CHAPTER 12: YogA PRACTiCE To CulTiVATE THE SElf off THE mAT • 289questions about my physical experiences, feelings, and thoughts; 7, I choose my focus
and actions; 8, I do the work; and 12, I work toward the possibility of effectiveness and
growth in my life (see Chapter 3).
Compassion for Self and others
Compassion means to wish for the suffering in others to be removed (McCown et al., 2010). The
roots of the word compassion are shared with the word kindness (Wallace, 2010). When you expe-
rience compassion, you are fully present with the struggle within the other person or yourself.
There is no avoidance, denial, or dissociation. Compassion for self and others also includes the
awareness that struggling is part of being human. I remind my students and yoga students that
it is not about the winning, getting it right, or being perfect. It is about the trying. Further, in
the trying there will be some instances of getting right, landing the part in the play, and nailing
the test or performance or maybe even the pose. However, there will also be times when they
get it wrong, fall, lose a sense of purpose, and experience what the world sees as failure. Self-
compassion is loving yourself through all of it. Compassion is the kindness you show to others
as they succeed, fail, try, and forget how to try. For a tool to assess compassion, see Pommier
(2011), which is accessible at http://www.self-compassion/self-compassion-sales-for-researchers.
Research suggests that self-compassion may promote the successful self-regulation of
health-related behaviors (Terry & Leary, 2011). It is believed that improved self-regulation
is possible due to a lowering of defensiveness, negative emotional states, and self-blame.
Additionally, it is theorized that people high in self-compassion may be less depleted. Being
less depleted, they cope better because they have greater self-regulatory resources to devote
to self-care (Terry & Leary, 2011). To assess self-compassion see Raes, Pommier, Neff, and
Van Gucht (2011). The scale is accessible at http://www.self-compassion/self-compassion-sales-
for-researchers. Associated Principles of Embodied Growth and Learning include: 1, I am
worth the effort; 2, my breath is my most powerful tool; 3, I am mindfully aware; 4, I work
toward presence in my physical body; 6, I ask questions about my physical experiences, feel-
ings, and thoughts; 7, I choose my focus and actions; 8, I do the work; 10, I honor efforts to
grow and learn; 11, I am kind to myself and others; and 12, I work toward the possibility of
effectiveness and growth in my life (see Chapter 3).
YogA THRougHouT THE SCHool dAY
Childress and Harper (2015) contend that in order to have the greatest impact and create
access for the most students, yoga programs should be integrated into the school day. This
can be done with a mix of formal and informal practices woven into the classroom experi-
ence, as well as by offering stand-alone yoga classes and/or after school programs. It is
important to note that efforts to provide access should be balanced with a commitment to
creating an invitational environment (Childress & Harper, 2015). This chapter, from begin-
ning to end, is intended to inspire and empower you to integrate informal yoga concepts and
practices into your school day. Weaving in the informal practices can begin with the broader
work of emphasizing and practicing the physical pillars of self-regulation (i.e., nutrition,
hydration, exercise, and rest). Next, create a framework for a positive and problem-solving
approach to emotions. Last, with a wider view on a broaden-and-build approach for your