Latest Issue of the MindBrainEd Think Tank + (ISSN 2434-1002) 6 MindBrained Bulletin Think Tank V4i6 Mindfulness | Page 13

Think Tank: Mindfulness Levy Solomon Yoga in Schools With your feet planted firmly on the floor, inhale bring your gaze upwards, lengthen the spine, and gently bring your chest forward. Now, slowly exhale, breathing out through your nose, bring your chin to your chest as your curl your spin inward. Repeat at least three times. These are seated cat and cow poses. While in your chair, cross you right knee over your left knee. Inhale. Lengthen the spine. Pretend like there is a string attached to the top of your head assisting your posture. Then exhale, keeping the spine as long as possible, bring your left hand towards your right knee as you gently twist your spine, looking towards the right. Inhale, lengthen the spine as you bring your chest to face forward, uncrossing your legs. Cross your left knee over your right, and twist to the opposite side. Repeat at least three times. These are seated spinal twists. Benefits of Yoga In my yoga teacher training, I was taught that moving your body has various benefits, such as decreased stress, increased confidence, and more balanced emotions. There are plenty of peer-edited articles supporting the benefits visible in this infographic. Knowing all of these benefits, I was eager to serve my students and bring yoga into the classroom. So I did! I started the first 3 – 5 minutes of my class saying the same words that you read in the first two paragraphs. After a very short yoga pose or two, students would journal their thoughts. They answered the following questions. What is the name of the yoga pose you did today? After doing yoga, I feel… I feel this because…