Written by Kayla Reetz, Trauma Supports Director & Kids Yoga + Mindfulness Instructor
"Balance means making choices and enjoying those choices - Betsy Jacobson
When I teach mindfulness in schools, there is a mudra I love teaching: Yin Yang.
Many of us recognize it as the black-and-white circular symbol that hung on many a necklace and bracelet back in the 90s. But for those of us lucky enough to teach in schools (and facilities!), it is a nonverbal cue to recognize the ups and downs of life, acknowledging both are necessary for a complete life. To practice this mudra, you put one hand over the other, creating an almost hourglass shape as the fingers touch in the middle, held in front of the belly button.
At its core, it's a reminder of balance. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about how to maintain balance in life and give each thing the attention it needs before moving on. Like everyone, this can weigh on me at times. When I feel successful in one area, it often feels like I'm falling short in another.
You can find this mudra in our Mudras Card Deck: 42 Mudras to Help Children Navigate Stress, Cultivate Focus, and Build a Foundation for Lifelong Well-Being
At Challenge to Change, I teach in schools and took on a leadership role as the Trauma Supports Coordinator. In this role, I lead a small team of instructors who teach mindfulness to clients of all ages in facilities across Iowa, in addition to working with young students in schools. We have meaningful conversations with people who are often seeking balance in their own lives.
During one of our lessons on balance at a facility, we talk about what being out of balance can sound and feel like in the body. Sometimes, when things are off balance, our heartbeat quickens, our thoughts race, and our body focuses on making the fastest decisions rather than the best ones. While this can help us get through the moment, we often end up regretting the choices we made.
To help this, we try to reflect on the thoughts our brain starts to say to us in moments of stress and how we react to those thoughts. Then we discuss what kind of tools can be used to come back to balance when the plate seems to tip one way or the other. Hopefully, by simply noticing the patterns, we can recognize it as it's happening and make better choices in the future.
I'm always amazed at how simply connecting with the breath can completely change the energy in a room, not to mention how it transforms how the body feels. I love watching the seated practice unfold in both schools and facilities. You can visibly see the tension release from students' and clients' shoulders as they lower toward the floor, and their facial expressions soften. They usually become more relaxed and focused, with their eyes opening a little wider. The best part, as I teach in my sessions, is that nothing special is required—just the body, mind, and breath. No equipment or special location is needed, making it accessible anytime, anywhere, as often as they need.
5 Mindful Ways to Practice Balance
To help you experience a sense of balance in both your mind and body, I'm sharing five simple ways to connect with your breath. These are five of my personal favorites that I use regularly in my daily life and turn to when I need a little extra focus.
Plug Into the Earth Mudra
This mudra tends to be a favorite with kids and adults alike. Plug into the Earth mudra helps stabilize the body and the mind when it feels jittery or hyperactive. It is not a magic switch, but it can be helpful to get through some tough moments.
Settle and Sink
Sometimes the idea of doing a full breath practice or a mudra feels overwhelming, or I might feel self-conscious about trying it in certain settings. When that happens, I simply place my hands on my knees and consciously let my body sink and settle into the moment. Sometimes I go through my senses, and other times I just focus on my inhale and exhale, but it's always an intentional way to connect with my breath.
Alternate Nostril Breath
Alternate nostril breathing is a powerful breath practice that connects the right and left sides of the brain. This technique is also included in our Breath Card Deck and might feel a bit strange for first-timers. However, it's a great tool for grounding yourself in the present moment when your mind is racing, helping you stay focused rather than getting caught up in the past or future.
Metta Mindfulness
I love teaching this one to older students because it often helps them reflect on their social interactions. It acknowledges not every interaction is a pleasant one and reinforces the personal choices involved rather than placing blame.
Tree Pose
Lastly, balancing poses can be a great way to keep our mind in the present moment instead of past or future moments. When we get caught up in those feelings of self-doubt or inadequacy, we are often having thoughts in the past or future. Trying to complete a simple balancing flow can help reset the mind.
We like to start with a simple balancing pose that is widely known- tree pose. The start of the pose isn’t actually in the muscles, but in the brain by choosing a focal point. It’s about focusing the mind before the movement.
Once clients feel familiar with that, we’ll add another balancing pose that changes the perspective- Warrior III. Now, clients have to move and maintain the balance- very similar to everyday life.
So, the next time you find yourself a little out of balance- either in the mind, the body, or both- I hope you turn to a few of the tools mentioned in this blog. And if you are interested in more, come learn more about our Yoga for Resiliency Curriculum in the Trauma Supports Department.
Thanks for reading!
~Kayla
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