SPOTLIGHT ON STAR TWIST / Energizing Yoga Practice

Hello Spring?…

Here in Cleveland, we know that warmer, sunnier days may still be weeks away even though we have “sprung forward”. Despite the longer, lighter days, our chilly mornings and grey skies feel more like winter than spring. This can leave our students (and teachers) feeling tired, grumpy and less than motivated. Yoga and mindfulness practices are often thought of as tools to elicit calm, and release tension. However, yoga is also a wonderful way to wake up and energize the body and to promote an alert and present state of mind, ripe for learning.

Check out this quick, energizing yoga sequence that you and your students can try right in the classroom, anytime you need a mood boost or reset.

STAR TWIST (you can search for the video as well)

1. Step your feet wide apart and open your arms from side to side.

2. Turn your palms down and make space between your fingers.

3. Press down into your feet, and lift up through your heart.

4. Imagine you are a vibrant, shining star. Can you picture what color you are today?

5. Take a deep breath in; take a long breath out.

6. Twist your upper body side to side.

7. Twist a little faster.

8. Now, slow down. A little slower. And stop.

9. Let your arms rest at your sides.

10. Take a deep breath in through your nose, and a long breath out through your mouth, making the “HAAA” sound.

11. Once more, breathe in through your nose.

12. Breathe out through your mouth to make the “HAAA” sound.

13. Lift your arms back up to make your star shape.

14. Twist to one side.

15. Reach across your body and down toward your foot.

16. Press your hand onto the ground, or hold onto your ankle.

17. Stretch your other arm up toward to sky and look up.

18. Breathe in, and breathe out.

19. Return to your star shape.

20. Twist to the other side.

21. Reach across and down toward your foot.

22. Look up as you stretch your other arm toward the sky.

23. Breathe in, and breathe out.

24. Come back to standing tall with your feet wide.

25. Let your arms rest at your sides. What do you notice about your energy? Has the color of your star changed, or stayed the same?

26. Now, let’s breathe and move together. (Repeat steps 14-24)

27. Notice how you feel.

For other great yoga and mindfulness tips for your classroom and home, visit www.ZENworksYoga.com. ZENworks Yoga Online has more than 200 yoga and mindfulness videos; subscriptions start at just $9/month or $50/year.