Listening Pose (Seated Savasana)

Peace Pose

I think most of us who teach or practice yoga would agree that the best part of a yoga class is the end - Savasana -where all outer body movement ceases and we allow ourselves to tune in to our inner bodies.

Years ago when I first began teaching children's yoga, it was a challenge to get 10-15 children to actually lie still and quiet so that they could tune into their inner world.  Through trial and error, I learned how to creatively take the energy they were sending out to me and direct  it to where I wanted them to be. I often use the imagery of a Starfish lying in the sand at the bottom of the ocean as our ending savasana pose. Recently, I've been experimenting with other positions to encourage the tuning in and relaxation of the body, in environments other than the yoga studio or sensory room. I've been working on postures for an environment that children are in a good portion of the time: a classroom.

Starfish pose or traditional savasana (corpse pose) may not be a posture that a child can use when in a typical classroom. If the classroom is an inclusion room, this may not be possible either due to space restrictions or disruption. However, a student can be taught to modify a different, more practical posture and use an imagery that will not be disruptive to a teacher or to other students. One that I like to use is "Peace Pose" (pictured at top left).

One does not need a mat and one does not need to sit cross legged to practice it. You can do this seated in a chair. Be sure to keep spine straight (or against the back of the chair) hands on knees, feet flat on floor and breathe in & out from the belly slowly and deeply. Imagine breathing in Peace and breathing out stress/confusion/ frustration or whatever it is we are trying to get control of.

We can imagine we breathe in what we want and out what we no longer  need.  I also have the kids imagine they are breathing into each part of the body, starting at toes and going all the way up to their hair. As their breath flows out and into the atmosphere, they imagine, (as one student puts it)  all 'the bad stuff going with it'!

Peace Pose:
Adapted to a therapy ball

Students (and teachers) can use this technique for a variety of self-regulation purposes: to remain calm, to solve problems, to think before acting, to prepare for a transition or to feel more grounded, focused, safe and confident.

Depending on the student, group or what specific resonance or association you want the posture to have you could call it:

• Peace Pose
• Listening Pose
• Calm Pose
• Quiet Pose
• Easy Pose
• Statue Pose
• Thinking Pose
• Seated Savasana

Just be sure to keep consistent with what you name it.

By teaching children that they can feel calm & safe when sitting on a bus, in a movie theater, at their desks or anywhere, we broaden their concentration & stress management skills and help them become more self reliant and adaptable to the many changes and challenges that Life holds.




Contact: Barbara@bodylogique.com




Related Articles:


Peace Garden Guided Imagery


The Breathing Ball (Video)


Glitter Ball (Video)


Starfish Guided Imagery

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