The fall season asks us to reevaluate how we are moving throughout our life and invites us to slow down our pace. For some of us, this means getting back into a schedule with school and/or sending our loved ones back into the classroom.
Wherever you’re at (going back to school or not), check out these tips from some of our instructors at the studio for nurturing a rhythm of mindfulness on and off of the yoga mat.
Especially for Kids
“First, breath work as it can be a yoga tool used in any situation! Specifically, even breaths. In Kids Yoga we call it ‘bear breath or countdown to calm’ where you breathe evenly and count your breaths.
“Use breath work to prepare for a school test/assignment or in any stressful situation to build focus.” -Gygi, owner of 3B and instructor + Kids Yoga Teacher Training lead trainer
Haley’s favorite yoga tool to de-stress and add calm energy is taking legs up the wall. This is a beloved yoga posture in many yoga classes and kids yoga is no different! Consider giving kids a stuffy to place on their belly or bottoms of feet and have them put the backs of the legs straight up a wall or door and lay the rest of the body on the floor for 5 minutes or more.
We recommend unwinding with this yoga shape before homework time or when getting home from school to help reset. (Haley is a Kids Club instructor at 3B)
Especially For Teens
“The 5,4,3,2,1 grounding technique may be basic BUT you can do it anywhere and it’s not obvious! Here’s the technique, begin to identify:
-5 things you can see
-4 things you can feel
-3 things you can hear
-2 things you can smell
-1 thing you can taste
If you’re in class or somewhere you don’t feel comfortable the 5,4,3,2,1 technique is easy, quick, and it WORKS!”-Jet, Teen Yoga instructor at 3B
“Be gentle with yourself because everything is so different right now in schools. Masks or no mask, distance, and social anxiety. There’s a lot of feelings and emotions this year more so than ever.
I suggest doing a daily journal check in: How am I feeling today? What’s been on my mind a lot lately? What am I looking forward to today? What am I grateful for today?
“Gratitude practice is hard but so beneficial because it helps us redirect the mind from fear, anxiety, worry, and feeling less than. When we write down 3 things that we are grateful for, it helps us gain a new perspective. If we can learn to redirect and help create more positive experiences this can be a really powerful tool in stress management.”-Elizabeth, Pre/Postnatal instructor at 3B, several years experience teaching yoga in schools
Especially For Parents
“When kids come home from school they are exhausted from not just learning but the emotional drainage that social interactions might cause. We are learning how to navigate a world of being social and distant at the same time which in itself is exhausting, not even just for kids, for all of us.
Give yourself and your kids time out for rest and rejuvenation. Whatever that may look like… a walk in nature, laying down at a park on a blanket, maybe taking a nap.
For parents, really all of the above tips for kids and teens and also adding in social time. Make an effort to reach out to a friend even if it feels like a chore. It can be so healing especially when we are turning inward and not feeling like being social. We have so many responsibilities and finding the play and joyful moments are key. Laughter is such an amazing thing for reducing stress; it keeps life light even when it may feel heavy.”-Elizabeth
Especially for All of Us
“There is a balance between rest and being active so finding motivation to do homework or daily tasks can be tough. Make a list and see what needs to get done on paper and cross it off as you go. Do what really needs to get done and maybe save some of the less important things for the next day's list.
“A bonus tip? Breathing in nature. Someone told me a walk in nature is a walk with the essence of god. The mind is calm and the body feels joy!”-Elizabeth
And of course, all of us at 3B are here to support you in any way that we can. Monica (owner of 3B, instructor and Mysore lead) recommends communicating with the instructor of a lead class you may be attending on how you are feeling so that they can better support you. Oftentimes, if the instructor knows beforehand that students are feeling more stress or anxiety, they can change the sequence and techniques used throughout class to bring in more support for the day’s practice.