Prototypes Treatment Center 9.28.09

Residential drug/alcohol treatment is incredibly intense. Today there was a feel of anxious exhaustion. I started our session with a check in, asking, 'from 1 to 10, how relaxed do you feel right now. One being totally chill, and 10 being very agitated'. All were in 5-7 range, confirming my suspicion. It seemed the perfect time to hone in the topic of learning to relax.

In the midst of class, after a few opening stretches and up to tadasana, one of the girls asked, 'so how DO you relax?' I offered the best remedy I know, which is to breath slowly and deeply just like we were practicing. And then added, "and pray". I suggested using the Serenity Prayer as a mantra, for example. This prompted a whole shift in the class, a door opened wide which was so cool. I could have never planned this class. After a group discussion, I put them down on their backs to practice breathing again, offered a relaxing body meditation,  and let them drift into savasana from there.

I polled the relaxation scale again at the end of class. 2-4. One 5. These girls are my teachers and the gifts of yoga are immense beyond my wildest dreams.

Check in poll 1-10

Supine rest

breath awareness

windshield wiper

eye of the needle

seated side bending

seated forward fold

cat

cow

balasana

easy side plank

tadasana

relaxation discussion. Q and A

supine relaxing meditation

savasana

sit

serenity prayer

poll 1-10

Namaste