As a Kids Holy Yoga instructor-in-training, this is my first lesson sampled on my two daughters. For those whom may be unfamiliar, Kids Holy Yoga is a combination of God’s Word interwoven with yoga poses to reinforce learning. This balance of movement and reading is ideal for the reluctant reader as well as the reluctant exerciser and a medium truly loved by my two elementary-aged girls.
The story “Hannah’s Special Prayer” is taken from Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling Bible Storybook. I am a fan of this Bible storybook due to the length of the stories which are brief, but informational. My eight-year-old enjoys reading the stories aloud once for other Holy Yoga Kids students before we incorporate the poses in a retelling.
Theme: God Answers Prayers
Breathwork- Starfish Breathing: This involves the use of a child’s fingers. A student breathes in as he/she traces up a finger and breathes out as he/she traces down a finger. We did breathwork on both hands. I used this breathing technique to reinforce the use of our hands when praying.
Warm-up: The Lord’s Pray with yoga poses (Kids Holy Yoga Manual)
Our Father- Mountain Pose with hands at heart center
Who art in heaven- Mountain Pose with lifting arms up towards Heaven
Hallowed be thy name- Forward Fold
Thy Kingdom come- Halfway lifted with hands resting on shins
Thy will be done- Plank Pose
On Earth- melt into floor
As it is in Heaven- Cobra
Give us this day our daily bread- Downward Facing Dog
Forgive us our trespasses- Warrior One Right
As we forgive those who trespass against us- Warrior One Left
And lead us not into temptation- Forward Fold
But deliver us from evil- roll up slowly to Mountain Pose
For Thine is the Kingdom- Mountain Pose with arms reaching up towards sky
And the Power- Mountain with arms reaching left
And the Glory- Mountain with arms reaching right
Forever and Ever- Mountain with arms reaching back overhead with a gentle back bend
Amen- Mountain with hands back at heart center
Both of my girls thoroughly enjoyed this sequence, and my youngest was quick to comment how she hears this prayer in church. I think this will be a great mnemonic device so that they can eventually memorize and internalize The Lord’s Prayer. In addition, I like the use of hands at heart center as a means to reinforce the theme of this lesson, God Answers Prayers.
Pose Series to accompany “Hannah’s Special Prayer”-
Mountain Pose with arms at heart center
Camel Pose
Child’s Pose
Warrior 1 Right
Warrior 1 Left
Right Side Triangle
Left Side Triangle
Chair Pose
Child’s Pose
Happy Baby
Tree Pose with cactus arms right
Tree Pose with cactus arms left
Hero Pose
Cool Down- I read the “Jesus Calling” portion at this time.
Crocodile Pose right
Crocodile Pose left
Resting- We completed the Snow Globe Meditation found in Lisa Roberts’ Breathe, Chill. I emphasized how the glitter were our worries and/or troubles. We then shake our snow globe and watch the glitter fall to the bottom of the mason jar. This reinforces the idea of giving our upset to God through prayer.
Conclusion- I gave each of the girls a small (50 cents for two) journal and told them they were our Prayer Journals. I asked if each of us might write down prayer requests and praises, enough to fill the page. Then, I asked if each student would like to share. Not only were they happy to share, but they borrowed requests and praises from once another. We then used these pages to compose a prayer together. The goal is for each of us to fill out a page daily and then use the list for our prayer before bed.
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