268 • PART III: YogA foR EduCATIng foR SElf-REgulATIon And EngAgEmEnT
breath will keep them steady (Rechtschaffen, 2014). Have them feel how the deep breath in
the belly is calming the waves and holding them in place. Ask them to notice how the ten-
sion is leaving their bodies as they soften into the deep belly breathing of the anchor breath.
After about 10 cycles of breath, have them check in with their bodies and get back to work,
steady and at ease.
mirroring: moving mindful meditation
Mirroring is an activity done in pairs (Curran, 2013; Neiman, 2015). According to Neiman
(2015) it is an opportunity to practice connecting and sensing oneself, as well as connecting
to and sensing another person. Because there is no touching, it is an emotionally and espe-
cially physically safe way to work in partners in the school setting (Curran, 2013). To do this,
place the students in pairs. Have the students stand or sit facing each other (Curran, 2013;
Neiman, 2015). The activity begins with the partners placing their palms facing each other
(fingertips to the ceiling; Curran, 2013; Neiman, 2014). There is no set leader. The practice is
to be a mirror to your partner’s movements (Curran, 2013; Neiman, 2015). Ask the students
to move slowly and mindfully (Curran, 2013; Neiman, 2015). Remind the students to use all
of their senses, to see and feel what is happening. You can also have the students take turns
being leader and mirror. Ask them to process what they noticed. Did it matter if there was a
leader? What was it like to not have a leader? What helped them be mirrors?
ConCluSIon
Yoga is embodied learning. During each yoga practice, our students are learning how to
be with and for themselves and others. This chapter reviewed the four key practices of
school-based yoga: yoga poses, breathing exercises, relaxation, and meditation. Consider
this your starting point. I have been on my yoga journey for nearly 20 years now. As an
ongoing practice, it is never finished. There are many wonderful yoga-based resources
to bring into your classroom or school as formal practices. For a broad overview of poses
see Flynn (2013) Yoga for Children: 200+ Yoga Poses, Breathing Exercises, and Meditations for
Healthier, Happier, More Resilient Children. For a review of conceptually cohesive yoga prac-
tices with children, see Harper (2013), Little Flower Yoga for Kids: A Yoga and Mindfulness
Program to Help Your Child Improve Attention and Emotional Balance. For a set of classroom
yoga-based practices that are in a teacher-friendly lesson plan and worksheet format,
see Tantillo (2012), Cooling Down Your Classroom: Using Yoga, Relaxation, and Breathing
Strategies to Help Students Learn to Keep Their Cool. Gillen and Gillen (2007), in their book
Yoga Calm for Children: Educating Heart, Mind, and Body, do a wonderful job providing
modifications for yoga poses, as does Lois Goldberg (2013) in her book, Yoga for Children
With Autism and Special Needs. Finally, for a good how-to for students who have experi-
enced trauma, see Neiman (2015), Mindfulness and Yoga Skills for Children and Adolescents:
115 Activities for Trauma, Self-Regulation, and Special Needs. There is still more to learn in
this book. Specifically, Chapter 12 will review the informal applications of school-based
yoga and Chapter 13 will review programs and research.