The festive season is well and truly here! So it’s time to introduce Christmas yoga! If you have been to any of our Kalma children’s yoga classes over December then you will have undoubtedly notice the festive-ness yoga postures and sensory additions inside classes!
While the lead up to Christmas is super exciting, it can also mean stress and anxiety for both adults and children. For many as early as the start of November can create never ending to do lists which gets our minds racing constantly. There is so much organisation for some families to get together whether this be a trip away or staying at home.
What we all need at this time of year a little bit of light hearted Christmas yoga and meditation. It’s one to add to the list of Christmas rituals and you never know it might be the perfect way to bring calm, clarity, and peace to the busy months!
So you may ask how do we incorporate Christmas yoga and meditation into our Christmas festivities?
It all starts with some imagination. To some it may not come naturally so a helping hand with you favourite books or films may get the creative festive list flowing. List all the things which remind you of Christmas from Santa to reindeers to a str to gingerbread men!
Then make a list of activities which you may or may not do during Christmas such as sledging, ice skating, making snow angels, caroling, sipping hot chocolate, or wrapping gifts. Try to think and imagination all those things which incorporate the five senses, like playing “Silent Night”, eating your favorite Christmas treats, playing your favourite Christmas games, baking your favourite Christmas food, or spending time with your favourite people.
Feeling more in the festive spirits? Well now we can add some movement and meditation. Take a look at our six pose Christmas yoga sequence with a Christmas gratitude mediation to finish your practice:
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- Christmas Tree pose: Stand on one leg, bend your knee, place the sole of your foot on your inner thigh where it’s comfortable then balance. Switch sides and repeat the balance on the other leg
- Christmas Tree pose: Stand on one leg, bend your knee, place the sole of your foot on your inner thigh where it’s comfortable then balance. Switch sides and repeat the balance on the other leg
- Star pose VARIATION OF MOUNTAIN POSE/triangle– PRETEND TO BE A SPARKLING SNOWFLAKE FALLING FROM THE SKY or a star on top of the tree. Stand tall with your legs hip-width apart and feet facing forward. Straighten your arms out alongside your body. Once balanced you can turn the feet outward for more of a triangle bottom.Pretend to be a snowflake drifting down from the sky. Close your eyes (or gaze down in front of you) and take a few deep, calming breaths.
- Flying snowman warrior three: Start by standing tall in mountain pose. Then shift your weight to stand on one leg. On an inhale, slowly bend your torso forward and squeeze your shoulder blades together while extending your arms and the other leg behind you. Gaze at the floor in front of your foot. Flex your foot so that your toes are pointing at the ground. Elongate your neck and straighten your spine so that a straight line runs from your head to your foot. Ensure that your hips are parallel to the ground. Imagine that you are an airplane gliding through the sky. (To take a further challenge in this pose, try extending your arms out in front of you. Firm your belly.) Come out of the pose on an exhale, lowering your leg to the ground. Take a few deep breaths. Switch sides and repeat the steps.
4. Snow dog pose: standing tall inhale and as you exhale bend forward to place the hands in front firmly on the floor. Create a triangle with the body. Bottom facing the ceiling. Try to draw the heels to the ground but if it’s too uncomfortable then let them rest above ground. Imagine your a puppy in the snow covered in white fluffy flakes and need to shake them off. Wiggle that bottom in the air to get them off! 
5. Candy cane forward fold: standing tall inhale raise the arms to the sky and on the out breath bend forward from the hips stretching the arms to the floor. Fold in half as if you were a candy cane. Peppermint red striped! Take a few breaths here then as you inhale come to standing 
6. Ice skating Dancer pose: standing tall in Mountain pose inhale bend forward from the hips floating the arms outwards to help with balance. Lifting one leg up stretch it out behind you so your standing tall on one use your arms to balance like superman! Feeling a bit braver you can also round it towards the bottom. Take a hand stretching it backward to meet the bent leg, and take the foot. Use the free arm to balance! Hold for three breaths and swap to the other side repeating the process.
These finish our Christmas yoga why not try your own postures or show us the ones you do from above? It’s time to now relax after the Christmas yoga with some meditation. This will help you to be calm and still try our Christmas gratitude meditation!
It’s time to rest your eyes, close them and let’s be calm and be still. Let’s be mindful of resting.
Take a breath in and blow it all the way out slowly. We are just going to take a minute to think about all the things your feelings grateful and happy for right now. Maybe it could be the warm clothes you wear, or delicious food you eat, or having a family that keep you safe and love you. Think about how these make you feel? Don’t you feel so lucky? Take a minute to say thank you just in your head.
Let’s think about the things that you have right now the toys your bought your favourite game you like to play. Let’s be grateful we are to have these.
All those family and friends you have who love you keeping you safe who laugh and play with you. Doesn’t that make you so happy! It’s lovely to have such special family and friends. Think about the special places you’ve been to maybe to see a reindeer, ice skating, trips to the park or shopping. All these things which make you smile!
Now as you sit calm and still remember this feeling of how you are right now. Happy and warm. Let gratitude surround you with a warm cuddle it’s a gift! Breath in slowly and breath out keeping your still and calmness.
If you enjoyed this then head to our website to see the many benefits our children’s yoga brings www.kalmalifeuk.co.uk