Family Yoga: Week One
If you read my post earlier this week, you saw that I am trying to incorporate something new into our evening routine. We have trouble winding down for the evening at this house, so in an effort to teach my kids some skills they could use, and to be more aware and intentional in my own night time rituals, I started family yoga. Here is an honest review of week one.
First Night: We began our Yoga routine with this small mantra:
I release any stress from today.
I allow my mind to calm and my body to relax.
Tonight, I give myself the rest that I need.
Then we used this poster and went through the entire routine twice, concentrating on our breathing between poses.
The kids loved it. Jon's knee had some trouble with it. The room was calm and relaxing and everyone was into it and said they liked it and wanted to know if it was going to happen again?
Second Night: Kids started asking if we were going to do family yoga around 745pm. I reminded them that it is a bedtime routine for me so we would do it closer to their bedtime and meet at 830pm. A good sign. At 830 we met in my room again and this time Henry wanted to write the mantra for the yoga.
I sit and relax
Stress and anger seeping through the atoms in my skull and skin
and get the rest I need for tomorrow
another fun and exciting day
This night we did a guided
Which was about 10 minutes long and everyone enjoyed it. There was one pose that was difficult (according to Henry, the 11 year old) but it was overall great and at a beginners level.
Third Night: Everyone was a bit slower to join and I honestly wanted to just tell them that I am happy to do this on my own if they don't wanna, it's no skin off my back. They decided they wanted to participate though and off we went.
This time we participated in an Evening Meditation
It used the mantra: I choose...to let go
It was 10 minutes of concentrated breathing and quiet and stillness and it was wonderful. No one else in my family enjoyed it at all! Henry was trying to see if he could get my or Jon's attention almost the entire time (a bit too long for the 11 year old). Callie was trying not to laugh at him and to be respectful but she also had a hard time staying focused. Afterward, the kids said they like yoga better than meditating. Jon agreed, but mostly because he had a hard time sitting in the same position for a full 10 minutes because of his knee. I loved it but the kids were distracting and I think I would have gotten more out of it had they not been in the room.
The best part is I found two yogi's that I really like, Sarah Beth of Sarah Beth Yoga on Youtube
and Adriene of Yoga with Adriene on Youtube.
Some of these yoga channels are run by some real weirdos and at times while I was searching around I was wondering if they were high on life or possibly something else. Also, I found that the faker their voice sounded, the less seriously I could take them and we already have to try not to laugh every time someone in the room farts from too much relaxation, so I don't need to try and not laugh at a Yogi that sounds like they are doing their best Shaggy impression. I felt like I could smell the Patchouli through the computer screen and it was just too silly for even me.
If you are interested in checking out yoga or meditation for yourself or your family, I will link to both of their channels at the bottom of the post.
It is Friday night and although we have an early one tomorrow morning, with Regionals for Henry's archery team, I am still going to do an evening yoga for relaxation and winding down. I am pretty sure everyone will join me if I make it public that I will be hosting again. We all enjoyed it and Callie felt like she slept better as well. I know overall it is a great thing to show them and when they fall away from the interest, I will still be doing it each night so they can always join me. I will be secretly relieved and happy when there are nights that I get to do my meditating alone (shhh), but they are always welcome of course.
Namaste' and junk
Amy
Comments
Post a Comment