Mindful Movement & Yoga 🧘

Read instructions slowly. Pause 5–8 seconds between each cue.

1. Mountain Pose (30s): Stand tall, feet hip-width, arms at sides. "Feel like a mountain — strong, still, unmoving. Take two slow breaths here."
2. Sun Reach (4x): Breathe in — arms rise overhead. Breathe out — arms float down. "You're a sunflower turning toward the light."
3. Forward Fold (30s): Soften knees, let the top of your body hang forward like a ragdoll. Head heavy. Hands may touch legs or dangle. "Shake out your head gently."
4. Standing Star (30s): Step feet wider, arms stretch out into a star shape. "Feel how much space your body can take up."
5. Moon Side Bend (2x each side): Raise right arm, lean left. Hold 15s. Switch sides. "You're a crescent moon."
6. Chair Pose (20s): Sit back like there's an invisible chair, arms forward. Hold and breathe. "Strong legs, calm breath."
7. Return to Mountain: Stand tall. One final breath in, arms rising. Breathe out, arms lowering. "You did that."

1. Pair students. Assign Partner A and Partner B.
2. Explain: "Partner A moves slowly — any shape, any pose. Partner B is the mirror: copy the exact same shape at the same time, as smoothly as you can. No talking. Focus."
3. Partner A leads for 2 minutes (slow motion encouraged). Then switch.
4. Final round: no designated leader — both try to move together without words. This requires intense mutual attention.
5. Debrief: "What did you notice? What was harder — leading or following? What helped you stay in sync?"

1. Have students close eyes or look at their hands. Say: "We're going on a listening walk — but we're not moving. Our ears are doing the walking."
2. Guide attention in expanding circles:
   📍 Near: "What sounds can you hear right in this room? Your own breathing. The chair. Anyone shifting." (30s)
   📍 Middle: "Now listen to the hallway. The building. Anything just outside." (30s)
   📍 Far: "Reach your ears as far as they'll go. Outside the school. What might you hear out there?" (30s)
3. Bring focus back: "Come back to this room. Notice you. Open your eyes when ready."
4. Share: students name one thing they heard at each level.

1. Ask students to sit comfortably and close their eyes if comfortable.
2. Guide attention slowly from feet to head, pausing 10–15 seconds at each location:
   "Notice your feet and toes. Can you wiggle them? Are they warm or cool?"
   "Now your legs — are they tense or relaxed? Let them be heavy."
   "Your belly — does it move when you breathe? Let it be soft."
   "Your hands and fingers — open them, then let them relax."
   "Your shoulders — shrug them up to your ears… and let them drop."
   "Your face — is your jaw tight? Let your teeth part a little."
3. End: "Notice your whole body at once. You just did a body scan."

Lead each pose, holding 20–30 seconds. Invite slow nasal breathing throughout. Remind students there's no perfect pose — explore what their body can do.

1. Mountain (30s): Stand feet hip-width, arms at sides. Eyes soft-focused. Breathe 3 full cycles here.
2. Warrior I (30s each side): Step one foot back, back foot turned out 45°. Bend front knee over ankle. Arms rise overhead. "Strong and rooted."
3. Warrior II (30s each side): Open hips to face side, arms stretch parallel to floor — front arm leads, back arm extends behind. Gaze over front hand. "Steady gaze, steady breath."
4. Triangle (20s each side): Straighten front leg, reach front hand toward shin or the air, back arm rises. "You're making a triangle — can you feel every point?"
5. Standing Forward Fold (30s): Feet together, hinge forward. Let head hang. Bend knees as needed. "Let gravity do the work."
6. Chair Pose (20s): Sit back into an imaginary chair, arms forward or overhead. Engage core. Breathe here — don't hold your breath.
7. Return to Mountain: One full inhale, arms rise. Full exhale, arms float down. "Notice how your body feels different from when we started."

Guide each muscle group: tense on the inhale (5 counts), hold (2 counts), release completely on the exhale (5 counts). Pause 10 seconds between groups.

1. Hands and forearms: Make tight fists. Squeeze hard. Release and notice the difference.
2. Upper arms: Curl biceps tight, like a flex. Hold. Release.
3. Shoulders: Shrug up to your ears as high as possible. Hold. Drop everything.
4. Face: Scrunch all facial muscles — forehead, eyes, nose, jaw. Hold. Let it all smooth out.
5. Chest and belly: Take a full breath in, expand chest and belly. Hold. Long slow exhale — let the chest sink.
6. Legs: Press feet into the floor, tense thighs and calves. Hold. Let go.
7. Full body (optional): Tense everything at once for 5 counts. Release completely. Sit in the quiet for 30 seconds.

End: "This is called progressive muscle relaxation. You can do this anytime — before a test, when you're anxious, or when you can't sleep."

Read slowly. Pause at each ellipsis (3–5 seconds). Adjust pace to the room — if students are very settled, go slower.

1. Begin: "Close your eyes or let your gaze soften downward. Take two slow breaths to arrive."
2. "Imagine a place where you feel completely safe and calm. It could be real — somewhere you've been — or somewhere you invented. It belongs to you." (15s)
3. "Notice what you see there… the colors, shapes, and light…" (15s)
4. "What sounds are there? Or is it quiet?…" (10s)
5. "What does the air feel like? Temperature, breeze, stillness…" (10s)
6. "Notice your body in this place. How do your shoulders feel? Your face? Let yourself be completely at ease." (20s)
7. "Know that you can return to this place anytime you need it. It's yours." (10s)
8. Slowly: "Take a deeper breath… gently bring your awareness back to this room… when you're ready, open your eyes."

Use between subjects, after assessments, or any moment you sense the room needs a reset.

1. Neck rolls (30s): Drop chin to chest, slowly roll right ear to right shoulder, back, left ear to left, and return. Reverse. "Move slow enough to feel every vertebra."
2. Shoulder circles (30s each direction): Roll shoulders forward 5x, then backward 5x. "Let the tension fall off."
3. Seated spinal twist (30s each side): Sit tall, place right hand on left knee, look over left shoulder. Breathe and hold. Switch.
4. Eagle arms (30s): Extend both arms, cross right arm under left at the elbows, wrap forearms, lift elbows. Feel upper-back stretch.
5. Standing forward fold (30s): Stand, hinge forward from hips, let arms hang. Nod head yes and no gently. Slowly rise back up, stacking vertebrae.
6. Shake out hands, take one breath. Sit down. "Ready to learn."