Emotions: Bad
Begin here!
A 9 minute writing exercise that will get the students to explore the emotions in the bad module, and how those emotions show up for them physically as well as energetically.
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Your copy of the Emotion circle
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What does this exercise show you about how how we all process and respond in this emotional state? Are we all the same?
How were you the same as the people in your group? How were you different?
Why does it help to know how you personally respond when you are feeling bad? What are the benefits of knowing this?
How could this information help you to relate to others when they are feeling bad?
Did anything on your list- or any of your groups- surprise you? Why?
Did anyone write down other peoples ideas once they heard them? Why did they resonate with you?
11 minutes
Embrace it: Body (Yoga)
A 20-minute physical exercise that takes students through a range of forward folds, exploring the benefits of having their heads lower than their hearts to reset their bodies and their mind.
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Journal
A chair, and some wall space
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Which forward fold worked best for you? Why?
Who liked the forward folds? Why?
Who didn’t like the forward folds? Why?
Did anyone struggle with thinking too much whilst in the fold? What do you think you could do about that?
Can you think of any other ways to fold forward? (head lower than the heart)
How did the fold feel on your physical body?
Share some emotions you felt at the end- anyone see a difference in how they felt compared to when they started it? Why/ why not?
20 minutes
Embrace it: Mind
A very quiet 20-minute rest practise that will take the students through a guided meditation to calm the energy of the room down.
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Journal
A quiet room (if possible) and enough floor space for everyone to be able to lay down flat on their backs or belly’s.
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Who liked the yoga nidra? Why?
Who didn’t like the nidra? Why? What happened? How did it make you feel?
Did anyone fall asleep?
Do you think you heard the whole recording or only some of it?
When would a practise like a nidra help you? (exam time, when you are feeling super stressed out and too busy, when you are feeling very emotional)
Did you feel super sleepy afterwards or energised?
Would you want to try another one?
Read the benefits on the handout and discuss
Share some emotions you felt at the end- anyone see a difference in how they felt compared to when they started it? Why/ why not?
20 minutes
Embrace it: Breath
A 14-minute breath work exercise that focuses on the exhale, teaching the students how to use the breath to embrace and let go of any unwanted feelings.
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Journal
Floor space for students to sit on the floor crossed legged.
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Who liked this breath exercise? Why?
Who didn’t like this breath exercise? Why?
When might this breath exercise help? Where could you use it?
Were you able to try the big loud sighing version? Why not?
If you did try the big sighing version, how was it? Did it help you to feel like you were releasing the emotion more?
Share some emotions you felt at the end- anyone see a difference in how they felt compared to when they started it? Why/ why not?
15 minutes
Reduce it: Body
A 12-minute physical exercise that teaches the students how to use twisting poses to rid the body of any unwanted heavy or tired energy.
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Journal
Some floor space fro students to lay on their backs
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Who liked this twisting exercise? Why
Who didn’t like this twisting exercise? Why?
Did you prefer the movement or when you stayed still in the twist at the end? Why?
What other emotions do you think this exercise might help with? What other emotions do you feel in your belly?
Did anyone feel they got into quite a rhythm with the breath and the movement together? How did that make you feel?
Share some emotions you felt at the end- anyone see a difference in how they felt compared to when they started it? Why/ why not?
13 minutes
Reduce it: Mind
A 9 minute writing exercise that help students to build an effective daily, weekly and term long to-do list to help them manage their stress and overwhelm.
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Journal
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Who liked this exercise? Why?
Who found this exercise hard? Why?
Who thinks this will really help them get through their to-do list?
Did anyone feel a bit better once they had reduced their to-do list down to a week? Why? Why not?
Would you do a list for the term now using this method?
Who thinks they will get all their week items complete this week? Check in in a weeks time and see!
10 minutes
Reduce it: Breath
A quiet 8-minute seated breath work exercise that encourages the students to have a single point of focus to slow their breath and their minds down.
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A chair to sit on (or the floor)
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Who liked this breath exercise? Why
Who didn’t like this breath exercise? Why?
When could you use this breath work?
Who felt like they struggled to slow down when they did it? What can you do about that?
Did it help to close your eyes? Why? Why not?
Share some emotions you felt at the end- anyone see a difference in how they felt compared to when they started it? Why/ why not?
9 minutes