the arms and bring the elbows towards the waist. Palms are facing up toward the sky - greeting the sun! On the inhale straighten the legs back to a standing position with arms reaching over the head. Repeat this flowing pose several times to warm up the large muscles in the body.

This is an energizing pose and a nice pose to do in the morning. That's why you'll find it on the Good Morning CD!

5 Kid Tips for Practicing Gratitude

Gratitude is being thankful and appreciative to someone or for something. When we practice gratitude and give thanks to the people we love or the things we have it makes us feel happy.

Here are a few ways you can practice gratitude?

☺ Write in a gratitude journal. Write down at least 3 things you are grateful for either at the beginning of the day or the end of the day.

☺ Share one or two things that you are grateful for at night (or in the morning) with a parent(s).

☺ Send thank you notes or pictures to grandparents or other relatives who live far away.

☺ Do something nice for someone.

☺ Give hugs!! And say thank you!!

YogaBuddies Junior at Yoga Loft

YogaBuddies Junior plays at Yoga Loft in Manhattan Beach in July and August 2010.
We had some regulars weekly students and many other friends who dropped in and joined our fun classes just for kids ages 3-6. Yoga Loft has a beautiful space in Manhattan Beach with an ocean view and a view of the MB pier.
Here's some pics of our little yogis and yoginis.

We've been CAMPING!!! part 2

Here are the students in Arts Unlimited camp striking their poses.

We've been CAMPING!!!

That's right, we have had 5 weeks of fun at 3 of Chadwick School's summer camps: Arts Unlimited, Minis and Camp Chadwick. The kids have ranged in age from 4 years old to 18 years old!! Here are the Minis striking a pose!!

Mentor Institute Speaking Event 6-5-2010

I was honored to have spoken to approximately 100 participants in this weekend's Mentor Institute's Leadership Conference. I shared about the benefits of teaching yoga to kids, taught 16 yoga poses and 2 breathing techniques. Feedback later said my part was helpful and would be utilized in the classroom. YAY!

Unfortunately cameras did not want to work in the theater. Luckily we caught one of Lore and I outside.

Healthy Living Festival

We had a great time at the Healthy Living Festival on Sunday in Manhattan Beach. We had about 25 kids come by to try out yoga. We also enjoyed sharing our booth with our friends at Kitchen Kid. We are looking forward to participating again next year.

St. Anthony's class wraps up with a Buddy Day

We had 5 Buddies join us for the last day of our winter session at St. Anthony's school. We taught our friends yoga poses, the students showed off their yoga collage and then shared some tasty treats.

We're excited for our upcoming Teacher Training

TEACHER TRAINING AND LICENSING
Want to teach for YogaBuddies?
Learn our unique and very popular program at our next Teacher Training -- April 10-11, 2010. Register by 3/27 and receive 10% off the tuition.
Want YogaBuddies in your city?
License YogaBuddies program and bring yoga to the kids where you live. For more information on the training and licensing contact Danay 310-503-6952

Pose of the Month - Stingray

Stingray Pose

This is legs open, seated, forward-fold pose. Start in a seated position, separate the legs out wide. Then fold the body forward toward the floor, hinging at the hips, thus keeping a straight back. This makes sure the folding forward is happening at the hips and not the spine. The body can be supported by placing the elbows on the floor and staying here, or by resting the forehead on the hands on the floor. If your body doesn't want to go that far, use a pillow(s) or blanket(s) to rest your body on.
Stay here for 5-10 breaths. As you breathe, see if you can allow your body to move closer to the ground. Try to relax and breathe into the areas where you feel tension.

Modification: Bend the knees or sit on an elevated surface, such as a blanket.