Jul
18
Written by:
Gina Macauley
Wednesday, 18 July 2012
This morning I was honoured and thrilled to do a Yoga presentation to 500 year 7, 8 and 9 girls at a local high school. They were fantastic. I hope they had fun. And maybe, just one of them, got a sense of the incredible power Yoga has to make a real difference in their life.
Of course – I was terrified! So many people. Thankfully I had wonderful support in Jane (she was official photographer as well) and Alli McMillan, who is the school nurse who arranged the whole thing.
The brief was to give them some tools to help them get to sleep as some had spoken to Alli about not being able to get to sleep or stay asleep. I assured them they were in the majority of the population, and there are some things we can do to assist.
We started with a round of Surya Namaskar (AKA organised chaos – or maybe just chaos!), then I talked a little about how backlit devices (TVs, Laptops, phones) can prevent the brain making the chemicals it needs to go to sleep (melatonin).
Having a go at Surya Namasker (I was pleased to see the teacher having a go too)
We then did a few rounds of Circle of Joy followed by a little more talking about how the electricity in those same devices, when they are in the bedroom, interferes with getting a good night’s sleep and staying asleep.
Circle of Joy
We wrapped it up with some Nadi Sodhana (Alternate Nostril) pranayama, and some Bhramari (Bumble Bee) pranayama.
Bhramari
And finished with Namaste, its meaning and how as women, whilst we acknowledge our differences we should also honour that within us that is the same.
As you would expect from a group that size, they weren’t all engaged but a lot were. And if I was only able to connect to one of them, to give them the confidence to love themselves just the way they are, and to introduce them to Yoga – it was worth it.
Enjoy,
With Love.
7 comment(s) so far...
Re: A Big Gig
Brave work going back to your old school and speaking to 500 girls who would rather be texting their boyfriends on their phones.
I'm sure that you have started at least one on their yogic journey and in 20 years time they will tell their kids that "i first did yoga at a school assembly with some crazy woman".
By DAVID on
Wednesday, 18 July 2012
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Re: A Big Gig
Haha, thanks David for your excellent comment. And I can only hope that one day someone will remember the crazy woman at school assembly.
With Love
By Gina Macauley on
Wednesday, 18 July 2012
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Re: A Big Gig
You will not be thought of as a crazy woman, rather an inspirational one. If only one girl lies in her bed at night and makes a decision to turn her phone and ipod off and thinks about the gifts that they were offered in the yoga session then your work was successful. Unfortunatley teenagers dont always "click" as quickly as we would like. Be proud of what you have done and the growth that comes from that. Well done. Would it help my year 12's with their commitment to their studies??
By Kate Watts on
Thursday, 19 July 2012
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Re: A Big Gig
Thanks for your lovely comment Kate. I was lying in bad last night wondering if any of them were secretly trying the 'silly' breathing or had turned off their phone. Let's hope so. And a big YES to helping your year 12s. We just need to get them to a class somehow.
With Love
By Gina Macauley on
Thursday, 19 July 2012
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Re: A Big Gig
How alarming to think that so many at that age are having trouble sleeping. Well done Gina on being brave enough to talk to these kids and I'm sure there was at least one of them last night engaging in one of the methods you taught them. I wish my son was still at that school and had seen your presentation - I keep telling him how wonderful yoga is and how it can help him in many ways.
Love Shaz
By Sharyn McKitterick on
Thursday, 19 July 2012
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Re: A Big Gig
Super effort G! Well done, I would imagine you will learn so much from speaking to a group of 500 not so willing students, than any number of sessions in front of willing adults. A great experience for you and the girls. Rock on!
By Simon on
Thursday, 19 July 2012
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Re: A Big Gig
Thank you Sharyn for you great comments - maybe you could bring your son along to a Saturday morning class for a trial... give me a call or talk to me about it next week.
Thanks Simon - you are dead right - give me 500 WILLING adults anytime! And yes, the person who learnt the most yesterday was me.
With Love.
By Gina Macauley on
Thursday, 19 July 2012
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