Guided Yoga Break

Duration: 10 minutes

Goal: Guide students through gentle, accessible yoga poses with clear audio cues and adaptations to support all comfort levels.

Materials Needed:

• Yoga mats or towels
• Optional yoga blocks, cushions, or rolled-up towels for support

Instructions:

1. Neck Rolls
   
   Cue (Teacher or Audio): “Sit or stand tall. Gently drop your right ear toward your right shoulder. Inhale as you circle your chin to your chest, exhale as you continue to your left shoulder. Repeat 3 times in one direction, then switch.”
   
   Adaptation: Keep chin slightly tucked if your neck feels tight. Move slowly to avoid strain.
   
   
2. Shoulder Openers
   
   Cue: “Interlace your fingers behind your back. On an inhale, lift your chest and draw your shoulder blades together. Exhale and soften. Repeat 5 breaths.”
   
   Adaptation: Hold a towel between hands if you can’t clasp fingers. Keep elbows bent if shoulders are tight.
   
   
3. Cat–Cow Flow
   
   Cue: “Come to hands and knees. Inhale, drop your belly, lift your gaze and tailbone (Cow Pose). Exhale, round your spine, tuck your chin (Cat Pose). Flow with your own breath for 6 rounds.”
   
   Adaptation: Place a cushion under your knees or hands for extra support. Move range of motion smaller if needed.
   
   
4. Seated Side Stretch
   
   Cue: “Sit cross-legged or on a chair. Inhale, reach your right arm up. Exhale, lean left, feeling a stretch along your right side. Hold 3 breaths. Repeat on the other side.”
   
   Adaptation: Keep bottom hand on the floor or chair seat for stability. Bend your top elbow if you need to.
    
    
5. Child’s Pose Rest
   
   Cue: “From hands and knees, bring your hips toward your heels and stretch arms forward. Rest your forehead on the mat. Breathe here for 5 slow breaths.”
   
   Adaptation: Place a cushion under your forehead or between knees and chest for comfort.
    
    
   Posture Tips & Reminders:

• Encourage students to listen to their bodies and move within a pain-free range.
• Emphasize breathing: inhale deeply through the nose, exhale fully through the nose or mouth.
• Offer verbal reminders to relax the jaw, soften the eyes, and release tension in the shoulders.

Optional Extension:

• Play soft, instrumental background music to support a calm atmosphere.
• Invite students to close their eyes during Child’s Pose to deepen relaxation.

Transitions:

• After finishing Child’s Pose, guide students to slowly come up and sit in a circle to continue with the next retreat phase.

Expressive Art Prompt Sheet

Instructions

Today, you will use art to explore and express a peaceful place or feeling. There is no right or wrong way to create—trust your intuition and let your creativity flow.

1. Draw Your Peaceful Place or Feeling

Take a moment to breathe deeply. Visualize a place or feeling that makes you feel calm, safe, or happy. Use colors, shapes, and textures to bring it to life on paper.

2. Reflective Questions

1. What colors did you choose, and what do they represent for you?

1. Which shapes or textures stand out most in your drawing, and why?

1. How did creating this image make you feel in your body and mind?

1. Name one element from your drawing that you could bring into your daily routine to help you feel more peaceful.

Take your time and remember: your artwork is a personal expression of your inner world. There is no judgment—only discovery and self-care.

Soul Share Circle Discussion Guide

Time: 15 minutes
Materials Needed: Talking object (e.g., small stone, stress ball)

1. Overview

Students sit in a circle and pass the talking object. Only the person holding it may speak; others listen actively, without interrupting. This creates a safe space for honest reflection and empathetic connection.

2. Group Protocols

• Confidentiality: What’s shared in the circle stays in the circle.
• Respectful Listening: No side conversations; give full attention.
• Speak from “I”: Use personal statements (I felt…, I noticed…).
• No Judgment: Every experience and feeling is valid.

3. Core Discussion Questions

1. How did participating in the retreat make you feel?
2. What surprised you about your own reactions or insights?
3. Which moment or activity resonated most with you, and why?
4. What is one practice (breathing, stretch, art, sharing) you’d like to use again at home or school?

4. Follow-Up Prompts

• Can you say more about that feeling or idea?
• What part of your drawing connects to what you’re describing? (Link to Expressive Art Prompt Sheet)
• How might you support a friend to try this practice?
• What small step could you take this week to carry this forward?

5. Facilitator Tips

• Manage Time: Gently prompt students who go long; ensure everyone has a turn.
• Include Quiet Voices: Invite quieter students by name if they haven’t spoken.
• Read the Room: If a student seems upset, acknowledge it (“I noticed you paused—would you like to share more or skip?”).
• Model Vulnerability: Share a brief personal reflection first to set the tone.
• Keep It Safe: If someone shares something too personal or distressed, offer to talk privately after the circle and reconnect with the group on lighter reflections.

Conclude by inviting everyone to take one final collective deep breath, express silent gratitude for each other’s presence, and release the talking object back to the facilitator.

Closing Meditation

Duration: 5 minutes
Materials Needed: Optional soft instrumental music (very low volume)

1. Settle In (30 seconds)
   
   • Invite students to sit comfortably with a straight spine—on a chair or the floor.
   • Rest hands gently in lap or on knees.
   • Softly close eyes or lower gaze.
2. Grounding Breath (1 minute)
   
   • Cue: “Take a slow inhale through the nose for 4 counts… hold for 2… exhale through the nose or mouth for 6.
   • Repeat twice more at your own pace, noticing how the body begins to soften.”
3. Body Scan (2 minutes)
   
   • Cue: “Bring your attention to the top of your head. Notice any sensations there—warmth, tension, ease.
   • Slowly move your awareness down to your forehead, eyes, jaw. Allow your face to soften.
   • Continue down through your neck and shoulders. Release any tightness as you breathe out.
   • Soften through your chest and belly—feel the rise and fall of breath.
   • Scan through your hips and thighs—let them melt into the floor or chair.
   • Notice your lower legs, ankles, feet—feel grounded, supported.”
4. Gratitude & Intention (1 minute)
   
   • Cue: “Bring to mind one thing from today’s retreat that you’re grateful for—an activity, a shared moment, a new insight.
   • Hold that gratitude in your heart and set an intention to carry it with you beyond this room.”
5. Closing & Shared Breath (30 seconds)
   
   • Cue: “Gently wiggle your fingers and toes, bringing small movement back. When you feel ready, blink your eyes open.
   • Let’s take one final, collective inhale… hold… and exhale together.”
   • End with a moment of silence to honor the group’s shared energy.

Teacher Tip: Speak in a calm, even tone. Pause between cues to allow students to follow. Adjust timing as needed to match the group’s pace.