Showing posts with label yoga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yoga. Show all posts
Making Progress
I started doing yoga almost one year ago. This week I've been noticing the little bits of progress I have made in my practice. They are very little bits, but I'm trying to take note of each one and not take them for granted. I can now touch my toes, only with my finger tips, but that is more than I could do before. I still can't do a wheel (back bend) or a headstand. For me, touching my toes with my finger tips is real progress.
Progress is the key to assessment. Where you start is as important as where you finish. Hyperfocus on the end goal misses the distance of the journey in between. As the school year comes to a close, take a moment and look back to see how far you and your students have come.
Setting Intentions
At the beginning of each yoga class the instructor often asks us to set our intention for our practice and for our day.Here are some examples of intentions you might set:
- be nurturing to yourself
- push yourself to the edge of what you think you can do
- focus on your breathing
- smile
- let go of suffering
- be present
- give your best effort
- try everything a little bit
It occurred to me (and maybe it already has occurred to you), what if we asked our students this at the beginning of each day or each class. What if we gave them some quiet space to close their eyes and set their intention before beginning their learning journey for that day or that moment?
Does anyone do this already? I'm going to give it a try.
What is your intention for today?
Image credit: Meditation by skiegazer3