Day 19: Quality of Attention

Time in: Bunny breath

Discussion: Quality of Attention
• Review: What is a beginner’s mind (What is your attitude like when you are seeing or noticing something for the first time?)?
• What does quality mean in this case?
• What are different qualities of attention?

Warm up: How does your body feel in these locations?

• shoulders: cow face, crab
  
• neck: swan
• back: rocking horse, cobra, locust
  
• hips: butterfly
• legs: shark
• ankles: downward facing dog
• feet: crane
  

Activity: Share your Creative Flow pose sequences from last class.

Relaxation: Animal visualization

Journal Entry #19: Animal Qualities
Make up three poses for animals which we have not already learned. Name them and try to sketch them on your journal. You will show teach them to the class next week.

Day 18: Beginner’s Mind, Open mind

Lesson 18: Beginner’s Mind
What is a beginner's mind? What does it feel like to have a beginners mind? When were you aware that you were a beginner, what were you doing?

If we can approach things in our daily life with an open mind, ready to start fresh, our days will become more interesting and enjoyable. Try to be receptive, open to new and old experiences with the same enthusiasm. Having an open mind usually creates a positive outlook on life, and allows th eperson to be more creative and imaginative.

Journal Entry #18: Creative Flow
Create a sequence of 5 poses that can be done with a smooth flow from one to the next. Use any poses that we have done in class, try them out in order to see if they indeed flow together.
Draw each pose and label it. If you want to, make up some new poses too!

Lesson 17: Lines of Energy

Energy is everywhere, in us and around us. We can become more familiar with controlling our own energy by practicing in Healthy living class. we will practice controlling our mental energy with thinking exercises, and our physical energy with yoga poses.
In yoga poses we use opposing energy to build focus and stability, this will create focus and stability in our thoughts too. Opposing energy can be used by stretching our body in equal and opposite directions. For example in Mountain pose we reach our feet down into the earth at the same time we reach the crown of head up to the sky. This creates one long line form our belly which points up and down at the same time.
If we can be stable and calm in thought, we will feel the effects emotionally too. It is all connected, like infinity!

Journal assignment #17: Lines of Energy
Draw three figures in yoga poses, choose from the following list. Superimpose the energy lines that move in opposite directions over your figure drawings. Don't worry about drawing skills, simple stick figures or bubble figures are just fine!
Poses to choose from:

• Warrior 2
• downward dog
• ragdoll
• cobra
• gate
• triangle