The Gingerbread Man is a fun story to share with kids during the holiday season. Its many messages offer opportunities for various concepts to consider and this timeless tale speaks to kids of today.
After you bake up some sweet gingerbread cookies and sip a mug of warm cocoa, you just might find it's the perfect time to read a story a then get a yummy stretch in with a few yoga poses!
There are quite a few poses you can practice with all the characters and action in the story; Warrior I and Warrior II, triangle pose, downward facing dog, seated forward fold and others. Let's begin by becoming the Gingerbread Man with Mountain pose, the foundational pose from which all other standing poses arise.
Mountain pose centers us bringing us into the present moment. We become aware of the body and breath. The true purpose of yoga is to bring us into present moment awareness, with a calm, clear mind so that we can deal with challenging situations in a responsible way.
Gingerbread Man Pose
Stand tall in Mountain pose, which is an active pose. It may not look like much, but keeping your body aligned is work. Becoming aware of the body helps improve posture, balance, and calm focus. It increases awareness and develops stability.
Stand with feet slightly apart, arms by your sides, press your feet into the ground and gently pull in the belly. Your shoulders, head, neck and spine are in a straight line reaching high towards the sky. The gaze is soft. Breathe, slow and deep, in and out. Notice how your feel. Perhaps warm and sweet like a Gingerbread Man!
You can practice Mountain Pose many times throughout your normal day. Once you get the hang of the correct alignment, you may find yourself standing and sitting straighter with a calm, clear mind!
Kathe
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