Feathers

Feathers can still be used in this age group, using them in a mindful way to focus whilst also using the breath. They can be used with the eyes closed and focus on what the feather feels like in their hand, or tickling their opposite palm.

Scarves

Again scarves can used in a similar way and are a great way to visualise the breath. Challenges can be done where the scarf is held up high and dropped and you have to try to blow it away when it reaches the front of the face.

Ujjayi Pranayama (Ocean Breath)

Breathe in through the nose filling the lungs and exhale again through the nose but opening the back of the throat to make the sound of a rolling wave. To help the young people to get the hang of this, start with Ha breath, so they can feel how the throat is open and repeat with the mouth closed and lose the Ha sound.

Bunny Breath

Sit on your shins with your back straight and shoulders back and chest lifted. Keeping your chin down, take three big sniffs straight after each other. Then exhale in a long release as though you are sighing out through the nostrils. Repeat 5 to 7 times. This is a cleansing breath to keep you awake and alert like a rabbit.

Elephant Breath

Standing with your feet wide apart. Link your hands and dangle your arms in front of you like an elephant trunk. Inhale through your nose as you raise your arms high above your head and lean back. Exhale through your mouth as you swing your arms down through your legs. Repeat for three rounds. On the next round, stay up, arch your back and open your arms to the side bringing them down to ‘shower yourself’. As this involves an inversion, this is great to discuss with the young people in terms of using the breath to help you when you are feeling down or just need to concentrate on a task, such as revision due to the fresh supply of oxygenated blood to the brain.

Bear Breath

Sitting up tall, close your eyes. Through your nose, breathe in for a count of five and hold for a count of three. Breathe out for a count of five and hold for a count of three. Repeat 5 to 7 times. Open your eyes and you should feel peaceful.

Snake Breath

Sit up tall. Take a deep breath in, filling up your whole body. Pause and breathe out slowly and smoothly, making a hissing sound for as long as you can. Repeat 3 to 5 times feeling yourself becoming calmer each time. This is a very calming and relaxing breath.

Volcano Breath

Sitting tall, place the hands in prayer position in front of you. Breathing in through the nose fully whilst raising your hands above your head. Breathe out through the mouth quickly making an explosion noise, whilst opening the arms out to the side and lowering them.

Bumblebee Breath

Breathe in as fully as you can, filling the lungs completely. Breathe out again, emptying the lungs completely whilst buzzing like a bee. You can play with the pitch of the noise being made and ask them how the vibration feels.

Concertina Breath

This is an invigorating and uplifting, raising the core temperature and increasing energy. Interlace the fingers under the chin, inhale through the nose and take the elbows up towards the ceiling keeping your head forward. Draw the shoulder blades back and down and take the head back. Breathe out through the mouth, bring the head back to rest on fingers.

Full Body Breathing

Good for encouraging deeper breathing starting from the belly. Lying on your back, starting with the hands on the lower belly, then move hands to the abdomen and then collar bone, each time breathing deeply and fully and feel the breath. Good way to start relaxation.

Nadi Sodhana – Alternate Nostril Breathing

Balances the energy on both sides of the brain. With the left hand in your lap, place the thumb of the right hand on the right nostril and breathe in through the left counting to 3. Swap hands to cover the left nostril and exhale through the right. Then breathe in through the right nostril, again counting to 3 and swap hands to exhale through the left. This is one complete breath. Repeat three times.

Kumbhaka Pranayama – Holding the Breath

Calming and focussing. Breathe in through the nose and count 1 and exhale. Repeat counting to 2, then 3 and so on increasing the time between the inhale and exhale until a count of 10. This is a good one for during relaxation too.

Finding the Pause

Breathing naturally, find the point at which there is a natural pause in the breath at the end of the exhale and before the inhale begins again. Once you find it, you can try to extend it to help to feel relaxed.

Ha Breath

Invigorating and strengthens abdominals. Inhale deeply through the nose and exhale strongly through the mouth whilst making a long Ha sound. Again you can play with the pitch and discuss how it makes them feel and where they feel the vibration of the sound.

Sitali Breath

Cooling. Inhale opening the mouth to form an O, rolling the tongue and bringing it forward in front of the teeth. Breath in through the mouth and put through the nose. This should make the mouth feel cool inside.

Kapalabhati Pranayama – Fire Breath

Breathing in through the nose to fill the lung and exhale with a sound like a roaring fire. This should make the mouth feel warm inside.

These last two breaths are good to use together and rather than tell them what they should feel, talk about the differences and get them to tell you how they feel.