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05 April 2020

Amii McKeever on 05 Apr 2020

Watch: lion and gazelle yoga with your kids

Yoga can be used to free up the body and focus the mind. Yoga instructor Sarah Lennon guides us through lion and gazelle, which is a fun yoga game for all the family to enjoy.

Amii McKeever

5 April 2020

Watch: lion and gazelle yoga with your kids

1. To begin with pretend that you are strong lions on all fours. Movement is free and flowing

2. Sitting back towards the heels stretch the arms out in front as far as is comfortable for you.

12. Coming back to all fours, see if you can become aware of the breath.

15. Pushing up through the hands lower the pelvis down towards the floor.

11. Come back to all fours then sit back towards the heels breathing out deeply.

10. Stretch your arm/big paw up into the air one and then the other. Feel free to roar loudly and have fun like the strong lion that you are!

7. But all of this makes you sleepy so slowly come to lying and become completely still, not moving a single hair, finding stillness and softness in the whole entire body.

8. Even in stillness the Lion is always alert and when you say the word ‘Gazelle ‘ jump up and move freely like a Gazelle kicking your legs up in the air.

14. Once again move like the lion, strong and free.

4. Adding to the previous lion movements stretch one leg back lifting it up bending at the knee, if you are a cross lion you can wave that leg about, like waving your tail.

5. Or if you are happy you can bring it in close to your tummy and lower your head bringing everything inwards. Don’t forget to do both legs!

6. Each time you sit back towards the heels let all the breath out of the body, lion noises welcome!

13. Each time you lower the pelvis down towards the floor push up through the hands to feel strong

3. Until once again the lion gets sleepy and comes to lying in complete stillness, muscles getting soft, letting go and letting go. Stay in this softness seeing if you can let go even more. But the lion is still vigilant in this stillness.

16. Once again when you say the word Gazelle you jump up and dance like a Gazelle, having fun feeling light and free.

9. This can be repeated as many times as you like enjoying both movement and stillness and awareness like the lion.

Increasing our body's strength and immunity is more important now than ever. Finding ways to minimise the detrimental effects of the stress and fearful thoughts that are bombarding us at the moment is important.

Yoga can be used to free up the body and focus the mind. Yoga instructor Sarah Lennon will guide us through some more yoga poses, for adults, over the coming weeks.

You can follow Sarah on Instagram at @yogawithsarahlennon or here.

Watch the video

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